Images: MOONTON Games
As Singapore's lone representative in the M6 World Championship, can NIP Flash bring glory to their country?
The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) M6 World Championship is set to kick off on November 21, with 23 of the best MLBB teams from all across the world fighting to claim the lion's share of a $1 million prize pool and this year's MLBB world title. In this series, we'll be taking a look at all the teams that qualified for the Swiss Stage and their chances of becoming the 2024 MLBB world champions.
The third entry in this series will shed a spotlight on NIP Flash, who will be representing Singapore in the M6 World Championship.
NIP Flash roster:
- Keith “Vanix” Lim - Gold Lane
- Jaymark Aaron “Hadess” Lazaro - Jungler
- Jankurt Russel “KurtTzy” Matira - Middle Lane
- Yeo “Diablo" Lun - EXP Lane
- Adam “Adammir” Chong - EXP Lane
- Akihiro “JPL” Furusawa - Roamer
- Bellamy “Lolsie” Yeov - Roamer
Singapore's rising stars
NIP Flash have had a stranglehold on the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Singapore for three straight seasons now, wresting dominance over the league from rivals RSG Singapore in Season 6 back in October 2023. But after only managing a 9th-12th place finish in the M5 World Championship last December, NIP Flash will be looking to prove themselves as worthy contenders for this year's title.
The team began 2024 as just Team Flash, entering the year with a revamped roster with the additions of Singaporean players in JPL and Diablo as well as Filipino import KurtTzy. The squad didn't have the most auspicious start to the year, as they only finished 9th-12th against international competition in Games of the Future 2024 at the end of February.
But ahead of MPL Singapore Season 7, Team Flash announced a partnership with Swedish organisation Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) and rebranded the team to NIP Flash. With the backing of one of the biggest organisations in the world, the team started to show their strength in their old stomping grounds.
NIP Flash absolutely dominated MPL Singapore Season 7, losing just one match in the Regular Season and only one game in the Playoffs. They capped off their championship run with a resounding 4-0 sweep over RSG in the grand finals in June, which also earned them a spot in the MLBB Mid-Season Cup (MSC) 2024 the next month.
In this year's MSC, the team earned a commendable 3rd-4th place finish, notably losing to MSC champions Selangor Red Giants (SRG) in the semifinals. With SRG emerging as one of the biggest contenders for the world title this year, NIP Flash were inching closer and closer to real heavyweight status – something that Singaporean teams haven't done yet in MLBB.
NIP Flash then continued their upward trajectory in MPL Singapore Season 8, once again losing just one match in the Regular Season and only one game in the Playoffs. This time around, NIP Flash faced Evil in the grand finals, defeating their opponents in a 4-1 rout and earning a well-deserved spot in the M6 World Championship.
Singapore's representatives will enter this year's world championship tournament with a lot of confidence, having dominated their own league and tangled with some of the world's best squads. NIP Flash can also count on having one of the most experienced rosters in M6, with its players boasting a boatload of MPL Singapore titles and at least two M-series appearances.
NIP Flash can also count on the insights of its two Filipino imports, into how other big contenders like Fnatic ONIC PH and Aurora Gaming will play alongside its core of veteran Singaporean players. Perhaps the ones who can end the Philippines' dominance over MLBB are a team playing their own brand of the game while being reinforced by Filipino talents.
But more than that, NIP Flash will be just as hungry as anyone else to prove themselves in MLBB's biggest stage. Ever since Singapore split from Malaysia to form its league in 2021, Singaporean teams have always had a chip on their shoulder. NIP Flash have a very real shot at silencing all their doubters and flying Singapore's banner high in the M6 World Championship.
M6 World Championship team profiles:
The M6 World Championship will take place from November 21 to December 15 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and is split into three distinct phases: the Wildcard Stage from November 21 to 24, the Swiss Stage from November 28 to December 5, and the Knockout Stage from December 7 to 15.
Of the 23 participating teams, 15 directly qualified to the Swiss Stage while eight others will start in the Wildcard Stage, where they will fight for the 16th and final spot in the Swiss Stage. For everything you need to know about the M6 World Championship, check here.