Skem interview at BLAST Slam VI: “I think that whole mentality of the ‘old’ OG really fits this roster”

With BLAST Slam VI playoffs around the corner, we had a chat with OG's Skem, to find out how the team has adapted in the new year.

OG has come into the 2026 Dota 2 season refreshed and looking to dominate. After 3 fifth/sixth place finishes to close out 2025, the team entered BLAST Slam VI and instantly were on everyone’s radar. Having made some fantastic progress towards the end of last year, came out swinging again, pummelling their challengers. A top 2 placement in the Group Stage meant that the team skipped straight into the semi-finals, guaranteeing themselves a top 4 finish in the tournament.

As we get ready for the BLAST Slam VI playoffs to kick off, we caught up with OG’s captain and hard support, Rolen Andrei “Skem” Gabriel Ong to find out how the team are dealing with their newfound success.

SEA teams have often struggled to convert strong regional play into deep LAN runs. What is this lineup doing differently that’s allowing you to break that pattern?

Personally, I think we enjoy playing together, and in our scrims, we are never bored. For us, it’s always exciting to practice.

OG historically built its identity around trust and long-term chemistry. How much of that philosophy is being carried into this version of OG??

I think that whole mentality of the “old” OG really fits this roster because we are actually really good friends in personal life. We get along very well outside and inside the game.

OG’s move to SEA surprised many people at first. When the opportunity was first presented to your roster, what was the reaction, and how quickly did the team feel this was the right fit?

We had some other offers too at that time, and I would say our reaction to all of it was just normal. We just had to decide which way we wanted to go, and that took a bit of time before we signed with OG.

You've played at BLAST before. Top 8 at Slam 4, top 6 at Slam V. Now you are here at Slam VI, and you are in the semifinals. What's different about this OG compared to the one that played at the previous editions last year?

A lot has changed because we are improving as a team so fast. I think also on an individual level, we made significant improvements. Also, the goal is to keep improving until EWC in Riyadh and The International 2026.

We haven’t seen OG picking or banning Largo so far. What are your feelings towards this hero?

To begin with, I don’t think the hero is OP, so there’s that. I also don’t think Largo should be picked early in the draft. However, we are playing it if we have the chance or if it makes sense to draft it. It just happened that so far, we had no chance to pick it, but let’s see how the BLAST playoffs games go and if we get to pick it or not.

You'll be playing either versus Falcons or Team Liquid for a spot in the Grand Finals on Saturday. Do you prefer one team over the other?

We don’t really prefer any teams. We will be ready to play against whoever wins in the quarterfinals.

What would be key to winning the whole thing in Malta?

Our key to winning is to just trust our strategy and try to not choke on the stage.

You are 25 years old, and you've been playing competitively since 2016. You've played for over 15 teams across three continents. You are now walking into the BLAST Slam main event, knowing that there's an entire Filipino new generation watching you. What do you have to say to them to keep the grind going and maybe become the next Filipino stars?

I really hope they get inspired by watching us. I hope they will be inspired by us because we don't really have rising stars in the Philippines, and we really need new players or a new generation of players to become good and compete and represent our country at the highest level possible.

Read more: Get rdy: Competitive guide for February 13-19th

OG will be in action on the main stage of BLAST Slam VI on Saturday, February 14th at 14:00 CET. Playing against either Team Falcons or Team Liquid, the SEA squad has a chance to secure a top 2 finish and reach the grand finals if they can survive. However, even a loss will see OG improving on their recent form, which could speak volumes for their EWC and TI 2026 challenge.

We have a few more interviews from BLAST Slam VI coming over the weekend, so stay tuned to rdy.gg for more from the remaining 6 teams fighting for the win.