The PUBG Mobile Professional League Malaysia/Singapore (PMPL MY/SG) Season 2 saw plenty of returning teams who improved drastically, as well as fresh-faced players who've shown promise to go further in the scene. One team in particular, Marlino, caught the eyes of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang professional player, Mohd Fariz “Soloz” Zakaria, which led him to take them in and form the Anti Circle team.
The announcement was posted last night on the official Anti Circle Instagram page, revealing that Soloz will also be managing the PUBG Mobile team. According to WTM Today, the Facebook Gaming Creator decided to sponsor the players due to the great potential and talent they displayed in the PMPL MY/SG Season 2 Grand Finals. "Each player will be given a fixed salary every month, facilities and other related aspects that will be improved over time," he added.
The Anti Circle members qualified for PMPL MY/SG Season 2 by placing fourth in the PUBG Mobile Malaysia National Championship (PMNC) 2020 last July, back when they were in Marlino. They later advanced to the Grand Finals of the professional league and settled at ninth place by the end of the finals, with 124 points and one Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.
These are the players of Anti Circle:
Team Secret’s appetite for glory is enormous - not only did they win League Season, but they've also conquered the Grand Finals of the PUBG Mobile Professional League Malaysia/Singapore (PMPL MY/SG) Season 2. The fact that they're also the first-ever two-time champions of PMPL MY/SG makes their victory all the sweeter, with frosting and cherries served with a heap of gunpowder.
"We're really happy that we can finally protect our title for the second time as the champions," said Madtoi in an interview with PMPL MY/SG host Sir Cloud, grinning the entire time.
On the third and last day of the Grand Finals, Team Secret were initially nowhere near the top spot, placing third behind Team SMG and Yoodo Gank with 40 points behind the former. Even though they remained in place after the first half of the day, they upped their game and were slowly making their way to the top, eventually serving up two more Winner Winner Chicken Dinners (WWCDs) and overtaking Yoodo Gank and Team SMG on Day 3. They ended their PMPL MY/SG S2 Grand Finals run with 232 total points, courtesy of four WWCDs and 112 total kills; even Uhigh won the MVP title for the Grand Finals.
Yoodo Gank and Team SMG also had a fantastic run throughout the Grand Finals. The top 3 teams were neck to neck in the last phase of PMPL MY/SG Season 2, trading places every single day - Yoodo Gank dominated the first day before Team SMG took over the next. The latter dropped out too soon on Day 3, which led the Malaysian fan favourite to overtake them and secure the second-highest seats.
And finally, the next big news of the day involves which teams scored tickets to the PMPL SEA League. The last two slots were initially reserved for the top 2 teams of the PMPL MY/SG S2 Grand Finals, but with Team Secret and Yoodo Gank already entering the regional tournament, Team SMG and Geek Fam will instead snatch up those passes as the third and fourth-placed teams. This marks the pair's first entry into the PUBG Mobile SEA tournament.
Congratulations to Team Secret, Yoodo Gank, Team SMG and Geek Fam for their winnings! Let us also tip our hats to the other 20 participating teams of PMPL MY/SG for their courageousness, hard work and growth. We can't wait to see how they'll fare in the next season, and we wish them all the best in their preparation for PMPL MY/SG Season 3.
You can relieve PMPL MY/SG S2 with eGG Network's coverage of the tournament here:
League Season Recap to Prepare For Grand Finals
The top 16 teams entering Grand Finals
Roster changes that you need to know for PMPL MY/SG S2
Team SMG: Return of the league kings in PMPL MY/SG S2
EZZY LX: Rise of the underdogs in PMPL MY/SG S2 Grand Finals
Powerpuff Girls: The first all-female team to join PMPL MY/SG
N.E.D Brotherhood: Forging stronger bonds for PMPL MY/SG S2
For more PUBG Mobile esports news, be sure to follow eGG Network on Facebook!
Can anyone believe that PMPL MY/SG Season 2 (PUBG Mobile Professional League Malaysia/Singapore) is coming to an end in a manner of days? It was a thrilling four-week League Season that saw plenty of improvements - as well as subpar performances - among 24 teams, with the top 16 now making their way to the Grand Finals this weekend (25 - 27 September).
