What Comes Next for Smart Omega?

There’s a stillness after heartbreak that few are ever prepared for.

When news broke that Ch4knu—one of Smart Omega’s most beloved figures—was released, the MPL community reacted with disbelief. A loyal son of the Barangay, Ch4knu had been part of Omega’s heartbeat. But for Patrick Cruz, the chief operating officer of Smart Omega, the decision wasn’t a sudden rupture. It was the result of quiet conversations, difficult reflections, and a sobering truth: it was time to rebuild.

“Actually, siya rin ang nagsabi na gusto niya mag-explore,” said Patrick.

Omega didn’t slam the door. It left it ajar. “As a Filipino-based sport, we don’t hostage players,” he adds. “’Yun ang lagi kong sinasabi with the league.”

But Ch4knu’s departure hit differently. After other Omega players had quietly announced their exits, his release felt like a definitive closing chapter. One by one, the roster had gone LFT—looking for team—leaving fans to wonder if the Barangay was crumbling from within. But when Ch4knu, the heart and humor of Omega, was no longer part of the fold, the question turned existential.

“Will there still be a Smart Omega in Season 16?” we asked.

It was a valid question—recently, Smart Omega sold its world champion female team, the Smart Omega Empress, to NAVI, and now, nearly all its players in MPL are LFT.

Patrick is firm: “Of course! There will be Smart Omega in Season 16.”

The answer is not a return. It is a reimagining.

Turning the Page on the Barangay’s Past

Patrick Cruz doesn’t indulge in drama. He speaks with the precision of someone balancing a dozen moving parts—players in negotiations, deals half-sealed, futures uncertain.

“May iba pang hindi pa naka-release, may iba namang ongoing negotiations,” he says carefully. “We’re trying to rebuild a new Barangay.”

And that word—Barangay—is telling.

Omega was never just a team. It was a community. A pride. A Barangay in the truest sense, complete with fervent fans, rowdy meme culture, and iconic personalities who animated its boot camp such as Raizen, Kelra, and of course, Ch4knu.

But seasons of heartbreak, roster instability, and performance inconsistencies chipped away at the dynasty. The Barangay needed more than healing—it needed reinvention.

No Rush, Just Reckoning

“We’re still in talks with everyone,” Patrick reveals. “Marami kaming kinakausap.”

This isn’t a panic buy. There’s no rush to assemble a superteam. What Patrick envisions is more measured: a slow, thoughtful regrouping. He’s not just collecting players—he’s constructing identity.

One that might just include a few prodigal sons.

“Some people are trying to message us, saying they want to come back to the Philippines,” he shares. “Kasi parang sinasabi nila, okay sa ibang bansa, pero dito pa rin yung mga magagaling.”

It’s a fascinating shift in narrative. Once, Filipino players looked abroad for validation and higher pay. Now, a quiet patriotism is pulling some of them home—not just for competition, but for legacy.

The Face of Season 16

What does this new face of Omega look like? Patrick won’t say—not yet. “Napaka-aga pa,” he cautions. “Wala pa [kaming finalized].”

But he says enough. Enough to suggest that this isn’t a retreat. It’s a reset.

Smart Omega, once the scrappy disruptors who wore their underdog badge like armor, now stare into a future that’s undefined, uncharted, and maybe, finally, unsentimental. They’ve shed the names and nostalgia. What comes next is pure intention.

So yes—Omega will be back for Season 16.

But if you’re expecting the same Barangay, look again.

This is not about what they’re losing.

It’s about what they’re becoming.