The Esports industry has experienced a roller coaster ride this year 2020. Due to the pandemic, event organizers around the world have been facing many hard decisions. Most of the Dota 2 tournaments, especially LAN, have either been canceled or postponed for the year. Valve, the developer of Dota 2, decided not to hold the 'The International 2020' this year and delayed it until 2021. Just several days before ESL ONE Los Angeles 2020 was supposed to run on March 15, the organizers decided to cancel the tournament. In the Philippines, the Predator League 2020 Grand Finals, a tier 2 tournament for Asia Pacific teams, was postponed to 2021.
Amid the pandemic, several online Dota 2 tournaments are being held. Moving esports events online is a reasonable step in dealing with the situation, thus continuing the professional Dota 2 players' passion. Without further ado, listed below are the top 5 Filipino DOTA 2 players with the highest earnings in 2020, which can also be considered the richest Pinoy DOTA 2 players.
#5. Sam_H - 24.5M PHP
- Name: Samson Solomon Enojosa Hidalgo
- Age: 26 (in 2020)
- Team: T1
- Role(s): Offlaner
- Alternate ID(s): Paperchicken, ANTI SOCIAL, TNC.Sam H
- Approximate Total Earnings: $511,018 (roughly 24.5M PHP)
In 2015, Sam_H started his DOTA 2 career in the Philippines-based team, the TNC Predator, then later joined Lowkey Esports in 2019. He is currently playing in the newly formed team T1, a South Korea-based team mainly known for its three-time World Champion League of Legends division. SamH is considered to be among the best in the region and performs best on initiators like Slardar, Axe, or Spirit Breaker. SamH is also known for his offlane hero - Queen of Pain.
As one of the former TNC Pro Team members, Sam_H earned his largest cash prize of $160,000.00 from winning the World Electronic Sports Games 2016 (Dota 2) championship on January 15, 2017, which has a total prize of $800,000.00 for 1st place. Sam_H's overall earning is $511,018, which is roughly 24.5M Pesos.
Sam_H is currently in the 8,000 Solo MMR bracket. Sam_H plays for the Offlaner role and is well known for using the following heroes: Batrider, Slardar, Dark Seer, Nature's Prophet, Beastmaster, Venomancer, Spirit Breaker, Axe, and Nyx Assasin.
#4. Raven - 30.4M PHP
- Name: Marc Polo Luis Fausto
- Age: 22 (in 2020)
- Team: Fnatic
- Role(s): Carry
- Alternate ID(s): Polo, AkosiPolo, TNC. Raven
- Approximate Total Earnings: $633,312 (roughly 30.4M PHP)
Marc Polo "Raven" Luis Fausto is currently a carry player for the team Fnatic. He was a former member of the Geek Fam, a SEA team with Malaysia as its roots, and the TNC Pro Team, a PH team. Raven achieved a career-high of 33 kills in a single game at The Kiev Major 2017 while playing for TNC Pro Team as Spectre in their group stage match against Thunderbirds. He is known to have an aggressive playstyle, which is an important factor in the success of the team and his wide hero pool makes it hard for opponents to target him in the drafting stage.
Raven has earned his largest cash prize when he is on TNC Pro Team, with a prize amount of $160,000.00 from winning the championship in WESG 2016 (Dota 2) on January 15, 2017, which has a total prize of $800,000.00 for the 1st place. Raven's overall earning is $633,312, which is roughly 30.4M Pesos.
Raven has reached the 10,000 Solo MMR bracket in January 2020, the 5th Dota 2 player to reach 10k MMR. Raven plays for the Carry role and is well known for using the following heroes: Juggernaut, Gyrocopter, Spectre, Drow Ranger, Terrorblade, Sven, Lone Druid, Troll Warlord, and Slark.
#3. Kuku - 34.9M PHP
Name: Carlo Palad
Age: 24 (in 2020)
Team: Smart Omega (head coach)
Role(s): Offlaner, Midlaner
Alternate ID(s): Kuku^, < blank >, Ku_ContRoL, TNC.Kuku
Approximate Total Earnings: $727,322 (roughly 34.9M PHP)
Carlo "Kuku" Palad is currently the head coach of the newly created Philippines-based Dota 2 team owned by PLDT-Smart Communications, the Smart Omega. He was also a former member of Geek Fam's roster, which won back-to-back titles in the BTS Pro Series Season 2 and ONE Esports Dota 2 SEA League until the team was suddenly disbanded due to the Dota Pro Circuit being on hiatus because of the ongoing global pandemic. Most Filipino Dota 2 fans can expect Kuku to return as an active player once Valve decides to resume the DPC season.