Let's attempt to predict who will conquer the Grand Finals, by looking back on how some of the top 16 performed in PMPL MY/SG S2 League Season:
Team Secret were at the top of their game since Week 1, so it's hard to doubt that this impeccable team will be the first two-time champions of PMPL MY/SG. They have the highest placement points (406), kill volume (354) and 10 Winner Winner Chicken Dinners. As the League Season champions, Team Secret have been granted safe passage to the upcoming PMPL SEA Finals.
J8 Esports have improved considerably since their third-place ranking in last season's PMPL MY/SG, even reaching second place this time around with the third-highest number of Chicken Dinners. Although they faltered in the second week, they regained their momentum in the second half, so who's to say they won't keep it until the end of the Grand Finals?
AXIS NRL MPX is the biggest - and extremely welcomed - surprise this season. After placing 15th in Season 1, their current success has been uphill all the way, from 12th in Week 1 to third overall. Geek Fam have also been playing well, always staying in the top 5 since the start of the season, until they dropped down to sixth in Week 4. It may just be a slight hiccup, but the geeky squad have to work out their kinks fast if they want to win the championship. It would be a refreshing sight to see either of these two teams taking the top spots and make it to the regional stage.
Yoodo Gank had a pretty strong start in the first two weeks by placing third. However, their performance dropped from Week 3 onwards, finally settling on ninth overall. Then again, these are the PMPL SEA Finals 2020 champions we're talking about, so who knows what they've got in store for the Grand Finals of PMPL MY/SG Season 2? Regardless of the outcome, they'll be returning to the next PMPL SEA Finals as the defending champions.
TRX Elementus, the PMNC 2020 runner-ups, held their ground pretty well against the other juggernauts of the Professional League. They displayed an almost inhuman consistency, maintaining the eighth spot for two weeks before levelling up to fifth for the remaining weeks, not to mention that they had the second-highest placement points overall. As long as they up their game for the Grand Finals, they may stand a chance at the crown for being exceptionally consistent.
Team SMG have definitely learned their lessons as Bapak Ah Esports from PMPL MY/SG Season 1 Grand Finals, and it shows. Despite a modest enough start at 10th place, Team SMG didn't stop bettering themselves, with their hard work paying off as they climbed the ladder continuously until they reached fourth. If they keep this up, they just might reclaim the throne they rightfully deserve.
Damansara Esports had plenty of good plays throughout the four-week League Season, peaking at seventh in Week 4 after starting out with 14th. Taking into account that they placed fourth as Last Survivor R2K in Season 1, their current performance dipped slightly, but still enough to hold a decent position in the series.
Resurgence MY started out pretty strong in the first two weeks by staying sixth. Even so, they declined slightly onto ninth in the third week before regaining their footing for Week 4, ending their League Season run with the eighth spot. Things aren't looking so hot for the blue/white squad, though they were pretty steady in maintaining top 10, which is an impressive enough feat.
Saving the most interesting for last, N.E.D Brotherhood's journey didn't start well with 16th place finish on the first week. Then, they blew everyone away by soaring to fourth and, subsequently, second place with a couple of amazing performances. But, this is PUBG Mobile esports, where stability is king - N.E.D's capabilities decreased drastically, costing them their top 5 seat and the team fell to 10th place. It's hard to predict how N.E.D Brotherhood will perform exactly, but they're worth watching out for this weekend.
The top two teams of PMPL MY/SG Season 2 Grand Finals will advance to the upcoming PMPL SEA Finals 2020, joining fellow countrymen Yoodo Gank and Team Secret.
The PMPL MY/SG Season 2 Grand Finals runs tomorrow until Sunday (25 - 27 September) at 3PM (GMT +8) daily. Catch the live stream on the official PUBG Mobile Facebook page.
Be sure to stay tuned to eGG Network for updates on the epic conclusion.
From champions of PMNC 2020 to finalists of the PMPL MY/SG (PUBG Mobile Professional League) Season 2 Grand Finals, EZZY LX has come a long way since their formation in April this year, during the movement control order (MCO). Even though they placed 14th in the League Season, the stage has been reset, and all that matters is how well they’ll perform in the epic conclusion of PMPL MY/SG Season 2.
