You gotta think, eat, and breathe MLBB if you want to make it as a pro.
It goes without saying that you need to dedicate a lot of time and focus to be a professional in something and that’s incredibly clear in the Aurora Bootcamp. We spoke with the team in their homebase in Taft and got a bit of insight on what it takes to be a pro MLBB player.
First, what exactly is a “bootcamp” in the pro MLBB sense? It’s basically a place where a team can stay together to practice, strategize, and bond. In another sense, it’s like a boarding house where the team lives together, usually for the length of the season. It’s a practice that’s been adopted by many esports teams, especially for games that require precise teamwork. The prevailing thought is that it’s the most effective way for a team to build synergy.
The Aurora bootcamp is a three-story residential building outfitted with all the things a pro MLBB team needs. Along with the usual living amenities, they have a comfortable recreation area that’s used for both work and play. There’s also shared sleeping quarters for the players. And of course, they have a space dedicated for practice and strategic meetings. Food, electricity, water, and internet are all provided for by the team, allowing the players all the room to focus on honing their MLBB skills.
While it may seem rather cushy at first glance, make no mistake – a lot of hard work happens in the Aurora bootcamp. They’re not here to be on vacation, they’re here to compete. They practically sacrifice everything, from personal time to personal space, dedicating themselves to play MLBB at the highest level.
The Pro Player Routine
A pro’s day typically starts with waking up late in the morning or early afternoon. Then they have some time to get ready for a day full of scrims, reviews, and practice. Scrims are scheduled beforehand and are usually done within strict time blocks. The evening is usually free time for the players. Here, they can spend their time however they wish before they have to rest for the next day.
The unusual thing about this schedule is the timing of it. For a pro, their day starts quite late and ends pretty late as well. It’s not uncommon for them to turn in around 1-2am in the morning, and that’s usually after they play a session of ranked games in their free time.
When asked by the media if this schedule might be a hindrance to the team, coach Aniel “Master the Basics” Jiandani said that it’s not a problem at all. “Ang masasabi ko lang na bakit kailangan sa gabi sila mag-rank games ay dahil sa game na ito, mas malakas talaga yung mga kalaban sa gabi at madaling araw. Compared sa umaga, well aminin na natin – mga bata yung mga kalaban nila. Basta kumpleto yung tulog nila, magiging maayos din yung performance nila.”
The schedule of the MPL also plays a part in this as the games are usually played all the way into the evening. Still, you need more than just a healthy sleeping schedule to stay focused. Physical fitness is also a factor, even for esports pros who sit and play games all day.
Coach MtB mentioned that the Aurora bootcamp does regularly schedule basketball games for the players. They have a treadmill for those inclined to use it but in general, they don’t force it upon the players. While the team wants the players to stay healthy, it’s up to them to look after their own fitness.
Synergy and Friction
While the intention of a bootcamp is to foster team synergy, it can also just as easily break it. Players spend so much time with each other that it can make rifts as as well as bonds.
All pro teams are aware of this and do their best to keep everyone in a good working relationship. In the Aurora bootcamp, coach MtB emphasized that players still have time for themselves if they really need it. “Kahit magkasama kami dito sa bootcamp, meron pa rin kaming puwede gawin sa sarili. Yes, kailangan makisama yung lahat pero kung time mo na, time mo yun. Kahit anong gawin mo, walang pakialam ng lahat. Meron pa ring privacy, meron pa ring time para sa isa’t-isa para gawin yung gusto mong gawin.”
For Renejay Barcase, Aurora’s veteran Roamer, he’s seen this rodeo enough times that he can already get a feel for a team’s trajectory. “Lalabas yan after mga three months. Kasi na-experience ko na yan, na nakikita mo yung mga ugali ng teammates mo.” Fortunately, he’s comfortable in Aurora as the entire team knows how to get along to achieve their goals.
“Sa esports kailangan mo talaga alam paano makisama,” continued Renejay. “Yun yung dapat kailangan mo i-practice. Dun nabubuo yung chemistry ng team. Napapausapan niyo yung mga bagay na nasa loob ng game, nasa labas ng game, kasam lahat yun.”
What Separates a Good and Great Player
“Sobrang halaga ang pakikisama kung gusto mo magtagal sa esports,” added analyst Ben “Benthings” Maglaque. “Kasi kung napapansin mo, meron may talented or skilled players pero hindi sila nagtatagal. Ibig sabihin nun ay may issues siya outside the game.”
When asked, coach MtB said that he’d rather have a team player rather than the best player. He argues that skills are something you can teach but attitude is something inherent in a person. You can force that player to work together but if they don’t accept it, then it’ll never work out.
“Kung hindi ka magandang magtrabaho, bakit ka magtatagal?” asks Benthings. He gives credit to players who have stayed together with the same organization or teammates because that means that they have something invaluable to any team. “Yun yung nagse-separate sa good player at sa great player. Yung good player, magaling magpindot. Yung great player, kayang sabayin yun with teamwork and attitude.”
That’s what the Aurora bootcamp is looking to foster. Through all the time and sacrifice that they spent together, they were able shoot past their own expectations. They were newcomers to the league but now they’re one of the Philippines’ representatives in the M6 World Championships.
By sticking together through thick and thin, that’s where we see the true mettle of a team.
Banner and article photos by Ramon Domingo.