He also served as a temporary stand-in for the T1 team during the BTS Pro Series Season 4. His other former teams are TNC Predator and Mineski. Kuku's innovative itemization and strategic movements around the map enable him to catch opponents off guard. His mastery for a large hero pool makes it hard to draft against him with heroes like Queen of Pain, Tinker, and Harbinger in his arsenal of signature heroes. Despite his young age, Carlo Palad already has a daughter.
During Kuku's TNC Pro Team days, he earned his largest cash prize of $160,000.00 from winning the WESG 2016 (Dota 2) championship on January 15, 2017, which has a total prize of $800,000.00 for 1st place. Kuku's overall earning is $727,322, which is roughly 34.9M Pesos.
Kuku has reached the 10,000 Solo MMR bracket in December 2020, which he posted on his Twitter. Kuku plays for the Offlaner or Midlaner role and is best known for using the following heroes: Enigma, Batrider, Puck, Huskar, Phantom Lancer, Windranger, Centaur Warrunner, Beastmaster, Harbinger, Timbersaw, Tinker, Troll Warlord, and Juggernaut.
#2. Tims - 37.9M PHP
Name: Timothy John Randrup
Age: 23 (in 2020)
Team: TNC Predator
Role(s): Support
Alternate ID(s): TIMS, TNC.Tims, TnC.TIMS
Approximate Total Earnings: $791,151 (roughly 37.9M PHP)
Timothy John "Tims" Randrup is a TNC Predator member and plays for the support role since 2016. Known for dynamic roaming on the map, Tims became one of the world's best Earth Spirit players and is the key player of TNC's laning stage. He also played for other Philippines-based teams before, including Rave and Execration. Tims owns two branches of TNC Internet Cafe including TNC Sindalan CSFP and TNC HAU Angeles City.
During his TNC days, Tims has earned his largest cash prize of $160,000.00 from winning the WESG 2016 (Dota 2) championship on January 15, 2017, with a total prize of $800,000.00 for 1st place - TNC. Tim's overall earning is $791,151, which is roughly 37.9M Pesos.
Tims has reached the 10,000 Solo MMR bracket in August 2020, as posted on his Twitter with a tweet, "Where can I get my 10k support badge?". Tims plays the Support role and is best known for using the following heroes: Earth Spirit, Earth Shaker, Nyx Assasin, Mirana, Slardar, Vengeful Spirit, Ogre Magi, and Io.
#1. DJ - 38.8M PHP
Name: Djardel Jicko B. Mampusti
Age: 26 (in 2020)
Team: Fnatic
Role(s): Support, Offlaner
Alternate ID(s): Fnatic.Dj, Chrissy, XctN.Dj
Approximate Total Earnings: $807,221 (roughly 38.8M PHP)
Djardel Jicko B. "DJ" Mampusti, was known as Chrissy, is a former member of the teams namely, Rave, MSI-EvoGT, and Execration. DJ currently plays for the Fnatic (a European Team with Southeast Asian players) as the team captain. His excellent support play during his stay in Rave in 2014 made him popular. Joining Fnatic in 2017, with his support play being a key factor, the team placed 4th at TI6. Despite his success as an offlaner (position 3) and jungler (position 4), he has since transitioned into a 5 position support (hard support). Still, DJ is regarded as one of the best players because of that versatility, if not the best in his region.
DJ earned his largest cash prize of $290,786.40 from winning 4th place in The International 2016 on August 13, 2016, which has a total prize of $1,453,932.00. DJ's overall earning is $807,221, which is roughly 38.8M Pesos.
DJ carefully used his earnings from DOTA 2 tournaments. He used his winnings at DAC 2015 to invest in an internet cafe chain in the Philippines called TheNet.Com, where the TNC Pro Team is based.
DJ's last recorded Solo MMR is in the 8k MMR bracket. DJ plays as a Support or Offlaner and is well known for using the following heroes: Ember Spirit, Ogre Magi, Doom, Vengeful Spirit, Jakiro, Disruptor, Enigma, Enchantress, Rubick, and Earth Spirit.
Compared to the top 5 richest Pinoy DOTA players in 2019, this 2020 list has no changes.
Take note that the above-mentioned earnings are only estimated values and not necessarily accurate.
What can you say about this list of richest Pinoy Dota Players? Let us know in the comment section below.
Credits: liquipedia.net, esportsearnings.com, dotabuff.com
Image sources: Sam_H's Photo via Starladder, Raven's Photo via Starladder, Tim's Photo via EPICENTER, Kuku's Photo via EPICENTER, DJ's Photo via ESL
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