RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, 14 July – Selangor Red Giants (SRG) completed their Cinderella story at the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Mid Season Cup (MSC) 2024 today (14 July). The tournament dark horses defeated world champions, Falcons AP.Bren (FCAP), 4:3 in an intense best-of-seven (BO7) series, in front of a full-house Amazon Arena, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jungler, Muhammad Haqqullah "Sekys" Ahmad Shahrul Zaman, was awarded the Grand Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP). The newly crowned champions will take home USD 1 million, while FCAP will receive USD 500,000.
SRG's title win marks the first time a Malaysian team has secured the top honours at a major MLBB esports tournament, with no team from Malaysia having even made it to a Grand Finals previously. SRG's victory in the summit clash also continues their 106-day unbeaten streak in competitive MLBB esports.
This year's MSC becomes the biggest mid-season MLBB esports tournament as it ventures outside Southeast Asia for the first time and features international teams from North America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Turkey, Latin America, and China. It was the first title to be announced for the inaugural Esports World Cup.
SRG is comprised of key players, Muhammad Haqqullah "Sekys" Ahmad Shahrul Zaman, Mark "Kramm" Rusiana, Muhammad "Zakqt" Noor, Hazziq "Stormie" Rizwan, John "Innocent" Banal, Muhammad "Yums" Suhairi, Ilman "Gojes" Zulkifli, as well as Head Coach Michael "Arcadia" Bocado and Assistant Coach Poon "OzoraVeki" Kok Sing.
SRG Head Coach, Michael "Arcadia" Bocado, said in the post-match press conference: "We made sure to stay composed. The best-of-seven series tested our mental fortitude, so we had to ensure we were in the zone and focused laser-sharp to execute our plans game by game seamlessly."
FCAP (formerly AP.Bren) is the current World Champion and the only team with two M-Series championship titles to their name. The team from the Philippines is composed of key players, David Charles "FlapTzy" Canon, Vincent Joseph "Pando" Unigo, Michael Angelo "KyleTzy" Sayson, Angelo Kyle "Pheww" Arcangel, Marco Stephen "Super Marco" Requitiano, and Rowgien Stimpson "Owgwen" Unigo. The team is led by Head Coach Francis "Ducky" Glindro and Technical Coach Robert Alexis "Trebor" Sanchez. An MSC championship remains the only missing title from their list of major MLBB honours.
The summit clash had 2,382,990 peak concurrent viewers (PCV), the most-watched esports event at the Esports World Cup, according to Esports Charts.
Photo credits: Esports Charts
Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: "The MSC 2024 marked a significant milestone in the development of MLBB esports. The championship achieved excellent viewership momentum early on, which only slowed after the unexpected elimination of all Indonesian teams before the Knockouts. Without this setback, the results would have been even more impressive. This year’s event transcended its Southeast Asian roots, reaching new audiences worldwide and growing to the level of premier esports events with a $3 million prize pool. The MSC 2024 has undoubtedly elevated the status of MLBB in the global esports arena."
Ray Ng, Head of Esports Ecosystem at MOONTON Games, said: "We're elated to have achieved this milestone at the Esports World Cup. The EWC x MLBB MSC 2024 is the first time we've held the MSC outside of Southeast Asia, so we're elated to have achieved our goal of providing a platform for our teams and audiences to #SeeTheWorld. This truly reflects the status of MLBB Esports as a global brand. A massive thank you to all of the fans who completely filled our arena."
MLBB esports continues with the upcoming MLBB Women's Invitational from 24 to 27 July. Witness the grit and glory of female MLBB teams as they prove to the world their gaming prowess on the biggest international stage for women. The full tournament schedule and roster will be announced on 16 July.
Where it all began: M6 World Championship venue announced!
MOONTON Games today officially announced Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, as the venue of the M6 World Championship Semi Finals and Grand Finals. This represents a homecoming for MLBB's flagship international tournament after 5 years, with the arena hosting the first-ever M Series in 2019. This year, the most prestigious global MLBB tournament will commence from November 2024.
YB Adam Adli, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia, said: "M-Series is back in Malaysia and we are as excited as you are to witness this incredible event. We welcome you, selamat datang ke!"
