Cover-Credits:
Renowned esports organization Blacklist International recently set the Dota 2 community abuzz with a cryptic teaser hinting at its revamped roster. In a Facebook post, the organization shared an image with the caption “#BreakTheCode” that has fans eagerly decoding its hidden message.
The teaser image features a selection of seemingly unrelated elements which included a raven, a bed, an image of the evening sky, the Microsoft Teams logo, and the BDZ Twice Japan 1st Album cover. Blacklist International invited its loyal fanbase to unravel the puzzle and piece together its new lineup for Dota 2.
Deciphering the Image Posted by Blacklist International
Deciphering the puzzle, it appears that the raven icon alludes to Polo "Raven" Fausto, while the image of a bed corresponds to Abed "Abed" Yusop. The image of the evening sky is a reference to Kim "Gabbi" Santos (Gabbi meaning Evening in Filipino), while the Microsoft Teams logo symbolizes Timothy John "TIMS" Randrup.
Lastly, the BDZ Twice Album cover unmistakably identifies Carlo "Carlo" Manalo, formerly known as BDz. Notably, this lineup boasts an all-Filipino composition.
In order of the image's arrangement, the anticipated roster is as follows:
Polo "Raven" Fausto
Abed "Abed" Yusop
Kim "Gabbi" Santos
Timothy John "TIMS" Randrup
Carlo "Carlo" Manalo
It is worth noting that both Raven and TIMS are already established members of Blacklist International. The seeming newcomers to the team are Abed, Gabbi, and Carlo, as indicated by the image. The intriguing twist in this story lies in the history shared by Gabbi and TIMS, dating back to their days with TNC Predator. Gabbi had previously replaced Raven as the carry in that lineup. However, in the forthcoming chapter with Blacklist International, Raven is likely to take on the carry role, while Gabbi shifts to the offlane.
What's interesting is that, earlier today, Shopify Rebellion announced the release of Abed from its roster, along with his long-standing teammates Fly and Cr1t-.
Carlo, on the other hand, has maintained a free agent status since 30th July 2023, following his last stint with Execration. Meanwhile, Gabbi still remains on the roster of Entity Gaming, with no official statement from the player or the organization.
Blacklist International's teaser puzzle and the impending roster shake-up have created considerable anticipation within the community. Fans and analysts alike eagerly await the official confirmation of these changes.
To stay updated on the latest developments in the Dota 2 offseason, be sure to follow AFK Gaming and our post-TI12 roster tracker.
