BOOM's CEO on the future: Finish top 8 next TI

BOOM Esports is one and the only Indonesian Dota 2 team currently known in the Southeast Asian region. Still, it is only recently that they have made a name for themselves by participating in The International 11 as the main representative of the SEA region.

After all the hustle and fuss they had to go through, BOOM Esports was finally able to proudly close the season as SEA's new No.1 and participate in the largest Dota 2 to date and the first to be held in Southeast Asia, specifically in Singapore Suntec Exhibition Center, last month.

Starting from a 1.4 percent chance to toppling a world-class team, the beast finally arrived at the end of the season. Shortly after, Gary Ongko Putera, the CEO of BOOM Esports, made a statement regarding the upcoming roster and their current status.

“Moving forward, as usual, post-TI, there is a big shuffle period. We don’t know yet what we will do, who will stay, who will go. My wish is that we run it back, but as it is every year, we find out that this might not be what is best for all parties involved.” 

According to Gary, his time on the team really taught him a lot from an Esports fan to be able to play in many great events with his own team, despite being new to the industry. In 2022, notably with, Fauzi & Owljan and coach Mushi shared many experiences on how to run an organization and manage talent and players.

Not only that, but he also said that despite the Dota 2 community being well known to have a toxic community, his experience with them couldn’t be further from the truth. According to him, everyone is super welcoming despite them being the face around the major tournaments. Gary also mentions that he even gets much advice from other CEOs on how to take the next step in Esports.

“This was a pleasant surprise as I always heard that the Dota2 community is relatively toxic and everyone’s snobbish, etc. But what I experienced in our first majors and TI was that everyone is super welcoming and made me feel welcomed as the ‘new’ kid on the block.”

Moving forward for the team's future, after the completion of TI 11. There will still be players playing on BOOM Esports, and there will certainly be players who decide to leave and join a new team.

While they have not officially left the team, most current players are exploring their options for the next season, such as Tims, Skem, Yopaj, and their latest carry, Souliya “JaCcky” Khoomphetsavong that been with the team for almost a year.

“The goal is to finish at least top 8 in next year’s TI, taking a step closer to eventually winning TI.”

The option to re-sign is still there. In an interview, Gary said he hopes the team can stay together next year. Considering their chemistry, it would be a shame to see them part ways quickly.

However, although it's very vague at the moment, Gary is looking forward to next season. He would love to see which players will be on the BOOM Esports DOTA 2 roster. Though he also mentions a few old faces returning to the scene before closing his sentence. To the fans, he promised not to disappoint them for the next season.

“I’m looking forward to next season so much. I am so excited to see how we will play, who will play (I’m hearing old faces coming back to the scene), what events will come up, what my peers’ lineups will be, and on an individual level to meet all of you again!”

Many fans believe that we might see some old names like Mikoto, Jhocam or even InYourDream back on the team. However, one thing for sure is that Fbz might also not be the only Indonesian in the team by the next season.

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