As the only Filipino player that qualified for TI 2024, Akashi thinks all-Filipino squads making it to TI are no longer feasible.
The Philippines has a long and storied history in Dota 2, from hosting the iconic Manila Major in 2016 to fielding some of the most mechanically-skilled players in the history of the game. But for all the passion and dedication that the Philippines have had for Dota 2 over the years, a Filipino player has yet to capture the Aegis of Champions and claim victory at The International (TI), the game's annual world championship tournament.
In past iterations of TI, a strong contingent of Filipino players were a common sight, be it in all-Filipino squads or as mercenaries hired by teams from other regions. But in TI 2024, only one Filipino managed to qualify for the battle for the Aegis of Champions: 
Talon Esports carry player Eljohn “Akashi” Andales.
In an exclusive interview with GosuGamers, Akashi expressed that he is well aware of the pressure that comes with being the only player from a country so used to seeing many of their own compete in Dota 2's grandest stage.
"Being the only Filipino representative is still so good for me, you know? The expectation on you is high and they think, ‘Oh this guy is that new player that is playing in his first TI.’”
While Akashi's focus remains on forging his own path in TI 2024, the gravity of being the only Filipino player competing in this year's TI isn't lost on him. When asked if this is caused by Dota 2 no longer being the top esport title in the Philippines as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang overtook it the past few years, Akashi played it off as more of a coincidence.
“I still see a lot of Filipinos that play better and the Dota community in the Philippines is still high.”
But when it comes to the Dota 2 competitive scene in the Philippines, Akashi acknowledges that there has indeed been some stagnation. For the longest time, Filipino players have repeatedly tried to reach the top step as a full five-man squad of Filipinos. Akashi thinks that should be a thing of the past now.
“In my opinion, Filipinos need to stop the mentality of five Filipinos can play together and make it to TI. It's not working for me.”
But what did work for Akashi was joining Malaysian and Indonesian players in a Hong Kong-based organisation in Talon. After all, he made it to TI 2024 as part of this multinational roster while other all-Filipino squads failed to qualify. We can't also forget that some of the most successful Filipino players in the game's history like Abed “Abed” Yusop and Djardel “DJ” Mampusti reached the heights of their careers while playing in teams from overseas.
But more than just leaving monolithic traditions behind, Akashi thinks what Filipino pros need to improve the most is their mindset.
“The mentality to improve, that's the most important thing.”
Becoming part of Dota 2 history
Given that TI 2024 is his first-ever TI, Akashi has been chomping at the bit to prove himself against the best of the best. He wants to face the likes of Western European powerhouses like Team Falcons and Team Liquid, maybe even topple defending champions Team Spirit should his team manage to reach the grand finals.
But claiming the Aegis of Champions in your TI debut is a rarity, and Akashi acknowledges that it's gonna be a long shot for Talon this year. With that said, finishing within the Top 4 or Top 6 would still be a satisfactory result for the Filipino carry player.
However, even those more modest expectations will take an uphill battle for him to reach as Akashi and Talon haven't exactly had the most inspiring performance at TI 2024 so far.
Talon were placed into Group B alongside Western Europe's Cloud9 and Tundra Esports as well as China's G2 x iG. They settled for the fourth seed after only managing a 1-5 record, with their only win coming in a 1-1 draw with Tundra. Akashi notably showed out in the second game of that series, finishing with 11 kills and seven assists against three deaths on Windranger to help give Talon their sole win of the tournament so far.
In the Seeding Decider, Talon were then pitted against Chinese powerhouse Xtreme Gaming. Despite a worthy effort, they were soundly swept by their Chinese opponents and were forced to a lower-bracket start in the Playoffs.
Now, Akashi and Talon are set to face Eastern Europe's BetBoom Team in a best-of-three elimination match as the heavy underdogs. But whether Talon's campaign ends here or they manage to make a deeper run, Akashi can still hold his head high knowing he will always be a part of the history of the game.
“As long as you qualify to TI it's like you're already part of the history of Dota.”
TI 2024 is this year's iteration of Dota 2's annual world championship tournament and features 16 of the best teams in the world fighting for their cut of the growing $2.36 million prize pool and the Aegis of Champions.
The event is being hosted from September 4 to 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark and is split into two distinct phases: the Group stage (September 4 to 5) and the Seeding Deciders (September 6 to 7). The first two rounds of the Playoffs (September 8 to 10) are branded as part of The Road to The International, while the remaining portion of the Playoffs for the remaining eight teams (September 13 to 15) are branded as The International itself.
For everything you need to know about TI 2024, check here.
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