SINGAPORE, 22 October – The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) has made history by becoming the first esports event series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time globally, according to new data by Esports Charts. This landmark achievement reflects the series' continued growth and solidifies the MPL as one of the world's most-watched esports competitions. Launched in 2017, the MPL has grown from its initial tournaments in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore to reach new audiences in Myanmar, Cambodia, Latin America, the Middle East & North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.
In addition to the MPL, MLBB's biggest global tournament series, the M5 World Championship, saw its Grand Finals peak at more than 5 million concurrent viewers – the highest peak ever for a MLBB match. This eclipsed the event's previous high – reached at last edition's M4 World Championship – by almost 800,000 viewers. Earlier this year, MOONTON also hosted its first international MLBB tournament outside of Asia in collaboration with the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
A Milestone Era for Esports Built on Consistency, Community, and Collaboration
Over the years, the MPL has cultivated strong support in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia emerging as major viewership hubs. MPL Indonesia Season 12 set a record for the first mobile esports event globally to surpass 100 million hours of watch time, and the ongoing Season 14 has already surpassed the previous with over 2.4 million peak concurrent viewers so far. The recently concluded MPL Philippines Season 14 achieved a new record of over 1.6 million peak concurrent viewers, surpassing the previous record of 1.4 million from Season 7 in 2021. In Malaysia, the ongoing MPL Malaysia Season 14 broke a viewership record for its most-watched Regular Season match, peaking at over 260,000 concurrent viewers.
The consistent growth of the MPL has also drawn increasing interest from global brand partners, with the league providing powerful touchpoints for brand engagement with audiences that are difficult to reach with traditional media channels. From partnering teams and sponsoring tournaments, to creating engaging activations and unique experiences, brands including Samsung, Smart, Hotlink, McDonalds, Qiddiya, Infinix, GoPay, Telkomsel, ROG, Head & Shoulders, among many others, are leveraging MLBB esports to increase their visibility and establish deeper connection with new audiences. The league's regional success has also attracted partnerships from top-tier global esports organizations this year, including the likes of Team Liquid, Fnatic, and Team Falcons, eager to engage with Southeast Asia's passionate fanbase.
These achievements are made possible through consistent focus on high-quality productions and events, alongside close collaboration with important industry stakeholders, such as national youth ministries, institutions of learning and regional sporting initiatives like the SEA Games, as well as global organizations like the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC). This collaborative approach fosters a vibrant ecosystem where esports stakeholders can thrive, contributing to the long-term growth and sustainability for the industry.
As the MPL continues its steady growth and expansion into new regions, the league remains at the forefront of mobile esports entertainment, setting new standards for viewership and fan engagement. The 6th edition of the M Series, M6, will take place from 21 November to 15 December 2024, featuring the highest stakes ever with an increased prize pool and new tournament format. Fans can expect unforgettable moments and fierce rivalries as the M6 Series raises the bar for mobile esports excellence.
