Team Falcons, Twisted Minds Announce MPL-PH Arrival
Team Falcons, Twisted Minds Announce MPL-PH Arrival
MAKATI – It’s now confirmed!
Saudi Arabia-based esports organizations, Twisted Minds and Team Falcons, officially announced their arrival in the MPL Philippines on Friday.
Both teams’ representatives and country managers were present at the announcement, alongside key members of Moonton Games in the Philippines and members of the media.
Twisted Minds and Team Falcons will take over the slots left by both Blacklist International and RSG Philippines, who announced their exit into the league earlier this week.
Ren Vitug, former Commissioner of The Nationals, will be the country manager for Team Falcons. Lexie Yambao, who managed RSG Philippines since their league inception, will be Twisted Minds’ country manager.
Seeing Filipino MLBB Experience Firsthand
With both organizations fielding teams in other esports titles as well as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) teams in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Team Falcons and Twisted Minds are eager to compete at the highest level of MLBB. They view the Philippines as the best market to establish their presence.
Team Falcons’ Global Esports Director, Grant Rousseau, explained that their winning mentality motivated the organization to invest in the Filipino MLBB esports scene.
“Team Falcons really saw the Philippine region as the strongest in this game from a performance perspective. And so initially that’s kind of what drew us to the Philippines, was to come here to join up for something to win,” Rousseau stated, adding that the last Esports World Cup in Riyadh encouraged them to invest in the game.
He also reflected on the organization’s two-season partnership with AP.Bren, which resulted in a Finals appearance at the Mid-Season Cup 2024, the Snapdragon Pro Series Season 5 Challenge Finals, and the Supernova tournament in Kazakhstan.
“That was really a chance for us to learn and understand the scene when it comes to MLBB in the Philippines. So they were a really strong team, so we could compete with them, but also allowed us to understand the fandom, the necessary marketing, and how we could build a community,” Rousseau added.
Twisted Minds’ CEO, Ibrahim bin Jibreen, echoed Rousseau’s sentiments about entering the Philippine MLBB scene.
“It’s the same purpose as Team Falcons Esports. They have the experience before with AP.Bren, but we decided to have our own experience, our new journey in the Philippines. We think that the Philippines Mobile Legends is the best one, especially when it comes to competition,” Jibreen stated.
New legacies to be made
Both RSG and Blacklist International had left an indelible mark on both the local and international Mobile Legends esports scene.
The Raiders took MPL PH Season 9 by storm, winning the league title and an MSC title in 2022. RSG also bagged a ONE Esports MPL Invitational title in 2023, breaking the streak of Indonesian teams winning the tournament.
The Codebreakers had won three titles of their own in Seasons 7, 8, and 10, as well as the M3 World Championship crown. They also featured in MSC 2021 and M4 Grand Finals.
(Photo from Moonton / Richard Esguerra)
MOONTON Games PH Head of Operations Matthew Chan looked back at the two teams’ legacies with gratitude.
“I just want to highlight that both teams, no doubt, right, they both leave a very big legacy within the Philippines.I’m really thankful for both of them,” said Chan.
However, he looked forward to both Team Falcons and Twisted Minds to set their mark on the league as well.
“Both of these two amazing organizations are here today. What are the new legacies that we can create for both of them. They are all here, all super on board to invest and understand the market,” Chan added.
Looking Forward to Success and Opportunities
Rousseau admitted that, despite their experience in the Philippine scene and their win-now mentality, there is still much work to be done to achieve success.
“Initially it’s going to be a lot more focused around operational success,” said the Falcons’ Global Esports Director.
“We want to make sure that we put everything in place to be successful. That’s probably for year one. And then you’ll see a lot more movement from us from the marketing sector, building the community, seeing fans of Falcons start to be built and be created in this MLBB region.”
Jibreen, meanwhile, emphasized the opportunities their entry into MPL Philippines brings for the local community.
“A lot of opportunities that we will have, from players, coaches, even the managers, all of them are going to be Filipino. So I think it is a good opportunity for us to know the Filipino market,” he stated.
The Twisted Minds CEO also expressed interest in partnering with Moonton Games to organize community-based events.
“We want to do something with Moonton sometimes when it comes to community tournaments. And there is going to be some prize pool, it’s going to help to have people to organize the community tournament with Moonton,” he added.
Building an Identity
Teams in MPL Philippines are known for their unique identities and playstyles. Examples include Team Liquid PH, recognized for their “Liquid Express” playstyle, and Smart Omega, famed for their “barangay” identity.
When asked about their future identity, both Rousseau and Jibreen shared their goals.
“We want to prove ourselves. That’s why we are working 24/7, not only for MPL, but for all the teams that we have,” said Jibreen. “I think this is the way that we show ourselves as a great team, because our focus is 100% for esports.”
“For Falcons, it’s about being the number one competitive team,” said Rousseau. “We are performance-level, performance-focused, so for us coming to the Philippines, it’s about having our Filipino team on top of the world.”
Competing with the Best
Fans and analysts have often stated that the MPL Philippines is the most competitive region, with all teams capable of defeating not just one another but also the best squads worldwide.
This was evident in Season 14 when ONIC Philippines, then known as Fnatic ONIC PH, dominated the local competition and the world despite fielding a six-man roster with only one title between them. Similarly, Aurora MLBB nearly won the tournament just three months after forming their team.
Rousseau expressed optimism about leveraging their previous experience in MPL Philippines with AP.Bren and their insights from other esports leagues.
“We’re going to make sure we invest in the team we have now, but also what the future of the team looks like,” he said, adding that they plan to implement a performance system philosophy used across their other established rosters.
Jibreen, meanwhile, looked forward to competing against powerhouse teams like ONIC and AP.Bren.
“It’s not going to be easy. And that’s what makes it more fun to watch,” said the Twisted Minds founder. “So we believe in our staff, our coaching staff, and our new players. And we want to beat all of the other Philippine teams.”
Chan expressed that both organizations worked hard to understand the local scene and compete at the highest level.
“While they come from a place from different regions and whatnot, they are really here to understand the region. I think that’s one thing that’s really important,” he said. “We really do see them as really great partners in the long run as well.”
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