Here are the soldier boys of EZZY LX:
Ahmad Aidi “Asta” bin Ahmad Albar - Captain/In-game leader
Ahmad Aidil “Schizo” bin Rahmat - Scout
Imran Naqiuddin “Tidur” bin Azmi - Support
Afiq Irfan “FiqOP” bin Mohd Faizal - Rusher
Muhammad Muhaimin “Minn” bin Muni - Support
Mohamad Hairul Nizam “RaiJinz” bin Sulaiman - Manager/Co-coach
“Alhamdulillah, we are grateful and excited to qualify for the Grand Finals,” captain Asta expressed on behalf of EZZY LX (formerly LX Esports), adding that they had a tough time earning their seats to the final round. He singled out Team SMG as the toughest opponents they faced in League Season of PMPL MY/SG. “They are smart when it comes to offensive and defensive plays. They also have a wide variety of tactics and rotation styles that make entering the circle more efficient.”
Even so, manager RaiJinz clarified that they are holding watchful eyes on every single team, no exceptions. “Every team made it to PMPL MY/SG Season 2 because they are exceptional teams.” Thus, it would be wise to not underestimate anyone, and he hopes that EZZY LX will prove to be as - or more - formidable as other competing teams. Nevertheless, their cautiousness and willingness to get top spots didn’t stop them from improving themselves in-game.
“In spite of the risk, we were always trying out new strategies in League Season, so we can fix our mistakes and familiarise ourselves with enemy tactics,” said Asta, thinking of the long run. According to RaiJins, it’s a good mindset that EXXY LX has been adopting even before they entered the professional league, evidenced by the learnings they derived from winning the PUBG Mobile Malaysia National Championship (PMNC) 2020. “We learned to adapt our techniques and rotations according to the competitions we enter,” the team manager said.
However, behind every success story is hardships, and the Malaysian team had their fair share in the national tournament. When PMNC 2020 decided to utilise an online format to prevent the COVID-19 spread, RaiJinz revealed that the team decided to rent a hotel room and play together, albeit the budget kind due to financial constraints. This is because members were scattered across Selangor and Pahang, and they wanted to “facilitate group strategies and communication plans,” which would be easier if they were competing together in person. It was hardly a comfy option, but it did score them their biggest victory yet, and RaiJinz was undoubtedly a proud mother hen, especially since he’s the founder of the team.
The father of EZZY LX recalled how Asta was the first member to join the team, appointing him as the captain based on his professional esports experience. “We share a joint role of coaching the team, although the other members do chip in with their own thoughts on various aspects of gameplay” while ensuring the overall team morale is good and ready for any obstacles. RaiJinz took one month to round up the rest of the team, picking only the best and brightest after testing them on their skills and knowledge of PUBG Mobile. It’s a roster that has paid off since then, but no journey is a smooth sail, not even for EXXY LX.
“We went through a bitter experience (which we can’t disclose yet) that taught us to be more careful in tournaments,” RaiJinz confessed but kept mum on other details of the matter. Be that as it may, their PMNC 2020 championship opened up more than a few doors for the Malaysian PUBG Mobile team, with various esports organisations and sponsors looking to collaborate with them. They ultimately accepted a partnership with Ezzy Esports, and changed their identity from LX Esports to EXXY LX, a name that they’ll carry with them into the grand finale of PMPL MY/SG Season 2.
“We’ve been fortifying our defensive and offensive tactics for the Grand Finals,” said Asta. “We’ll strive to be more consistent and do everything we can to get those Chicken Dinners and hopefully, do much better in the Grand Finals.”
The League Season of the PUBG Mobile Professional League Malaysia/Singapore (PMPL MY/SG) Season 2 has finally concluded yesterday, ending in both tears and cheers depending on which team you're a fan of.
Here are the top 16 teams who will be advancing to the Grand Finals:
Team Secret claimed the title of League Champions by securing the most Chicken Dinners (10) and the highest kill volume of 354, on top of their exceptional placement points. As the League Champions, they've won both the US$12,750 cash prize and an entry into the next PMPL SEA Finals 2020, making this their second attempt at the regional tournament. Despite placing ninth, Yoodo Gank will also be returning to the PMPL SEA Finals as the defending champions. As the League runner-ups and second runner-ups, will J8 Esports and AXIS NRL MPX be able to maintain their prowess and secure the two more slots to the PMPL SEA Finals 2020 Fall Split?
