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| (Image Source: detiklnet/MOONTON Games) |
The popularity of mobile eSports has been exponential in Southeast Asia in the past years, constantly breaking viewership records, especially for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournaments around the world. With this, international gaming developer and publisher MOONTON Games has developed an emerging eSports ecosystem that has produced a plethora of opportunities outside broadcast for brands and businesses to explore. MOONTON Games spearheaded the inaugural M Summit last January 13, 2023 to guide the eSports and gaming stakeholders in discovering vast areas of opportunities in the industry.
Hosted by MOONTON Games Indonesia Head of Business Development eSports Manurung Martinus Haposan, the M Summit has set the stage for top speakers and experts to discuss trends in Indonesia’s mobile eSports ecosystem, new commercial opportunities in the eSports economy, and keys to holding a successful tournament and building a professional esports team. “With Southeast Asia being a mobile gaming region, we hope that the M Summit connects innovative minds that will further drive mobile eSports and gaming to a sustainable future and greater heights,” said MOONTON Games Managing Director of Global eSports Lucas Mao. MOONTON Games Regional eSports Lead Sophie Guo, eSports Ecosystem Head Ray Ng, and Regional Esports Sales Head Adrian Cher opened the event with a keynote address that revealed a roadmap for MLBB eSports scene in 2023 detailing a rundown of upcoming major tournaments to be held throughout the year.
Following the recently concluded M4 World Championship, the MLBB eSports scene in 2023 will kick off on February with the staging of the MLBB Women's Invitational tournament for female MLBB gamers from across the globe. From February to April, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional Leagues (MPL) will be held consecutively from Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and the Middle East. Other major professional tournaments hosted by MOONTON Games including the Turkey National Championships, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Super League in Latin America and the North America Challenger Tournament will also be hosted during the same timeframe. Subsequently, the SEA Games 2023 and MLBB Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2023 will be hosted between May to June. During the latter half of 2023, the World Cyber Games (WCG) and Snapdragon Pro Series MLBB will be held in July followed by the MPL and National Leagues running between August to October as qualifiers for the M5 World Championship. Prior to the international tournament commencing in December and taking place in the Philippines, the ONE eSports MPL Invitational 2023 will be hosted in November. Ng stated, “Our tournament roadmap for 2023 is our most comprehensive yet and we hope to introduce more third-party and nationally sanctioned tournaments this year. This is an exciting start for us in a jam-packed 2023, and we are open to working with grassroots-level organizers, to professional developers to provide equal opportunities for passionate eSports professionals, fans, and players.”
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| 2023 Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) eSports Roadmap (Image Source: AFK Gaming/MOONTON Games) |
Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) CEO Andrian “AP” Pauline, Mineski Global eSports Director Agustian Hwang, GroupM Indonesia Partner Supplies Lead Francisco Tinangon, and Deputy Chairman for Digital Economy and Creative Products at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Muhammad Neil El Himam led the first panel discussion on the upcoming trends and opportunities in Indonesia’s budding mobile eSports ecosystem moderated by ByteDance Public Policy & Government Relations Lead Faris Mufid which analyzed the key pillars of the ecosystem and how stakeholders from different industries can navigate through the fast-growing environment of eSports in the country. The second panel discussion on new opportunities in the mobile eSports industry moderated by UniPin SEA Senior VP Community & eSports and Luna Nera Female Gaming Community Founder Debora Imanuella delved into the emergence of a new wave of creatives supporting the overall growth of the mobile eSports ecosystem with Mana Partners Co-founder Jamie Lewin, Vidio (EMTEK Group) Head of eSports Willy Tjahyadi, and GWI Senior Manager for Corp. (APAC) Handi E. Yusajap comprising the said panel.
Moderated by Ray Ng, RSG CEO and Co-founder Jayf Soh, ONE eSports Head of Social Trent Davis, KINCIR CEO Rangga Danu Prasateyo, and PBESI Deputy Treasurer Diana Sutrisno discussed the expansion of the MLBB eSports ecosystem and various opportunities of collaborations between MOONTON Games and partners in hosting and holding MLBB eSports events. The final panel discussion of the summit look into the successful case studies about organizing third-party MLBB tournament, creating content around MLBB, and building a professional team.
