MPL Malaysia (MPL MY) releases roadmap, aims to begin a new era in the country’s esports

Moonton Games, in collaboration with Hotlink, announced the complete roadmap for Malaysian esports (MPL MY and other tournaments) with the help of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) and Esports Integrated (ESI). The regional MLBB professional tournament of Nakaysia is among the most celebrated ones in the esports community. Their recently announced MLBB Academy League to strengthen esports in Malaysia at the grassroots has made the community jubilant.

The officials are hopeful of defining a new era in the nation's esports scene with Mobile Legends Bang Bang’s Malaysian esports roadmap for 2024. The award-winning title’s developer and publisher showcased a slew of calendar milestones to mark a great year ahead.

The press release announces major upgrades for MPL MY Seasons 13 and 14 to be implemented upon their return. This article discusses everything revealed about the initial seasons of MAL MY and a whole lot more.

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MPL Malaysia (MPL MY) returns for Season 13 and 14 with some major upgrades

MPL MY Trophy (Image via Moonton Games)

Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Adam Adli, talking about the calendar in his opening speech, said:

“This is a new era, brimming with possibilities. Together, let's embrace the future of esports in Malaysia, making it a thriving platform for competition, community, and national pride."

MPL MY, aka Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia, is the country’s longest-running and most successful esports tournament. In the recent press meet event (MLBB Esports Malaysia 2024: A New Era) in Aurum Theatre on February 5, 2024, the organizers announced Stadium MBSJ Serdang Jaya as the hosts of Malaysia’s top MLBB esports teams for MPL MY Season 13 and 14.

The new stadium is capable of hosting around 1,000 spectators, which is nearly double what Dewan Sri Putra at Bukit Jalil (MPL MY Season 12 venue) could accommodate. This is perhaps the most crucial upgrade, considering the recent spike in the trajectory of live audience members attending the tournaments.

The stakes of MPL MY Season 13 are set high, as the champion of the tournament will secure their spot in the upcoming MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC), featured in the Esports World Cup 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The tournament will have the highest-ever prize pool of US $3,000,000 (~MYR 14,180,000).

The Regular Season of MPL MY Season 13 will see 10 teams compete against each other in a Best-of-Three (BO3) during the league held in a single round-robin format. These teams will be ranked based on the number of points garnered, and the top eight from the Regular Season of Season 13 will secure their slots in Season 14.

In MPL MY Season 14, the Playoffs will happen in Johor as part of MPL Malaysia’s partnership with Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor Sdn Bhd (KPRJ). In the playoffs of the fourteenth season, the Southern Festival will see the teams fighting outside Klang Valley for the first time in the League’s History.

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MAL MY Season 1 and 2 were also announced during the press meet

MAL MY inagural seasons confirmed (Image via Moonton Games)

The Moonton Games and IO Esports collaboration for the inaugural MAL MY Season 1 was recently announced. However, the MLBB Esports Malaysia 2024: A New Era press meet confirmed the second season of the NLBB Academy League Malaysia (MAL MY).

The tournament will operate as the developmental leg of the Malaysian MLBB esports league system by bridging grassroots tournaments with the professional scene. The developmental league also aims to nurture upcoming talents in the Malaysian esports scene.

With the introduction of MAL MY Season 1, MPL MY Season 13 will face a new promotion-relegation system. The Academy League will follow the Professional League tournament format and will be held in three stages. The Open Qualifiers will occur in February, the Regular Season will launch in March, and the Playoffs will be held in May.

The MAL MY will comprise different conferences. The Challenger Conference will host eight teams, while the Affiliated Conference will see teams lock horns against each other. The Regular Season will see all 15 teams of these tournaments compete in Best-of-two (BO2) format matches.

The conference rankings will be based on the number of points they have acquired. The top four teams from each Conference will secure their spots in the MAL MY Playoffs.

Furthermore, the top-placed Challengers Conference team will directly enter the Professional League from MPL MY Season 13. Meanwhile, the second-placed team will fight against the ninth-placed team in MPL MY in a Best-of-Five (BO5) match to enter the MPL MY Regular Season.

The MAL MY will have a prize pool of US $20,000 and will be broadcast live with commentary in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.

Leon Lee, the Chief Operating Officer of IO Esports, said:

“As one of the most prominent esports organisations in Southeast Asia, our ambition is to contribute to the development of future champions from Malaysia who will excel at future MLBB international events. With the M6 World Championship on the horizon, the MAL MY will serve to foster the growth of the esports community in Malaysia by creating a nurturing environment for talent and providing a clear path to professionalism."

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Moonton Games aims to boost MLBB Esports Malaysia landscape with Hotlink

From left: Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, Marketing and Business Development Lead, MOONTON Games; YB Adam Adli, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, KBS; Loh Keh Jiat, Chief Marketing Officer, Maxis; Tai Kam Leong, Chief Sales Marketing Officer, Astro; and Leon Lee, Chief Operating Officer, IO Esports. (Image via Moonton Games)

Hotlink announced the extension of its partnership with Moonton Games in 2024 to boost the growth of the Malaysian MLBB esports scene. The leading integrated telecommunications provider in Malaysia is working closely with the developer to optimize the network and deliver an amazing gaming experience for the MLBB.

The MLBB esports fraternity can look forward to leveraging Hotlink’s 5G network to enhance their gameplay experience. Besides, the company is also launching a series of social impact activities in collaboration with Moonton Games. This includes launching the Hotlink Campus Initiative, where Hotlink will provide the required support to run better esports events at the grassroots and community.

As per Lok Keh Jiat, Chief Marketing Officer of Maxis:

“As a leading youth brand, we can share that the presence of mobile gaming as a whole has emerged as one of our topmost mobile data utilisers, apart from streaming and social media. We also recognise the importance of opening platforms for youths to be able to access the world of esports.”

He adds:

“Hotlink enables that by making our plans super affordable in the spirit of making the internet more accessible and offering the best gaming experience. This encourages more participants and fosters a larger esports community."

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Powered by Moonton Games and presented by Hotlink, the “MLBB Esports Malaysia 2024: A New Era event featured an industry panel session on “Defining a new era of Esports in Malaysia.”

The panel was moderated by Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, Marketing and Business Development Lead of Moonton Games, and also featured YB Adam Adli, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, KBS; Loh Keh Jiat, Chief Marketing Officer, Maxis; Tai Kim Leong, Chief Sales Marketing Officer, Astro; and Leon Lee, Chief Operating Officer, IO Esports.

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