Alas, in every esports competition, there are both winners and losers. Here are the teams who tried their but didn't succeed:
Although they didn't qualify for the PMPL MY/SG Season 2 Grand Finals, they've had their moments in the spotlight, with every single one of them winning at least one Winner Winner Chicken Dinner - even TARA ASSASSINO got as many as four! The battle was lost, but not the war nor the hearts of fans. We wish them luck in the next season.
The PMPL MY/SG Season 2 Grand Finals begins 25 September (Friday), running until 27 September (Sunday).
Follow eGG Network for more coverage of the PUBG Mobile tournament.
Although gaming and esports are generally seen as a “boy activity”, it’s always a welcoming sight to witness female gamers joining in the fun for fame and glory. The current wave of PUBG Mobile all-girl teams is led by Powerpuff Girls (or simply PPG), who are currently competing in the PUBG Mobile Professional League Malaysia/Singapore (PMPL MY/SG) Season 2 after placing third in the Singaporean qualifiers.
Here are the fierce females that represent PPG:
“We feel honoured and overwhelmed to be the first ever all-female team to join PMPL MY/SG,” said scout Daisy, on behalf of the team. “To be honest, it still feels like a dream that we are competing with these full-time and experienced top players from Malaysia and Singapore.”
It’s expected that every team faces their own difficulties and challenges, but as an all-girls squad, the stakes are a little different for PPG. “As ladies, we want to prove that if we put our passion and mind into it, our gameplay and game sense can be as good as any other player out there,” Daisy confessed.
For the past year PPG have been together, the Malaysian-Singaporean hybrid group has been competing in multiple tournaments prior to PMPL MY/SG Season 2. They achieved top 5 spots in most of the online female-focused tournaments they participated in, and their first offline success was bagging second place in the Axis Ladies Tournament 2019. It’s no wonder they stood by each other for almost a year with zero roster changes.
Despite their competence, they had low expectations entering the Singaporean qualifiers of this season’s PMPL MY/SG, especially when they didn’t have a coach at the time. Fortunately right in the nick of time, their newly-joined coach Juggernaut managed to give them a crash course on refining their rotation and gameplay a day before match day, whilst improving intercommunication between the girls - they eventually reaped the sweet fruits of their labour and qualified for Regular Season. “After the qualifiers, we feel that as long as we put our mind into it and improve, we could do anything,” the scout player expressed.
True to her words, Daisy’s team has been training intensely with evening and midnight scrims, playing Classic together to improve chemistry, and adapting to the new point system. The latter also involves Juggernaut analysing the meta and coming up with the best strategies for PPG to maximise their point profits. “He has always motivated us to always have a positive mindset and keep trying, regardless of the outcome or challenge,” Daisy said. During their breaks, they enjoy spending time with family and friends, and recharge their batteries by resting and recuperating.
PPG have come a long way since their formation a year ago, with Babybel, Daisy and captain Puteri as the founders. “The idea of an all-female team conquering the esports scene intrigued us, which is why we decided to start our own ladies team and slowly climb up the ladder,” recalled Daisy. It took a while to complete the team and reach a certain level of consistency, with members scattered throughout Malaysia and Singapore and resorting to online communication, not to mention that they were selective in handpicking players so that each of them complements each other well.
However, we’re all human beings, and conflicts would occasionally arise between the ladies. It’s a big challenge for the PPG team captain, a role that Puteri took up when no one else would. “We’ve been through a lot to get here, so in the event of any misunderstanding, I will always try my best to resolve the matter and make sure everyone is on the same page and remain on good terms,” she said.
The familial bond is strong between its members, including Juggernaut and manager Ken Lu. “I feel honoured to be the manager of a professional all-female team like PPG,” Ken opened up, saying that he likes their synergy, understanding and respect for everyone in the squad. “I appreciate them for the opportunity to learn what is the true meaning of ‘girl power’”.
Be sure to follow Powerpuff Girls on Facebook for more updates on the team. Catch them in action in the final week of PMPL MY/SG S2 on PUBG Mobile FB from today (11 September) until Sunday (13 September).
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