Smart Omega Empress roster acquired by NAVI ahead of Athena League playoffs

MANILA, Philippines – Ukrainian esports giant Natus Vincere (NAVI) has officially entered the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) women’s scene in the Philippines with the acquisition of Smart Omega Empress, the reigning queens of the local MLBB women’s circuit.

The move marks a significant milestone for the country’s female esports athletes, as one of the world’s most storied esports organizations sets its sights on the Philippines. The team will now compete under the banner Natus Vincere PH (NAVI PH), signaling a new era for the dominant all-female squad.

NAVI is one of the world's top professional esports organizations, competing in numerous esports events. Its Counter Strike division was an unstoppable force back in 2010 by winning three major international tournaments (Intel Extreme Masters, Electronic Sports World Cup and World Cyber Games) in one year while having two CS:GO Major titles from 2021 and 2024. The squad is also known for Dota2, having won the first ever Dota2 world championship, The International, back in 2011.

Smart Omega Empress etched ira name in the history books after a flawless run in the 2024 MLBB Women’s Invitational, where it swept rival Team Vitality of Indonesia, 3-0, in the grand finals. The team is now gearing up for the 2025 edition of the tournament, eyeing qualification through the country's qualifiers, the Athena League, with playoffs happening next week.

The NAVI PH Roster is composed of Gwyneth “not ayanami” Diagon, Kaye Maerylle “Keishi” Alpuerto, Rica Fatima “AMORE” Amores, Alexandria “LEXAAA” Dardo, Sheen “SHINOA” Perez, Mery Christine “MERAAAY” Vivero with head coach Salman “KingSalman” Macarambon, assistant coach John Paul “Aggressive” Aveño and manager Rianne Dominique “Rianne” Magsino.

This is NAVI’s third major move in the MLBB ecosystem this year, following its acquisition of Rebellion Esports’ MPL and MDL slots in Indonesia and NAVI's acquisition of Malaysia’s Arcane Esports, now competing as Natus Vincere MY, after their victory in the MY/SG qualifiers.

Besides the Filipino MLBB team, NAVI also has another Filipino in their ranks, having signed Tekken star Alexandre "AK" Laverez last year.