SCII: Blacklist International enters StarCraft 2

Philippine-based esports organization Blacklist International has formally announced its entry to the StarCraft 2 esports scene.

In an announcement posted on its social media, Blacklist International announced the hiring of South Korean player Jang “Creator” Hyun-woo as its first-ever foreign SC2 player.

Creator, a South Korean StarCraft player, began his career at 14 with his first appearance in Code A during GSL May 2011. Despite early eliminations, he showed promise by defeating notable opponents like Leenock and participating in various tournaments such as the GSTL, where he played a crucial role in Prime’s victories. In 2012, Creator’s performance improved significantly, securing his spot in Code S and achieving notable wins in the 2012 South Korea WCS Preliminaries and the World Championship Series: South Korea Nationals. He further solidified his reputation by winning the TeamLiquid StarLeague 4 and performing well in the Battle.net World Championship.

In 2013, Creator continued his career with mixed results in the new Heart of the Swarm expansion. He participated in MLG Winter, WCS Korea, and various GSL seasons, facing tough competition but often falling short of advancing to the later stages. Despite these challenges, Creator remained a notable player in the StarCraft scene. In July 2015, he left Prime after a five-year tenure and joined Jin Air Green Wings in November 2015 for the Legacy of the Void expansion, marking a new chapter in his professional career.

They have also hired an up-and-coming Filipino Protoss player, Raell “StarDash” Venzon, into their lineup.

This is the first foray of Blacklist International into the StarCraft 2 competitive scene.

Blacklist International has been the home of mostly MOBA games, such as their M3 World Champion squad for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and their recently-refreshed Dota 2 squad, Blacklist Rivalry.

Blacklist International is one of 30 teams selected for the Esports World Cup Club Support Program, which gives teams a one-time six-figure stipend if an organization is willing to enter new esports as well as additional funding each year if they drive viewership and fan engagement to the Esports World Cup. They are also the only Philippines-based organization that got access to the said club support program.

“The Club Support Program is critical to the EWC Foundation’s vision of building a stronger esports ecosystem and elevating esports as global sports,” Esports World Cup foundation CEO Ralf Reichert earlier said.

There is no timeline yet for the Blacklist International StarCraft 2 debut in the game’s pro scene.