Homegrown heroes Blacklist Rivalry and Team Secret emerged victorious in Dota 2 and Valorant esports championship at the packed Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 finals.
The much-anticipated event came to a close on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena with electrifying performances from some of the Philippines’ most talented artists including Sarah Geronimo and SB19.
This year’s edition of the Asia Pacific Predator League was a major success with sold-out arenas and online spectators tuned in via the Predator social media channels during the two-day event.
From the 26 teams competing for top honors in Dota 2 and Valorant, Blacklist Rivalry and Team Secret emerged victorious and lifted the prestigious Predator Shield in their respective categories.
“The success of the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 is indicative of the strength of the region’s growing esports community and the Predator brand devices’ ability to support intense gaming sessions when playing the most popular titles,” said Andrew Hou, President of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Operations. “I would like to extend my congratulations to the tournament winners and my heartfelt appreciation to all the players, fans, and staff who make this yearly event possible.”
Blacklist Rivalry prevailed over fellow Filipino team Execration in the Dota 2 grand finals. Abed “Abed” Yusop was in incredible form, averaging 8.5 kills and 14 assists in the series to spearhead the offense of his team. They were successful in shutting down Execration’s star Mark “Bob” Urbino, resulting in a heartbreaking defeat for team Execration and another second-place finish in the Predator League grand finals for two consecutive years.
As this year’s DOTA 2 Champions, Blacklist Rivalry went home with a cash prize of $65,000, while Execration will receive $20,000. Third and fourth finishers in China’s Team Aster and IHC Esports from Mongolia will also receive $7,500 each for their impressive showing.
Team Secret came into the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 as the favorites and exceeded all expectations. They were in full control of the Japanese side FAV gaming during the final, with Adrian “invy” Reyes continuing to be the brightest spot for the team. Team Secret, also known as the “The Adobo Gang” among its fans, has won its first LAN trophy and Predator Shield since the inception of its Valorant team.
Team Secret went home with the $65,000 prize pool, while FAV Gaming won $20,000 for their performance. Third and fourth placers BOOM Esports from Indonesia and Team Flash from Vietnam also receive $ 7,500 each.
Merits were given to exceptional players who stood out amongst the competition during the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024. For Dota 2, it was awarded to carry player Polo “Raven” Fausto while in Valorant it was awarded to duelist player Jeremy “Jremy” Cabrera. Both players took home an extra $10,000 prize as well as the Intel MVP Award Trophy for their performances.
Beyond the live esports action, the audience was also treated to world-class entertainment composed of the Philippines’ brightest stars, including Acer ambassadors SB19 and Sarah Geronimo. There were also meet-and-greet sessions with Predator ambassadors Cong TV and the Team Payaman boys, burg, KuyaNic, Chibiby, Maggiekarp, amaratv, Een Mercado, Kang Dupet, and cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao.
Felip and Ylona Garcia were the opening acts for Day 1, exciting the crowd with their exhilarating performance. This was followed by numbers from Urbandub and Al James, and with a special appearance by TV personality Donny Pangilinan. Day 2 was just as impressive with amazing performances from Josh Cullen, Sandwich, Spongecola, Pablo, and KZ Tandingan, who sang the Predator anthem, “It Lies Within.”
After the event, it was announced that the next Asia Pacific Predator League will be held in Malaysia, with the qualifiers starting in late 2024 and the grand finals to be held in early 2025.
For more information and updates about the Predator League, visit the official website www.predator-league.com.