Tier One partners with Predator Gaming, Rivalry for all-Filipino Dota 2 team

MANILA, Philippines — Esports and gaming organization Tier One Entertainment unveiled its new professional esports team for Dota 2 — Blacklist Rivalry. Together with partners Predator Gaming and Rivalry, Blacklist Rivalry will compete in the upcoming Division I of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) in Southeast Asia.

“Predator Gaming is very happy to support Blacklist International. It has always been our goal to support esports from the grassroots to the professional level and we’re very honored to work with Tier One Entertainment and Blacklist International as they finally expand to Dota 2,” said Acer Philippines general manager Sue Ong-Lim.

"We're looking forward to working alongside [Tier One's] Blacklist team division to highlight the journey of these talented players with premium content for fans, as well as ensuring the team is equipped for championship-caliber success," said Rivalry CEO Steven Salz.

The partnership will see the combined expertise of Tier One, Predator Gaming and Rivalry, namely Blacklist International's team management expertise and championship experience, backed by Predator Gaming with their high-end gaming PCs and Rivalry's content production and creative resources to support and engage the Dota 2 community in the Southeast Asia region.

Recalling how the team came to be, Tier One Entertainment founder and CEO Tryke Gutierrez shared with media during the Blacklist Rivalry press conference how the idea for a Blacklist Dota2 team started during the 2022 edition of Dota2's tournament The International. 

"We had a meeting and we talked about the possibility of working together [with Rivalry]. That's when things probably started to take off and when it truly became real. Like, hey we can actually have a shot at putting up a team that is formidable in competing against the world," recalled Gutierrez.

He added, "I am super excited [for this team]. I truly believe in the Filipino talent when it comes to Dota 2. We've seen it in the past years but we haven't seen a full staffed Filipino team like this. As much as I am here as a co-founder and CEO, I am here as a fan. I'm just super happy to see them and watch them compete in the next season. Hopefully we can break the code."

Returning to a Filipino organization after having been part of International organizations like T1, Fnatic and Boom Esports, players Carlo "Kuku" Palad and Marc “Raven” Fausto shared how it was always their intention to look for a Filipino organization to sign-up for.

"Tagal naming nag International team, babalik at babalik sa puso mo yung gusto irepresent and manalo as part of a Pinoy team, magandang achievement talaga siya," Palad told Philstar.com during the Blacklist Rivalry event. 

For Fausto, he preferred to sign for a Filipino org because of how the dynamic is different. 

He added: "Kasi Pinoy, di na mahihiyang magsalita kasi feeling ko minsan yun yung kulang, yung maging harsh sa isa't isa. Lahat naman tayo gusto manalo. Feeling ko mas magiging maganda yung dynamic [sa all Pinoy roster], mas strong."

With the team just having been announced last November 24, the players are excited and grateful for the response and support they are already receiving.

"Sobrang saya kasi high hopes yung Philippine-Dota community sa team namin. Sana lang matuloy yung suporta nila whatever happens." said Karl “Karl” Baldovino.

As all eyes are on the upcoming DPC season, Captain Timothy “TIMS” Randrup offers this promise to the Philippine-Dota community: "Expect us tol do our best."