KUALA LUMPUR, 11 NOVEMBER – The highly anticipated and thrilling Dew Challenge, Amateur DoTA 2 Tournament is back for the third year in a row. For the first time ever in Dew Challenge history, Mountain Dew has opened its doors to Singapore teams to participate in the tournament and on top of that, granting access to viewers to watch the game live, making this year’s Dew Challenge even bigger and bolder.

The great Dew Challenge 2017, DoTA 2 Tournament kicked-off in Penang over the course of two days for teams to battle and rise to the top four spots within the region to proceed to the group stage. There was a total of 20 teams and 100 participants altogether in Penang and the energy at the venue was electric as players got their game face on in preparation to combat their opponents. The top four teams that shone and claimed their place at the group stage are: Penang Hunter, Exes, 5noob and Maisloki.

Similarly, the second leg in Kuantan, Pahang was full of thrill and suspense. The battle was super intense between the 20 teams. Out of the 20 teams, only the top four proceeded to the next level where their chance of winning is closer. Teams that made through the group stage are ShroudFanBoiss, Team Solid, WildfireD and 100+.

In total, there were 1,440 participants from 288 teams: 224 teams from Malaysia and 64 teams from Singapore, which consist of five players in each team. Participants will need to battle it out on a state level to proceed to the finals. Fans and supporters can catch the upcoming rounds in the following regions and locations:

                Malaysia

• Kuala Lumpur at TBUN 3 Internet Café (Wangsa Maju) on 11^th and 12^th November 2017
• Johor at 818 CC (Johor Bahru) on 18^th and 19^th November
• Selangor at INC (SS2) on 25^th and 26^th November

Singapore

• Pasir Ris at Colosseum on 11^th and 12^th November 2017
• Outram at Alienware on 18^th and 19^th November 2017

Subsequently, the top 24 teams from Malaysia and the top 12 teams from Singapore will then compete at the group stage level which will be held on 25^th November 2017 at Alienware cyber café in Outram, Singapore and 8^th December at INC (SS2) cyber café in Selangor, Malaysia. After which, only the top four teams from both countries will proceed to the finals to battle it out for the championship title and the grand prize pool of SGD50,000 which will be held from 9^th to 10^th December 2017 at Berjaya Times Square.

Staying true to its mantra of “DO THE DEW”, Mountain Dew constantly encourages individuals to push their boundaries through challenges that will enable them to grow and achieve their life-long dreams. In line with the increasing popularity of eSports, the brand plans to grow the amateur players within the nation by organising the annual Dew Challenge amateur DoTA 2 tournament, setting Mountain Dew as the pioneering brand in Malaysia to host an amateur DoTA 2 tournament.

On top of that, the success of previous years’ Dew Challenge has unlocked huge opportunities for winners such as Yeik Nai Zheng, also known as MidOne. He became the second-best player in Europe and currently a member of Team Secret, an e-sports team based in Europe. Similarly, last year’s winner Chong Jia Hao, also known as VT Faded, made it big in the e-sports scene after the tournament. He is now part of a China team called Nga Gaming. These outcomes from the Dew Challenge are an enormous achievement for not only Mountain Dew, but as a nation as it allows more Malaysians to be recognised internationally. For this reason, the brand aims to continuously provide a platform for gaming enthusiasts to fuel their passion.

“We are very delighted and pleased with the outcomes of the Dew Challenge from previous years. It goes to show that the youths are able to rise to the challenge and excel beyond their wildest dreams. Through this Amateur DoTA 2 tournament, the Mountain Dew brand provides the platform and opportunity for youths to push their boundaries at their own accord to realise their full potential and chase their dreams,” said Santharuban T. Sundaram, Vice President of Marketing at Etika Sdn Bhd.

As eSports is becoming extremely popular, there is a rise of professional eSports athletes who compete on an international level. Mountain Dew aims to host the annual Dew Challenge to encourage more youths to unlock their potential and to constantly challenge themselves.

Santharuban added, “This year’s Dew Challenge is bigger and better than before. The Mountain Dew brand have decided to add more thrill by opening up the tournament to Singaporean gamers to participate as well, fuelling the competitive spirit further across the countries. We are very excited to see who will be the next winner that will take on the championship title”.

For those who want to participate in the next leg of the competition, the registration process is very simple. Prior to the tournament, players have to register their team members on Mountain Dew’s microsite at www.mountaindewdota2.com. During the tournament day, registered teams only need to check-in at the registration counter and they are ready to battle. It is so simple that players need not to worry about the nitty-gritty, and instead can utilise their time to focus on their game strategy whilst enjoying and getting a boost of energy from the Mountain Dew beverages provided.