Dota 2: Blacklist Rivalry part ways with eyyou, to take 'a new direction' with team

Filipino Dota 2 all-star team Blacklist Rivalry announced on Saturday (15 April) that they have parted ways with captain and position 5 support player Nico "eyyou" Barcelon following the squad's disappointing results in the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) season so far.

There was a lot of hype around Blacklist International's entry to the Dota 2 scene last November with its Filipino all-star lineup, branded as Blacklist Rivalry, that featured Marc Polo "Raven" Fausto, Karl "Karl" Baldovino, Carlo "Kuku" Palad, Timothy "Tims" Randrup, and eyyou.

However, the team's star power has failed to deliver success that could match the hype surrounding them. During the DPC's Winter Tour regional league for Southeast Asia, Blacklist Rivalry missed out on a spot in the Lima Major after a brutal collapse in the league's last day of competition.

Things only got worse during the Spring Tour, as Blacklist Rivalry only managed a 3-4 record and a fifth place finish, not even sniffing a spot in the upcoming ESL One Berlin Major 2023.

Blacklist Rivalry said in a statement that eyyou's departure signals "a new direction" for the squad away from their original plan to field a full Filipino roster.

"Entering a new esports title always comes with multiple tough decisions, and in the beginning, we wanted to try to field the best possible full-Filipino roster we could to represent Blacklist in the Dota 2 scene," said Blacklist Rivalry.

"After two tries and failing to make the Majors, a change was needed for our roster to take things in a new direction. After discussions with the team and management, we have decided that this will be our best way to move forward."

The team have yet to announce eyyou's replacement.

What's next for Blacklist Rivalry?

In an interview with Yahoo Esports SEA prior to the start of the 2023 DPC season, Tims said that Blacklist Rivalry's biggest goal was "to represent the Philippines" as a full Filipino squad in Dota 2's biggest stages.

But even as the squad seems set on veering away from its plans to be an all-Filipino lineup, their goal of qualifying for the Majors and, ultimately, this year's iteration of The International (TI), Dota 2's annual world championship tournament, remains unchanged.

The season is far from over for Blacklist Rivalry. The team have one last chance to qualify for a Major this season through Southeast Asia's Summer Tour regional league, which is scheduled from 15 May to 4 June.

Should Blacklist Rivalry manage to finish in the Top 3 of the league, they will be one of Southeast Asia's representatives in the third Major of the season in Bali, Indonesia.

There, they will get the chance to earn DPC points, which will go towards securing direct invites to this year's TI.

But even if the team once again fail to qualify for a Major, they can still earn a spot at TI through the regional qualifiers.

While Blacklist Rivalry's season has been a disappointment so far, they still have opportunities to bounce back and live up to the lofty expectations many have pinned on its star-studded squad.

Blacklist Rivalry roster:

1. Marc Polo "Raven" Fausto

2. Karl "Karl" Baldovino

3. Carlo "Kuku" Palad

4. Timothy "Tims" Randrup

5. N/A

6. Michael "ninjaboogie" Ross Jr. (coach)

For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our Gaming channel on YouTube.