Aces Pro Bren Esports (formerly Bren Esports), commonly known as AP Bren, is a Southeast Asian professional esports organization based in the Philippines. It has competitive teams in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, CS:GO, PUBG, League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Clash Royale, Arena of Valor, Rules of Survival, Valorant, and Tekken 7.[3] In the Philippine esports league The Nationals, the team competes as Bren EPro. The organization was founded on 16 August 2017 by Bernard "Bren" Chong who is part of the Chong clan that owns World Balance.[4]
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| Short name | AP.Bren |
|---|---|
| Divisions | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Hearthstone Clash Royale Overwatch Arena of Valor League of Legends Counter Strike: Global Offensive PUBG Tekken 7 Rules of Survival Valorant |
| Founded | 16 August 2017 |
| Based in | Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Location | Southeast Asia |
| Colors | Yellow Black |
| Owner | Mr.Ap |
| Manager | Mr.Hansen |
| Championships | MSC 2018 M2 World Championship M5 World Championship |
| Division titles | MPL-PH S6 MPL-PH S12 |
| Official fan club | Hive |
| Partners | Synergy88[1][2] Game.ly ASUS Philippines NOW Corporation XSplit PopTV Globe Telecom Team Falcons |
| Website | brenesports |
In July 2023, the esports team was bought by Aces Pro Corp. replacing the longtime chief executive officer of Bren, Bernard Chong with Jean Alphonse “AJ” Ponce.[5] The newly-acquired team adopts its current name.[6]
Arena of Valor
editOn 1 October 2018, Bren Esports participated at the Arena of Valor tournament along with four team from Singapore, Malaysia and fellow Filipino team Maxbox Gaming in Philippines for the semi and grand finals of Arena of Valor's Cup Season 3.[7][8]
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB)
editHistory
editBren Esports's Mobile Legends team competes in the local tournaments for the MPL.
On 22 July 2018, Bren Esports acquired the full Aether Main roster which consisted of YellyHaze, Pein, Ribo, Yuji, Coco and 666. The 6-man roster won the team's first championship title on 29 July 2018 at the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2018 held at the Jakarta International Expo in Indonesia.[9][10]
From 12 January – 13 January 2019, the eight Filipino participant teams gathered at the Ayala Malls Circuit Makati for the Season 3 of MPL (2019) which was held at Makati, Philippines.[11][12]
On 17 January 2019, 666 left the roster and was later replaced by Ejhay who joined the roster on 27 February 2019. On 18 July 2019, Pein left the team and was later replaced by Teng. On 29 October, Teng, Yuji and YellyHaze's departure was announced, leaving Ribo and Coco as the two remaining members from the previous Aether Main roster.
Roster Changes Prior to the M2 World Championship
editOn 10 January 2020, KarlTzy, Pheww and Lastii joined the player roster with the addition of Duckey who signs-up to become the head coach. FlapTzy later joined the team on 2 July 2020. At that time, Coco changed his role from becoming part of the official playing roster to analyst. In October 2020, they won the championship of MPL Season 6 in a best of 7 series, winning against Smart Omega Esports 4 games to 2. This was their second title since Aether Main and their first as the Bren franchise.[13] On 23 January 2021, Bren Esports were the champions for the M2 World Championships held in Singapore, winning against Burmese Ghouls 4 games to 3. The team had to climb up from the lower bracket by defeating two Indonesian powerhouse teams, RRQ Hoshi and Alter Ego to arrange a rematch against Burmese Ghouls.[14] The Bren Esports team won $140,000 from the $300,000 prize pool money, with another $3,000 awarded to the MVP of the match, Carry Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno.[15]
During the Offseason on 6 December 2021, M2 World Champions MVP Karl Gabriel "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno announces his departure from Bren Esports. He has spent 4 seasons with Bren, joining in Season 5, winning a Esports Gold Medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, the MPL Philippines Season 6 Champion, and M2 World Championship Finals MVP.[16] On 11 December 2021, Ejhay left the team and later became the coach for the Sunsparks MLBB team.
Bren Victress
editIn June 2019, all the female members of its team got third place in the Female Esports League of Mobile Legends (FSL) which was held at Singapore.[17][18] Also in June 2019, Bren Esports participated in MSC 2019 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.[19] On the first day of competition, Bren Esports beat the Team Resolution of Myanmar.[20] In the second day of competition, team Overclockers of Vietnam defeated Bren Esports causing them to be eliminated.
