GAMING
| February 27, 2019
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| Omega's DOTA 2 players (from left to right): Nasjo, Yaj, Efking, Julz and Palos (Image Source: Smart Communications) |
PLDT
and Smart Communications, two of the leading telecommunications companies in the
Philippines, have been providing the best gaming experience to Filipino mobile
and broadband users. Now, they are set to make an impact in the Philippine professional
gaming scene as they have officially launched their own eSports team that would
surely be a force to be reckoned with in the highly-anticipated inaugural
season of The Nationals and its name is none other than Omega.
PLDT
and Smart Communications are one of the co-founders of the Philippines' first
franchise-based eSports league along with BrenPro Inc., Cignal TV, Execration,
Happy Feet and STI Education Systems. Kicking off on the 17th of March, The
Nationals will pit official pro gaming teams of its co-founding member
organizations against each other in top competitive games including DOTA 2, Tekken
7 and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. It would eventually serve as a platform for
world-class athletes who can represent the Philippines in international competitions.
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| Omega's Mobile Legends players (from left to right): Karl, Levi, Boo, Lex and Dale (Image Source:Smart Communications) |
Omega
consists of a team of five high-ranking local DOTA 2 players which include Julius
Cesar Sto Domingo (Julz), Jonas Samonte (Nasjo), Jaysie Garan (Yaj), Jinn
Marrey Lamatao (Palos), and Pedro de Paula (Efking) with Josef Brazal (JL`)
helming the frey as its team coach. They have conquered a Road To The Nationals
nationwide tournament and made it to prestigious competitions such as the Kuala
Lumpur Major SEA Qualifiers and even the Southeast Asian qualifiers for The International
2018. But that's not all as Omega is also fielding its own bevy of locally renouned
Mobile Legends and Tekken 7 players that are slated to tighten up the
competition.
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| Omega's Tekken 7 player Juliano "Jules" Lozano" with his brother/coach Dannel Lozano (Image Source: Smart Communications) |
Omega's
Mobile Legends team is composed of Jules Carmann Marcelo (Lex), Rico J. Esto
(Levi), Karl Nepomuceno (Karl), Steve Dale Vitug (Dale), and EJ Esperanza (Boo)
which have clinched the MLMEMES championship title and made a strong first
runner-up finish in the Mobile Legends Professional League Season 2 and Mobile
eSports Arena (MESA). Meanwhile, 23-year old Juliano Lozano (Jules) will
represent the team for the popular fighting game Tekken 7 with his brother Dannel
(Pica). Jules is recently ranked as the third best Tekken 7 player in the country
and is best known for his characters Jin Kazama and Bob.
With
such a formidable force on hand, what more can we expect from PLDT and Smart
Communications with Omega garnering a big boost on its newfound commitment for Philippine
gaming? Aside from their bevy of services that cater to Filipinos' gaming experience,
PLDT and Smart have been mounting world-class eSports events in the country
since 2016. These include the ESL One Manila 2016 and Manila Masters 2017 which
have brought together some of the best and finest DOTA 2 teams from around the
globe to compete in the country. Heck, it is also a consistently staunch
supporter of the Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit (ESGS), the largest gaming
and pop culture convention in the country, since 2013.
