The Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 tournament is currently underway and we caught up with Malaysia’s Dota 2 representative Team Myth Avenue Gaming ( Team MAG).

Team MAG consists of players Chan “Lonely Chucky” Kok Khin, Denise “Wonder’boy” Danial Bin Abdullah, Ho “Candyloon” Wei Loon, Loyd Yoong “LOyd” Binjie, and Pang “ponyo” Sze Xuan, and they are the Dota 2  Malaysian representatives after their terrific victory at last year’s Malaysia Qualifier Finals of the APAC Predator League tournament.

This interview was edited for clarity.

While Team MAG did not manage to secure a spot at the Predator League Dota 2 grand finals, it was an incredible run and we reached out to them for an interview.

Patch Updates and Ever-Changing Meta

One of the most unpredictable aspects of any online multiplayer game is the issuing of new patch updates. Unfortunately, Dota 2 had its patch 7.35 update a few weeks ago around the Christmas period, which affects many teams greatly as new meta rise and old strategies become less viable.

Team MAG shared the sentiment, saying “We don’t like these things happening because it could easily throw off our strategies because suddenly our tactics might not work anymore.”

“But, we really can’t control it if Valve wants to update the game. We can’t do anything and the best we can do is to try our best and play.”

Malaysia’s Esports Scene 

As Team MAG is the Malaysian representative for the Dota 2 tournament, they might have opinions and insights regarding the esports scene in the country. When asked about how big the esports industry has become in Malaysia, Team MAG said the following,

“We are flying back to Malaysia on January 15th to attend a local tournament. This Predator League tournament is some way can be considered practice for the local tournament as well. I would that the Malaysia esports scene is big and there’s a chance for Malaysia to be in the Olympics Esports since Malaysians did participate in the esports of SEA Games.”

Life as a Pro Gamer 

Professional gamers like many careers, start as an interest, a hobby before slowly shifting into an opportunity. Many players would only have dreamed of becoming professional gamers, but not many can achieve this.

We asked the players of Team MAG whether their view of the game had changed after they had transitioned to the pro scene. This is what they had to say,

“Playing as a pro and playing casually is a totally different thing. When you are playing casually, you can play it for fun. There is no need for good strategy and even if you had lost, you don’t lose anything.”

“On the other hand, playing pro means you have to communicate well and coordinate with your teammate. Playing pro means you need to have a lot of strategies in mind, analyze games, and have good teamwork with your teammates. Yes, I would say it is a huge difference between playing pro and playing casually.”

Tier 1 Teams 

Like many esports, Dota 2 teams are generally divided into tiers based on their performances in international tournaments. Those that are regarded as the best in the world are labeled as Tier 1 teams, consisting of star players who are treated like celebrities for their incredible skills.

Such teams include the likes of Team Spirit, Azure Ray, Gaimin Gladiators, BetBoom Team, and many more notable ones. When asked about any gap that Team MAG feels between them and the Tier 1 teams, they noted “Tier 1 teams are more consistent and would make fewer mistakes compared to us.”

“They also have amazing map reading skills, which is really what makes the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams right now. It was a great experience, however, to be able to have a match with them because Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams don’t usually get to scrim together.”

Culture and Communication

Communication is an important part of our daily lives and that includes, competitive team games like Dota 2. Considering how culturally diverse Malaysia is, sometimes communication does not go as smoothly as it should.

Regarding culture hindering team communication, Team MAG said that it does not play that big of a part.

“It all depends on our chemistry, between the five of us. That said, without communication, we are just playing by ourselves, and we can’t beat teams that have great communication. Of course, it can still play a small role, especially for slang and languages.”

The Future

As mentioned, Team MAG did not manage to win but losing is generally not the end. However, when we asked them if they would be ready to challenge the next Predator League, especially against Tier 1 teams, they replied “We won’t be sticking together for next year.”

“We do not have an organization to sponsor us, so we might get individually picked up by other organizations, and we might no longer stay as a team for the next Predator League. This team was specifically formed because Predator League needs a full Malaysian team.”