MANILA (2ND UPDATE) - MOONTON Games on Thursday apologized as the "Greatest Player" nomination of a Myanmar Mobile Legends: Bang Bang player sowed confusion and discord among the esports scene's community.

They include Filipino fans who questioned the absence of dynamic duo Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna and Danerie James "Wise" Del Rosario from the list.

Moonton shared Myanmar player ACE's statement, adding that "many misunderstandings" surfaced after a "lack of investigation and negligence in operations" on their part.

ACE withdrew his nomination as a result of the controversy.

"Many misunderstandings have arisen due to the lack of investigation and negligence in operations, which has inconvenienced the fans and players, and we would like to apologize for this," Moonton Games said.

They added: "We seek your understanding of ACE's withdrawal. Please continue to support the other nominees based on their merit, contributions, and positive societal influence."

MOONTON, however, did not comment on V33wise's exclusion from the list. V33wise's teammates Hadji and Edward, along with fellow Pinoy players Yawi, BennyQT, Ribo, Pheww, Kairi, and KarlTzy are on the nominee list.

ACE is one of two of Myanmar's nominees, as part of Burmese Ghouls, the only Myanmar squad that reached the world championship finals held in Singapore. Burmese Ghouls at the time succumbed to Bren Esports in a best-of-seven series.

MOONTON Games drew flak after snubbing V33wise, who had five MPL Philippines Grand Finals appearances and two world championship appearances throughout their career. The duo recently signed an agreement with a known betting platform, which is allegedly against MOONTON's regulations

Posts on social media about ACE's recent ties with a betting site in Myanmar fanned the flames further, with fans questioning the veracity of the MLBB developers' criteria for the list.

In their podcast that aired Sunday, V33wise said they were aware of the repercussions of the partnership deal before signing it, but stressed that they were shocked by Moonton's decision to "elbow" them and the events that led thereafter.

"At the end of the day wala ka namang choice atsaka mindset kasi, season 4 nagsimula kami ng ML, okay lang kami sa lahat ng hirap na pinagdaanan namin na pinursue namin lahat ng tournament parang gusto lang namin ma-recognize," Wise said in the three-hour podcast.

In a statement posted on Thursday, OhMyV33nus apologized for the misunderstandings that surfaced, following the decision. The duo also endured flak from Ace's fans after the Myanmar player's decision to drop out from the list.

"We just need[ed] an answer from Moonton that will clarify everyone’s doubts about their credibility. We apologize for any misunderstanding from our point of view, as we just want to let our voices be heard," OhMyV33nus said.

While it recognized that there was a "lack of communication and recognition towards some of the players," Blacklist also urged its fans to "celebrate" the team's achievements "instead of spreading hate."

"Though they are unable to participate in this official list at this time, we want to recognize them and call on fans to unite in celebrating them, instead of spreading hate," the team said.

It added: "This is a call, not to any specific team's or country's fandom but to the entire Mobile Legends community to not be swayed by narratives that set out to divide us. Let us all choose to come together and celebrate the high octane gameplay we enjoy, the greatness of players who have given us unforgettable moments, and ultimately—Mobile Legends."