By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
After a remarkable runner-up finish in MPL Philippines Season 14, Ben “Benthings” Maglaque and Aurora have officially parted ways.
The announcement was made on Thursday evening through the team’s official social media accounts.
“May your lights keep shining bright, Benthings!” the team expressed in a heartfelt post.
“Today, the team bids farewell to one of the brightest brains to seize the Land of Dawn. Benthings played a key role in Aurora MLBB’s introduction to the professional gaming scene in the Philippines. He was a strategist, a hotshot, and a mood booster for everyone. Whether it was in-game or backend support, Ben always showed up to make things happen,” the post continued.
Although Benthings did not take to the stage during MPL Season 14, he was a silent force behind Aurora’s impressive campaign.
Serving as the squad’s sixth man, he worked tirelessly behind the scenes, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Aurora finished 4th in the Regular Season standings with an 8-4 record, thanks in part to his efforts.
In the playoffs, Aurora dethroned Team Liquid Philippines in a hard-fought 3-2 first-round victory. However, they fell in the lower bracket semifinals to the reigning World Champions, Fnatic ONIC Philippines (now ONIC Philippines), in a 3-0 sweep.
Despite the setback, the team’s resilience never wavered. With Benthings’ unwavering support, Aurora secured the Philippines’ last slot for the M6 World Championships by defeating Falcons AP.Bren in the lower bracket finals, 4-2.
In a dramatic rematch against ONIC Philippines in the grand finals, Aurora pushed the reigning MPL champions to the brink in a thrilling seven-game series but ultimately fell short, 3-4.
At the M6 World Championships, however, Aurora’s campaign came to an early end, finishing in 12th-14th place after a 0-2 loss to Team Liquid Indonesia in the fourth round of the Swiss stage.
Earlier in the season, Aurora had also debuted in the 1xBet Supernova tournament, where they achieved a respectable 5th-6th place finish.
“Benthings, the light you’ve shone upon the team is much appreciated, and every moment we’ve shared is truly cherished. We wish you the best in all your future endeavors. GGWP!” Aurora concluded in their farewell post.
