Predator League finals banking on strong reception from Filipino esports fans

MANILA, Philippines -- “World-class fans” await foreign teams that will play in the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 grand finals slated next year, Philippine Esports Organization executive director Marlon Marcelo said.

During the Predator League launch Thursday night, Marcelo said that the Philippines’ hosting will showcase a lot of good stuff from Filipino esports fans.

“Definitely, a really good showing [from Filipinos is expected in the hosting]. I’m pretty sure that the Acer Predator team is going to show Filipino hospitality for the gamers,” he said Thursday.

“And, definitely, the world class fans [will be showcased,]” he added.
Marcelo said that unlike in other countries, Filipino esports fans will stay and watch the games regardless of who is playing.

“The Filipino fans do not leave even if the team that is playing is not Filipino. In other countries that I went to, if the national team is not playing anymore, they do not watch,” the executive stressed.

“Here in the Philippines, rak lang nang rak, laban lang nang laban, nood lang nang nood.”

The Philippines will be hosting the tournament anew, a couple of years after the country last hosted.

Back then, the event was purely online amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The grand finals will be held next year at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The DOTA 2 group stage will be held on January 10, while the Valorant group stage will happen the next day, both at the Sofitel Plaza.

The main event will happen on January 13 to 14.

There are currently three Philippine representatives for DOTA 2 -- Execration, Polaris and Blacklist Rivalry -- which are all direct invites.

A fourth team will be determined in the Predator League 2024 Philippine Finals on November 11 to 12 at SM North Edsa.

For Valorant, currently, Team Secret is the lone Philippine representative.

The top two Valorant teams in the Philippine Finals will also represent the country.