When people call Echo Philippines a powerhouse in the Mobile Legends esports scene, they mean it.
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In just the past few years, the esports scene in the Philippines has grown from being a niche hobby to a multi-million peso juggernaut, especially when it comes to competitive Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Every year, millions of viewers tune in to watch their favorite Filipino teams battle it out as a new competitive season kicks in.
And when it comes to the most talked about and followed local teams, that conversation includes Echo Philippines. From viral game-winning plays to star players, the Orcas have made a name for themselves as a team to watch out for in the local and international scene. While they’ve had their ups and downs, it’s no doubt they’ve earned their place among the best of the best. Here are just some moments from their career so far that proved their haters wrong.
BECOMING THE FIRST BACK-TO-BACK MPL PHILIPPINES CHAMPIONS
If and when the history of the MPL Philippines will be written, a chapter on this iconic moment needs to be made. Throw it back to season four of the professional league, and Echo, who was known as SunSparks then, was up against powerhouse ONIC Philippines in the finals. It was a hard-fought match, but in the end, it was the Orcas who came out on top with a final score of 3-2. The win snagged the team their very first MPL Philippines Championship and placed themselves on the map as an ML force.
But if that wasn’t enough, the team made further history the following season. Once again, they were up against ONIC Philippines, and in a repeat of history, Echo defeated their former rivals with a score of 3-1. With that, not only did they get their second championship, but they also made history as the first team to win back-to-back in the local pro league.
TAKING HOME THE M4 CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN
Late 2022 was a whirlwind for Echo. MPL Philippines season 10 saw the boys the closest they’ve been to getting that crown since season five. All they had to do was defeat Blacklist International, no easy feat as you can imagine. In the end, Echo settled for a second-place finish after losing to Blacklist 2-4. But the Orcas’ redemption arch only just began. After failing to qualify in the past two World Championships, Echo made it onto the M4 World Championship where they once again faced off against Blacklist International.
Blacklist was on a warpath to the finals, which meant sweeping away Echo and bringing them into the lower bracket. Still, that wasn’t enough to stop Echo’s momentum as they barreled forward to a finals placement against their familiar rival. Blacklist was the raining ML World Champion who was gunning for that historic second victory, so to say that this was a battle of the giants is an understatement.
Most expected Blacklist International to get at least one win in the match, but in a stunning turn of events, Echo washed them to a 4-0. Karlitz, Bennyqt, Yawi, Sanford, Sanji, Kurttzy, and Jaypee broke the code on January 15 to become the M4 Champions and take home a cool $300,000 prize. From losing to Blacklist earlier in the competition to beating them in the finals, it’s the kind of stuff that sports movies are made of.
CONTINUING THE PHILIPPINES’ STREAK AS MBLL POWERHOUSE
In a win not just for Echo, but for the Philippine ML scene, the boys in white and purple helped further secure the country’s status as ML gods. Already, the PH vs PH matchup made it the second ML championship in a row featuring two Philippine teams from the upper and lower bracket. Echo’s win also made it the third consecutive championship for a Philippine team in the world championships. And to top it all off, M5 is set to be held in the Philippines later this year, the first time the country is hosting the championship.
KARLTZY’S DOUBLE TROPHY
Echo’s win at M4 is a validation of their hard work, commitment to the game, and dedication to studying the craft. And all their plans were put into motion thanks to their A-list team. Bennyqt’s Lunox and Brody plays were *chef’s kiss* in the first half of the game. It was one of the main reasons why he was named Finals MVP.
But it’s KarlTzy who can say that his name is going to be written in the ML esports history book. The jungler, who initially joined the team in 2021, can humbly brag that he’s the first, and so far, only player to have ever won two World Championships. The first was during M2 when he used to be a part of Bren Esports, and the second came with Echo in M4.
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