Watching the Wildcards - best of the GPL
The 2015 World Championship is only two months away, and the top teams in Southeast Asia are preparing for the second phase of the GPL in which the top two teams will play in the Regional Finals to get a chance to represent Southeast Asia in the Wildcard Qualifiers.
A few months ago, the Bangkok Titans were dominating the International Wildcard Invitational Group Stages, only to fall short in the Semifinals against the eventual champions, Beşiktaş e-Sports Club. Back then, BKT were not even the champions of the GPL. They represented Southeast Asia at IWCI only due to visa issues for Saigon Fantastic 5, who swept BKT in the finals 3-0.
In the latest Split of the GPL, teams have been relegated, new teams have emerged and rosters have been swapped. However, the overall standard of play has increased yet another notch, giving the GPL fans hope that they will see another Southeast Asian team in the World Championship after missing out on qualification last year. Here are three standout players from the GPL who will be looking to make a name for themselves on the international stage.
Jaeyoong - Kuala Lumpur Hunters
Jason "Jaeyoong" Yoong first got into esports due to his love for Korean pop music, which was played during numberous esports events in Asia. After an unsuccessful stint in Starcraft 2, he was introduced to League of Legends by his friends and fell in love with the game, climbing the Solo Queue ladder on a daily basis. After achieving a high ranking on the local ladder, he decided to form a team with his friends, making a name for himself in the Southeast Asian servers. After multiple podium finishes in online tournaments, he was invited by Kuala Lumpur Hunters to play full time as a Garena sponsored player, thus fulfilling his dream to become a professional gamer.
Jaeyoong has always been the face of Southeast Asian League of Legends since its inception, with a huge fan base from Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia. As a result of his massive fan base, he became one of the most popular streamers in the GPL and one of the few players to develop a loyal viewer base.
This is the first Season that KLH managed to qualify for the offline phase of the GPL.This split, they were drawn into the toughest group of the tournament and started the split losing the first match. With some last minute roster swaps and some good fortune, KLH secured their qualification after a nail biting 1-1 draw against Vietnamese giants, GIGABYTE Full Louis. "I feel really really happy. At the same time disbelief because it seemed so impossible at first but our determination and faith managed to get us through," Jaeyoong exclaimed.
Known affectionately by his fans as "Savior" due to his outstanding AD carry play, Jaeyoong holds Challenger spots in both the Singapore/Malaysia and the Taiwanese Solo Queue ladder, dominating his opponents in style. Famed for his aggressive positioning as an AD Carry, Jaeyoong likens himself to Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao, the ADC for OMG. "I don't see any aggressive marksmen nowadays, only Uzi stands out. I think we both have a similar playstyle."
2015 would probably be the last year Jaeyoong remains as a professional gamer. He will be looking to make it count by qualifying for the 2015 World Championship to make his fans and loved ones proud.
SofM - GIGABYTE Full Louis
The prodigal son of the GPL is back. After a lengthy time on the sidelines due to not meeting the required age to participate in the GPL, Le "SofM" Quang Duy is finally back in the spotlight -- and for a good reason.
SofM is probably the most talented player ever to come out of Vietnam. He achieved the Challenger ranking on both the Taiwanese and Korean servers at a tender age of 15 and has been a highly sought after player ever since. Just earlier this year, Taiwanese powerhouse Flash Wolves attempted to acquire him for their LMS roster, bolstering the depth of their squad significantly. However, as he has yet to hit 18 years old, the deal fell through due to visa complications and SofM decided to remain on Full Louis.
SofM's jungling style is a lethal combination of Gambit Gaming's Danil "Diamondprox" Reshetnikov aggressive play and the farming efficiency of Cloud9's William "Meteos" Hartman. With efficient jungle pathings to maximize his farm, and creative invades into the enemy jungle, SofM has transformed Full Louis into a team with a heavy emphasis on a carry-oriented jungle. Usually finding himself with double-digit kill scores and tripling his opposing jungler's creep score, SofM will be looking to single-handedly bring home the GPL trophy for Full Louis.
Where To Watch
The second phase of the Garena Premier League will begin on August 3 at 17:00 GMT+8. The tournament begins with a blockbuster opening match between Asus ImbaFate and Boba Marines with both teams wanting to assert their dominance. For more information and access to the GPL livestream, please visit gpl.garena.com
Nelson Sng is a League of Legends hipster stuck on a sunny island called Singapore. He wastes his time by aimlessly wandering the various subreddits and looking for freelance coaching opportunities around the world. Follow him on Twitter before he becomes mainstream and has to get an assistant to manage his social media persona.
