It was a rough start for them, but the original kings of the Philippines are back.
One Ayala bore witness to the first ever Philippines Kings League winners as BOOM Esports took their throne as the PKL Spring 2025 champions. They went all the way against Blacklist International, taking them down 4-3 in the Ultimate Battle to take the trophy.
BOOM started the season with a lot to prove after they missed their chance in the HoK Invitational Season 3. They were widely seen as the best HoK squad in the Philippines before that, and even represented the country in the HoK Championship 2024. They’re eager to be back on top but they need to prove themselves against the 14-0 Codebreakers to get there.
The regular season went pretty well for BOOM as they established themselves as the second best team in the PKL. That trend continued in the playoffs as they were knocked down to the lower bracket by Blacklist before meeting them again in the grand finals.
If there was a time for BOOM to flip the script, it had to be now as Blacklist had a healthy 3-1 lead against them. Digging deep into their own experiences, BOOM clawed their back up to a 3-3 score. This forced an Ultimate Battle, where all bets were off and both teams could freely choose their team composition.
It was here, in another Ultimate Battle, that Blacklist would fall as BOOM came out of the gates charging forward. Whether it was pressure from a long series or lingering thoughts from their stumble against Noongshim RedForce months earlier, Blacklist could not maintain their perfect season. BOOM have completed their redemption arc as they crowned themselves the PKL Spring 2025 champions.
Job’s Not Done
While BOOM Esports may be the PKL Spring 2025 champions, they know they still have another challenge ahead of them. The top three of the PKL will be heading to the HoK World Cup taking place during the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and that’s where BOOM’s focus lies.
“Para sa amin, ang trabaho namin ay hindi pa tapos,” said Clash Laner Miguel “Miggie” Banaag in an interview with the media. “Hangga’t hindi pa rin kami nakakakuha ng magandang placing sa international, tuloy-tuloy pa rin yung daily grind namin from 2 pm to 12 ng gabi. Tapos gagalingan pa namin kasi alam namin na masmalakas na kalaban ang mahaharapan namin sa Riyadh.”
They will be facing stiff competition but BOOM’s coach Chistian “Ciiyan” Villegas is confident. He believes that the team can get a top placing in the HoK World Cup.
“Sinasabi ko nga palagi yun. Any team, hindi lang sa amin, kaya. Iba talaga mag-adapt yung Pinoy, lalo na sa mobile.”
Banner photo by Ramon Domingo