The most influential Dota personalities in Malaysia
Dota 2 has a great following in Malaysia and is one of the most played eSports. The country was one of the first to recognize the growing industry and in 2015 the Malaysian government even formed Esports Malaysia as an official governing body.
There are a lot of successful personalities that have contributed to this popularization, but there are a few who are the face of Malaysian Dota.
Mushi
Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung is easily the first name that comes to mind when talking about Malaysian Dota. Already a living legend, his successes have made him a role model for every aspiring pro gamer in the country.
Mushi is an old school player from the days of DotA. He became a pro player in 2009 and established himself as one of the best. A fatigue-related issue in 2011 caused him to retire briefly, but with the development of Dota 2, Mushi returned and became one of the top players in the world.
Mushi has stated on a couple of occasions that his dream is to win The International with Malaysian teammates. His career highlight was at The International 3 when he and the Malaysian team Orange.Esports finished in 3rd place. He came close to repeating his greatest achievement when his current team Fnatic secured 4th in The International 2016. This made him the highest earning Malaysian Dota 2 player of all time, just ahead of ChauN.
YamateH
Ng “YamateH” Wei Poong is another living legend in Malaysia who gained fame in the early days of the first edition of DotA. He had the reputation of being one of the best carries in the world and a master of the Shadow Fiend. His DotA 1 peak was when he was part of KingSurf – one of the strongest DotA teams out there between 2007 and 2010.
While his glory days in DotA: Allstars were hard to repeat, YamateH was a top Malaysian player in the first few years of Dota 2 and is most certainly one of the people that raised the popularity of Dota in Malaysia from the start.
WinteR
Chan “WinteR” Litt Binn is one of the most famous Dota 2 analysts. Having a pro gaming background, WinteR, alongside Mushi, was part of Orange.Esports’ run at The International 2. The 7-8th place that the team achieved could be listed as his highest international achievement. Although he is still on the roster of Mineski-X, WinteR’s focus now is towards casting and he has been an invaluable part of the majority of the most significant Dota 2 events in that role.
Having a background in chess, WinteR’s remarkable strategical insights have made him a favourite not only in Malaysia, but in general for the Dota 2 community, and his presence on the analytical panel is highly sought at every major Dota 2 event.
ChuaN
In terms of achievements, Wong “ChuaN” Hock Chuan is one of the most decorated Malaysian players and the only one who has won The International (in 2012 with the Chinese team iG).
A former basketball player, ChuaN came to Dota after he suffered an injury. Improving quickly in DotA: Allstars, Dota 2 was where his career took off after joining iG. Here he distinguished himself by winning the most coveted Dota 2 prize – The International.
Most of his success was achieved in the Chinese scene, but this does not make him any less popular in his home country. It would also not be an overstatement to say he is a fan favourite worldwide. In a support role, his flashy playstyle has brought him a huge following from all corners of the globe.
Dota 2 is more than just a video game in Malaysia; it brings people together and gives an opportunity for the younger generation to express themselves. Youngsters draw inspiration to pursue their pro gaming careers from the likes of Mushi.
Becoming a pro gamer is a risky undertaking that requires a lot of dedication and sacrifice, and even then it might not pay off. Despite this, having successful role models has encouraged many players in the region to follow their dreams and has also allowed the scene to grow and develop in Malaysia.
