New Era Dawns as Skylar, CW Depart Ahead of MPL ID Season 16

In a surprising move, two Indonesian MPL giants, RRQ and Onic ID, have announced the departure of star players David “Skylar” Schevenko and Calvin “CW” Winata just before the upcoming MPL ID Season 16.

Both players confirmed their exits this month via their respective social media accounts. However, it remains unclear whether they are retiring from competitive Mobile Legends: Bang Bang entirely or plan to join other teams.

The news has deeply disappointed many fans, as both players were iconic figures for their teams. Fans also expressed doubts that their replacements could match the performance level of these veterans.

These concerns are understandable: Skylar and CW consistently proved themselves as top-tier players, leading their teams through major tournaments. They even served as role models for aspiring young local players aiming to reach the MPL or MDL level.

Skylar, who played as the gold laner since 2020, spent his first year with RRQ’s academy team before being promoted to the main RRQ Hoshi roster in March 2021. Over roughly four years, he achieved one MPL ID championship (Season 9), led RRQ to become runner-up at MSC 2022, and helped them secured third place finish at the M4 World 2023 in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, CW, also a gold laner, has been a core part of Onic since 2020, earning praise for his highly effective playstyle. The former Arena of Valor pro was instrumental in Onic’s legendary squad that achieved a legendary quadruple MPL ID run (Seasons 10-13) and seized the MSC 2023 trophy, defeating powerhouse rivals Echo PH (now Team Liquid PH) and Blacklist International.

Regeneration is the priority

The departure of iconic players like Skylar and CW highlights a clear shift: major Indonesian esports organizations are now prioritizing squad regeneration, focusing on developing talent from their academy systems.

RRQ appears confident in promoting academy player Muhammad “Toyy” Rizky, who showed promising performance during his MPL ID Season 15 debut. Team management is optimistic Toyy will show improvement this season, especially after gaining experience at his first international competition in Saudi Arabia recently.

Similarly, Onic management expressed optimism about replacing CW with wonderkid Clayton “Savero” Adrielo, who joined ahead of Season 15. The Season 15 Finals MVP impressed Yellow Porcupine fans with his strong performances and has promised to refine his strategies for Season 16.

This regeneration process is gradually being adopted by other MPL ID teams competing with RRQ and Onic. It’s hoped this will raise the overall standard of the domestic league to better rival the famously competitive MPL Philippines, which boasts superior academy talents.