ONIC credits mental strength for victory over Vitality

ONIC, one of Indonesia’s most dominant Mobile Legends: Bang Bang rosters, walked away from their latest match against BTR Vitality with more than just a win. They walked away with proof that the work they’ve been doing between their ears matters just as much as the work they do on screen.

After beating BTR Vitality in MPL Indonesia league play, ONIC pointed to mental strength as the defining factor. In a scene where mechanical skill gaps between top teams have narrowed to nearly nothing, that kind of attribution tells you something about where competitive MLBB is headed.

The mental game in Mobile Legends

The team said they were “much stronger mentally” after the victory, a statement that implies prior struggles in that department. And given the history between these two rosters, that tracks.

ONIC and BTR Vitality have faced each other across MPL Indonesia Seasons 16 and 17, producing the kind of rivalry where momentum swings wildly and composure under pressure becomes the separator. ONIC holds a strong overall record in those matchups, but strong records don’t erase the anxiety of playing against a team backed by one of Europe’s most storied esports organizations.

BTR Vitality’s evolution

To understand why this matchup carries extra weight, you need to understand what BTR Vitality represents. The roster was formerly Bigetron Esports, a well-known Indonesian MLBB squad with its own legacy and fanbase. In 2025, French esports giant Team Vitality acquired the organization, rebranding it as BTR Vitality.

Team Vitality is no small name in global esports. The organization fields rosters across multiple titles, including CS2 and Valorant, and has racked up achievements like ESL Grand Slams. When they entered the MLBB scene through the Bigetron acquisition, it brought international credibility and resources to an already competitive Indonesian roster.

That kind of backing changes the dynamic of a rivalry. ONIC isn’t just playing against former Bigetron players anymore. They’re playing against a squad with the infrastructure, funding, and organizational experience of a European esports titan.

For ONIC, beating BTR Vitality isn’t just about league standings. It’s a statement that homegrown Indonesian esports organizations can compete with internationally backed rosters on equal footing, and that the mental game is where that competition gets decided.

Why mental preparation is becoming the meta

ONIC’s public acknowledgment of their mental growth suggests the organization has been investing in this area. Whatever the approach, the results showed up on match day.

For MPL Indonesia as a league, this trend is encouraging. Mental health in esports has historically been an afterthought, with burnout and anxiety running rampant among young professional players. When a top team publicly credits mental strength for a win, it normalizes the conversation and gives other organizations permission to prioritize it.

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