BOOM goes the roster: BOOM Esports drops 3 players despite memorable TI11 campaign

The odds of BOOM to stick together were less than 1.4 percent.

Screengrab via Valve

BOOM Esports’ Dota 2 roster shed three leaves in the span of four days as the organization bid farewell to JaCkky, TIMS, and skem.

Recommended Videos

With the addition of Jackky in Feb. 2022, BOOM burst onto the SEA Dota 2 screen. Together, they placed first and second in the last two DPC tours. Considering BOOM was also top of the charts in the first DPC tour, it was clear the squad was having a dream season.

BOOM was present at every major last season, but their internal performance didn’t carry over to the international arena. The team could still crown their impressive performance at GAMERS GALAXY: Invitational Series Dubai, ultimately making them one of the most successful teams heading into The International 2022.

Like in the majors, BOOM struggled to find its footing at TI11, and remained at the bottom of the barrel during groups. They were all but counted out from the tournament before the final day of groups, until they did what was considered impossible.

Despite having a 1.4 percent chance of making it out of the groups, BOOM defied all odds—they beat Evil Geniuses, the most dominant team in the groups, to force a tiebreaker. BOOM made out of tiebreakers and even upset TI10 champions, Team Spirit, on the main stage, but that was where they ran out of gas.

Shortly after the TI11, some BOOM players tweeted out their desire to explore new opportunities and even relocate to another region for the next season. A successful Dota 2 campaign in their home region wasn’t enough to keep BOOM together. Neither the organization nor departing players announced their plans for the future, but given the players showed great form during last season, it may not take them long to announce their new homes.

At the time of writing, only Yopaj and Fbz remain at BOOM, but Yopaj might also have one foot out of the door as he also shared his intentions of exploring his options.

Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Strategical Content Writer and Fortnite Lead for Dot Esports. Gökhan Çakır graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since applied his analytical and strategic thinking to many endeavors. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.