The Philippines’ Road to Vietnam: Local League of Legends Tournament Finale Live at the World Trade Center
Official Event Poster from the Rampage 2016 Website
Two more days till’ the deciding finals match of the Pro Gaming Series (PGS) at Rampage 2016: Who will be the team that will take the honor of representing the Philippines at the 2016 Summer Garena Premier League (GPL) at Vietnam, a tournament involving six participating countries from Southeast Asia for League of Legends. Will it be the reigning champions from the previous PGS split ‘Imperium Pro Team’ (IPT) or Iloilo’s Pride Acclaim EmpireX (AEX)?
Imperium Pro Team – The Seasoned Veterans
Ever since the PGS started, Imperium Pro Team has always been there. Winning two championship titles since 2014, the team has been active in both LAN and online tournaments with experience in the southeast Asian scene for being a consistent Philippine representative at the GPL – with their latest, fighting at par against the best of Vietnam ‘Saigon Jokers’ and previous world contenders from Thailand ‘Bangkok Titans’, knocking down other countries like Singapore and Indonesia. It was the one of the greatest accomplishments of IPT – bringing light and hope to the local esports scene for League of Legends. After this season’s GPL, the team has definitely gone stronger and better, setting the bar higher for all the local teams to catch up and strive harder.
Acclaim EmpireX – The Defiers of the Norm
Founded last 2013, AEX only managed to get into the PGS at 2015 Summer Split. As the only team stationed outside of Luzon, their performance against the Manila-based teams is commendable. The team have always struggled to keep their spot at the PGS – but this time around, they fought their way from the tie-breakers to the finals. Famous for their unorthodox picks, the team’s run at the league had some ups and downs. It’s one of those moments where you studied for an exam, only to find out the stuff you reviewed wasn’t on the test. That’s how I feel whenever AEX pulls something off out of nowhere.
Sometimes it’s a win. At times, a loss. Either way, it got them to where they are now.
Predictions
If we were to base it on experience and consistency, Imperium Pro Team might take the championship 3-1 or even 3-0. But with Acclaim EmpireX’ tendency to surprise their opponents, catch them off-guard and snowball, who knows – we might get to see a game five for the first time on Rampage!
Catch Rampage 2016 live on-stage on July, 23 2016 at the World Trade Center! For more information, you can check out their website here.
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