5 things that made Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports popular

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) has become a titan in the mobile esports scene, engaging millions of players worldwide. With its strategic fast-paced action depth and accessibility, this title has become popular among casual as well as hardcore competitive esports players. This 5v5 classic MOBA offers 10-minute-long matches and matchmaking that takes 10 seconds.

We explore five key elements that have contributed to the massive success of MLBB as a mobile esports game.

Note: This article is subjective and solely based on the author's opinion.

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5 reasons Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has become a successful esports title

1) Deep accessible gameplay

One of the primary goals of Mobile Legends was to bring the traditional PC MOBA experience to mobile platforms without compromising on the essence of the complex framework. Moonton not only accomplished this but also created a game that can be picked up by new players while maintaining a high skill ceiling for competitive players.

Moonton announced Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 2.0 during its Epicon 2019 conference (Image via Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.)

The core gameplay loop of MLBB involves 5v5 team-based battles where players control various heroes with unique diverse abilities. Each match takes 10 seconds to find and 10 minutes to finish, making it a fast-paced MOBA experience ideal for mobile platforms. The intuitive controls make it easy for players to learn the basics quickly, but the use of diverse abilities using the same easy controls makes the game hard to master. This is a perfect formula for a game with high lifetime value.

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2) Consistent updates and balanced hero diversity

To keep the game fresh and maintain player engagement, MLBB focuses on introducing new content that includes cosmetic items, balance adjustments, and seasonal events. Moonton's effort to regularly balance the diverse roster of over 120 heroes to adapt to meta has been a major reason behind its esports success.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang initially had only 10 heroes (Image via Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.)

The studio's decision to invest heavily in anti-cheat technologies and fair-play systems has maintained the integrity of competitive matches. This effort has earned positive feedback and the community's trust. Moonton also features bi-weekly events and esports news to keep the players in touch with the game's professional side.

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3) Strong community and esports infrastructure

Moonton has fostered a strong community by promoting local tournaments and engaging directly with players and content creators. These tournaments and university leagues provide amateur players with platforms to compete and improve their skills. Additionally, the studio has successfully collaborated with content creators to reach a diverse demographic.

The first official esports competition was the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup in 2017 ((Image via Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.) )

MLBB has also fostered a robust competitive esports scene by heavily investing in tournaments of all leagues every year. It has seasonal tournaments, regional leagues, pro leagues, and world championships, all with substantial prize pools.

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4) Optimized mobile experience

The gameplay duration of 10 minutes with console-like stylized visuals makes it an ideal experience for the mobile platform. It was designed to deliver this experience without requiring high-end hardware. The control scheme is tailored for touchscreens, offering intuitive controls for the classic fast-paced MOBA experience.

Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Myanmar were invited to the first Professional League. (Image via Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.)

The developers successfully created a highly optimized esports mobile title that has fast loading times, responsive controls, and smooth feedback animations even on a diverse range of devices.

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5) Strategic Partnerships and Marketing

Moonton's marketing strategy includes aggressive promotion to increase MLBB's visibility and appeal. It also focuses on strategic partnerships to bring unique, exclusive content, such as limited edition skins and themed events. The studio's decision to invest in high production by partnering with the broadcast team to produce high-quality live streams and in-person events has aided the growth of esports viewership.

McDonald's Malaysia in 2022 gave 200 lucky weekly winners exclusive MLBB Skins with free six chicken nuggets (Image via Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., Ltd.)

Such collaborations with leading esports organizations and media companies give MLBB extensive coverage through various streaming platforms, attracting non-endemic brands to sponsor events and adding financial stability to the competitive scene.

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