Finding another team in Southeast Asia with as long a history as Execration would be difficult.
Some may think esports is a relatively recent movement in the Philippines. But, that assumption would be incorrect, as Pinoys have had a presence in competitive gaming since the first net cafes opened.
Teams have come and gone since then but the one constant has always been Execration.
Officially established in 2012 to prepare for the soon-to-release Dota 2, Execration is very much a grassroots team. Made for the love of Dota and with the goal to compete internationally, the team steadily grew in skill and followed every local, national, and regional tournament or league that they joined.
For years they would challenge some of Asia’s toughest teams but getting a spot in The International would always elude them. 2016 was the first time the organization would compete in the prestigious tournament, albeit through the Wild Card phase. They would later return the following year directly qualifying into the group stage.
In the team’s decade-long existence, they’ve tried their hand at other popular esports titles in the Philippines. Their Crossfire team was the Crossfire Stars Philippines 2018 champions. The team also almost represented the country for the SEA Games back in 2022.
They were also one of the early teams to join the MPL PH professional league.
Many Mobile Legends fans still remember the name Execration and their fantastic MSC 2021 run. There they triumphed over rivals Blacklist International to earn the title of the best Mobile Legends team in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, Execration couldn’t hold on to the roster and the team has since transformed into Omega Esports, a strong team that still plays in the MPL PH league to this day.
In the end, Dota 2 is Execration’s first love.
The team has made many strides in the current Dota Pro Circuit, finishing in the top three in each DPC SEA tour and attending all three of the Majors in 2023. They have not been able to return to The International since 2017 but it looks like this could be the year that they make their comeback.
You can follow the team through Facebook and Twitter.
Banner image from Execration on Facebook.
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