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esports
Changes Arise In Dota 2, But Where Is Team Taring?
A new lease on life with Orange eSports as a co-sponsor. Where does the Malaysian government fit in?
It all started in the month of December at the Malaysia Cyber Games 2015. Originally called Team 123, the team gave it their all to win the MCG 2015 Dota 2 tourney, which granted them a new identity, full sponsorship from the Malaysian government, and a chance to represent the country in Dota 2 tournaments around the world.
Team Taring is the first-ever Dota 2 team that is sponsored by the Malaysian government. Even the crowning of Team Taring was officiated by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak himself.
That said, the team’s winning moment at MCG seems to be the highlight of their career because everything else just went downhill from there. What ever happened to the Malaysian dream? Who’s to blame for the team’s demise? What will become of Team Taring?
After MCG 2015, Team Taring did join several eSports tournaments, but failed to really make an impact in any of them. In the recent WePlay Season 3, the team pulled out from the tournament, citing internal conflicts between players. The team was then replaced by First Departure from Singapore, inheriting the team’s score of 3 wins and 2 losses.
Apart from the team’s aesthetical appearance - name, logo, and official jersey, what other help did they receive from the government? According to our source, the team was given RM100,000 by the government as startup money. The team was allowed to do anything they wanted with the money. However, Taring did not have a person managing the team’s finances. Essentially, the team members were playing with nothing but the “Taring” name. There was no gaming house, not even a basic salary as eSports athletes.
Enter, Orange eSports. The local gaming organisation has agreed to co-sponsor and manage Team Taring, with a few changes, of course. Orange eSports has reportedly added an extra RM100,000 on top of the Malaysian government’s initial startup money for Team Taring. The team has donned a new name, “Orange Taring”, and will also have a new team roster. YamateH will be the new captain, playing alongside Ice, ling, and two new members - syeonx and NJ.
With Orange eSports coming into the picture, the gaming organisation’s experience in team and talent management will definitely be beneficial to Taring. The team will now have access to better training facilities, a basic salary, gaming equipments and maybe even a gaming house.
Orange eSports’ most notable moment of success was when the organisation’s Dota 2 squad secured a third place finish at 2013’s largest Dota 2 event of the year, also known as The Internationals 3 (TI3). With the team back on track, you can expect to see them in upcoming tournaments like Asean Games for eSports (AGES) 2016, ESL One Manila qualifiers, and possibly DreamLeague Season 5.
What about YamateH? He and Orange eSports aren’t new to each other, so how would this combination work? Simple. With YamateH assigned as the new team captain, he can now focus on strategy and gameplay for the team, while Orange will handle the administrative side of the eSports team. If each party carries out their role well, we might just see the revival of Orange eSports, with a splash of Malaysian pride thanks to Taring.
What about the previous team captain, you ask? Adam “343” Shah, left Taring to join the international gaming organisation, Fnatic as a substitute player (position 6). Adam felt that he may have won the MCG tournament, but he was in no way fit to lead the team.
Adam “343” Shah leaves Taring, joins Fnatic
© Fnatic
The announcement was first made on Fnatic’s official website and here’s what he had to say:
“My decision to leave Taring didn't come easy, but after standing in for Fnatic it hit me that I was too inexperienced to lead a team anywhere. This is the main reason for my departure, a quest for the experience which I lack.”
As for his teammates in Taring:
“I would like to thank Taring, who have been nothing but helpful, and my teammates. We may walk different paths but I hope to see you all again at the end!”
Remember, it takes more than the 5 players in the team to make Taring successful. An eSports team requires managers, marketers, publicists, and a coach with equal amounts of dedication and passion for the team to emerge as successful. The government’s intentions weren’t bad. They wanted to help Taring grow to its fullest potential, but until they start treating eSports athletes like physical sports professionals, eSports advancement in Malaysia will remain stagnant. Yes, money is important, but moral and physical support is still necessary. It’s like the saying goes, “you’ve gotta talk the talk, AND walk the walk.” All the best to Team Orange Taring, good luck, have fun!
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