Onic Esports has made big announcements regarding their lineup for the upcoming MPL ID Season 12. They have brought in Albert “Albertt” Iskandar from the RRQ team and retained superstar Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol and head coach Miranda “Yeb” Denver. However, they have also announced their withdrawal from the Indonesia national MLBB team selection for the IESF 2023 tournament.
The management of Onic Esports publicly apologized via social media for declining to participate in the national team selection organized by the Board of Indonesian Esports (PBESI) for the IESF tournament, which will take place in Romania in September. The management explained that their players are not in optimal competitive shape after going through the intense MPL ID Season 12 and MSC 2023 tournaments in a short period of time.
Despite this, Onic Esports has not completely given up on the opportunity to represent Indonesia this season. They sent their second team, Onic Prodigy, to compete in the ESL H3RO 4.0 competition, where the winner would advance to the final round of national team selection in Jakarta. However, Onic Prodigy did not progress past the group stage, and the Bigetron Alpha squad emerged as the winners of the H3RO 4.0 tournament.
The decision made by Onic Esports has garnered mixed reactions from Indonesian MLBB fans. Many people appreciate the organization’s prioritization of the physical and emotional well-being of their players, who have been working hard in recent months. However, there are some who criticize Onic and compare them to MPL PH champions Echo Philippines, who participated in their country’s national selection despite their busy schedule.
Four teams will be competing for a spot on the Indonesian MLBB national team: Evos Legends, Evos Icon, Bigetron Alpha, and Bigetron Era. Previously, Indonesia emerged as the champions of the IESF 2022 MLBB competition in Bali with a squad composed of Evos Legends and Evos Icon players, led by coach Bjorn “Zeys” Ong. However, the national team will be seeking a new coach for the IESF 2023 tournament as Zeys has departed following his poor performance at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia last month.
