TNC Predator announced early Monday on their Twitter account that they would be disbanding the entirety of its Dota 2 roster. Long time members Kim “Gabbi” Villafuerte, Armel “Armel” Paul Tabios and Timothy “Tims” Randrup will leave after four years with the organization.
It's been quite the journey these past three to four years.
On September 15, 2021, TNC Predator will announce the free agency of its full roster. TNC and its players have discussed in terms of individual growth and agreed that this would be the best decision moving forward. pic.twitter.com/aH18lkwlgv
— TNC Predator 🇵🇭 (@TNCPredator) September 13, 2021
Why did TNC Predator disband?
Along with the three that have been mentioned above, Jun “Bok” Kanehara and captain Marvin “Boomy” Rushton are also leaving the team after short stints. The change comes after TNC failed to qualify for this year’s The International. The team was extremely close to making the tournament, losing a five-game series to the eventual winners, Fnatic. Earlier in the year, TNC were also able to make it to the WePlay Animajor. They were able to beat out Aster, the first seed from China, in a best-of-three series. They fell in a close series to Evil Geniuses, the eventual finalist.
“It’s been quite the journey these past three to four years, especially with Tims, Armel and Gabbi,” TNC said in their statement on Facebook. “TNC has broken several barriers and overcome many obstacles during this period, and we are grateful to have had such talented players spearheading the growth of Philippine esports on a global scale.”
This roster did make The International last year. However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the event was cancelled and TNC missed their chance to attend.
The team will enter the 2022 Dota Pro Circuit season with a completely new lineup. The only person that seems to remain on TNC is their coach Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung. However, TNC have yet to comment on his place in the team. Whether this rebuild will center around Mushi or not, TNC are going to come in completely fresh next season.