Partnership with Team Falcons
editIn the build up for the MPL Philippines Season 13 playoffs, MPL Philippines and the AP Bren organization announced the partnership between AP Bren and Team Falcons prior to the playoffs and the subsequent MSC 2024 in Riyadh. According to reports, the Saudi Arabian-based organization approached AP Bren first in order to align both organization's goals and made sure that the partnership was mutually beneficial for both parties.[21]
Tournament results
edit| Year | Season | MR | GR | Diff | Finish | Mid Season Cup | MPLI Invitational | World Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Season 2 | 7–2 | 15–5 | +10 | 1st Runner Up; 1-3 Cignal Ultra |
Champions; 3-0 Digital Devils Pro Gaming1 |
Not held | |
| 2019 | Season 3 | 8–1 | 17–7 | +10 | 1st Runner Up; 2-3 Arkangel |
7th-8th Place | Not held | |
| Season 4 | 4–5 | 9–12 | -3 | 5th-6th place; 0-2 Execration |
Not held | Did not qualify | ||
| 2020 | Season 5 | 8–1 | 16–4 | +12 | 2nd Runner Up; 1-2 ONIC Philippines |
Did not qualify | Not held | |
| Season 6 | 12–1 | 24–4 | +20 | Champions; 4-2 Smart Omega |
1st Runner Up; 0-3 Alter Ego |
Champions; 4-3 Burmese Ghouls | ||
| 2021 | Season 7 | 8–5 | 19–14 | +5 | 3rd Runner Up; 2-3 Execration |
Did not qualify | Not held | |
| Season 8 | 5–9 | 12–21 | -9 | 7th-8th; Group Stage | Did not qualify | |||
| 2022 | Season 9 | 5–9 | 11–20 | -9 | 7th-8th; Group Stage | Not held | ||
| Season 10 | 9–5 | 20–16 | +4 | 3rd Runner Up; 2-3 RSG Philippines |
5th-8th; 1-2 ONIC Esports |
Did not qualify | ||
| 2023 | Season 11 | 11–3 | 23–9 | +14 | 3rd Runner Up; 1-3 ECHO Philippines |
Not held | ||
| Season 12 | 7–7 | 18–5 | +3 | Champions; 4-1 Blacklist International |
2nd Runner Up; 1-2 RSG Philippines |
Champions; 4-3 ONIC Esports | ||
| 2024 | Season 13 | 11–3 | 24–8 | +16 | 1st Runner Up; 0-4 Liquid ECHO |
1st Runner Up; 3-4 Selangor Red Giants |
Not held | Did not Qualify |
| Season 14 | 10–4 | 22–12 | +10 | 2nd Runner Up; 2-4 Aurora Gaming | ||||
Other tournament awards
edit- Snapdragon Pro Series Season 3 SEA - Challenge Finals (2023) - 3rd Place
- SIBOL 2023 National Team Selection (2023) - 1st Place
- IESF World Esports Championship (2023) - 1st Place
- 2023 Southeast Asian Games (2023) - Gold Medal
- Games of the Future 2024 - 1st Place
Current roster
edit| Falcons AP Bren Mobile Legends: Bang Bang roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend:
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Latest roster transaction: February 20, 2024. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Valorant
editHistory
editIn September 2021, Bren Esports originally qualified for the 2021 Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 3 Masters in Berlin as the champions of the Southeast Asia Challengers Playoffs, but were unable to secure travel visas for the LAN event due to the national restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] The team was later acquired by another esports organization, Team Secret.[23]
Notes
edit1. ^ Played under Aether Main name during MSC 2018.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Synergy88 a Bren Esports partner". Synergy88. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Bren Esports established new partnership". Urbantechnoobs.
- ^ "Bren Esports 1st anniversary". 17 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ Dannug, Jonash (30 January 2021). "How Bernard Chong's passion led to BREN Esports". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "AP Esports, Bren Esports form AP Bren for MPL PH | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ Coloma, Angela (3 July 2023). "Bren Esports welcomes new ownership, renames to AP Bren as it partners with AP Esports". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "Team tamago wins in the Arena of Valor's Valor Cup Season 3". Egg.network. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Philippine Pro Gaming League AOV Finals". Globe.com.ph. 1 April 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "PH Sports Team took home championship prizes". Mineski. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "PH Sports Mobile Legends Team bagged $77,714 total prize". technology.inquirer.net. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Teams From The Past Season Will Play for the MPL-PH Season 2". Mineski. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "MPL Philippines Season 3 kicks off March 23". Tv5.espn.com. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Bren is king of MPL Season 6". Manila Bulletin. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Bren Esports is Mobile Legends M2 Champions". 26 October 2020.
- ^ Joy, Mary. "Philippines Bren Esports wins M2 Championships; team takes home USD $140,000 - MEGPlay". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ "KarlTzy parts ways with Bren Esports". RAPPLER. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Bren Female Mobile Legends team placed third in Singapore tilt". Abs-cbn.com. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Pinay gaming team Bren Esports finishes 3rd place in a competition in Singapore". GMANetwork.com. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ "MSC 2019". Mobilelegends.com. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "MSC 2019 DAY 1". Oneesports.gg. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ Lojo, Michelle. "AP Bren partners with Saudi Arabia's Team Falcons". Philstar.com. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Dioquino, Delfin (3 September 2021). "Bren Esports to miss Valorant Masters in Berlin because of visa issues". Rappler. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Zalamea, Nigel (9 September 2021). "Team Secret signs Bren Esports former Valorant roster". One Esports. Retrieved 23 April 2024.