A massive roster overhaul is underway for Boom Esports. Last night, their renowned Dota 2 squad announced that everyone has vacated the locker room, revealing that even their longest-serving members are departing the team, leaving no trace of the old guard.
The transformation had been hinted on November 3rd during a session with Boom’s CEO, Gary Ongko, who disclosed the team’s near-absence of a roster at that time in X. At that point, only two figures remained constant – Saeiful “Fbz” Ilham as the sole regular player and Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung in the role of coach.
Fast forward to November 9th, Boom Esports bid adieu to Filipino carry John “Natsumi” Vargas, expressing gratitude for his contributions. Shortly after, Vargas found a new home as a player with Geek Fam.
The farewell party continued, witnessing the exits of Ye “BoBoKa” Zhibiao and Chung “Ws” Wei Shen, acknowledged for their contributions during The International 2023 qualifier. The following day saw the farewell of Erin “Yopaj” Ferrer and Yap “xNova” Jian Wei.
The departures strongly hinted at the formation of a new team centered around Fbz. However, in a surprising twist, Boom Esports concluded this chapter by confirming the departure of the Indonesian player alongside Mushi.
This announcement caught fans off guard, especially given that Fbz and Mushi were the organization’s longest-serving members. Fbz, joining Boom in 2018, had become an icon for the team, weathering numerous roster changes. Meanwhile, Mushi, who assumed the role of head coach in 2021, was entrusted with the team-building process.
Their journey witnessed triumphs and challenges in the competitive Dota 2 scene, both regionally and internationally. They dominated the Dota 2 Pro Circuit SEA in 2022, securing victory at the GAMERS GALAXY Invitational in Dubai, Saudi Arabia. Months later, they made history as the first Indonesian team to participate in The International 11, defeating Eastern Europe’s behemoth, Team Spirit, before bowing out to PSG.LGD.
Despite their initial successes, an inability to retain key members and a shift in strategy in the subsequent season proved costly. Struggling in Division 1 throughout 2023, Boom Esports even faced demotion to the lower division.
As of now, there is no indication of a new squad from the organization, causing concern among Boom’s hardcore fans as the SEA closed qualifier approaches on November 16th. Interestingly, Dota 2’s community account, X, leaked details suggesting that Gary might have swiftly assembled a new squad. Rosesa Gaming hinted at Gary’s recent connection with Romanian Dota 2 expert, Daniel “Immortal Faith” Moza, who was known for his time with Geek Fam in Malaysia throughout the 2023 season.
