Joe Jiang, Head of MLBB Global Publishing at MOONTON Games, and Malaysian mural artist Cloakwork at the Merdeka workshop at The Exchange TRX

MOONTON Games announced that Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) has surpassed 90 million cumulative downloads in Malaysia. Nearly one in five Malaysians plays MLBB each month, an audience equivalent to close to 90% of the population of Selangor, the country's most populous state.

The figures were announced at a special Merdeka workshop, where Joe Jiang, Head of MLBB Global Publishing at MOONTON Games, officially announced that MLBB's global 10th anniversary campaign will kick off on 4 September. Marking the milestone in Malaysia puts one of MLBB's priority markets in focus while spotlighting a local success story behind its decade of global growth.

The workshop featured Malaysian mural artist Cloakwork. During the session, participants reimagined Badang—the MLBB hero inspired by the legendary warrior of Malay folklore—using Procreate on iPad and Apple Pencil Pro.

Cloakwork guiding participants as they reimagine Badang during the workshop

Bringing together gaming, technology, contemporary Malaysian art and local heritage, the workshop showed how MLBB continues to find new forms of expression beyond gameplay and new ways for Malaysians to engage with stories rooted in their culture.

Cloakwork, said: "Culture doesn't stand still. Every generation finds new ways to make it their own. MLBB has introduced Badang to people in a completely different form, and today we got to reinterpret him again through art. I think that is what keeps familiar stories alive. They can take on new forms while still staying connected to where they came from."

A truly Malaysian success story

Over the past decade, MLBB has grown with Malaysia, becoming woven into the fabric of Malaysian culture, from entertainment and education to lifestyle and local traditions.

That connection takes many forms. Homegrown animated hero Ejen Ali made his MLBB debut at the M7 World Championship in Indonesia, the game's flagship international esports tournament; the annual Golden Month campaigns celebrate the spirit of Ramadan and Raya in-game and beyond, including sponsoring Malaysians on their Umrah journeys; the Guru Juara MOONTON Masterclass equips Malaysian educators with tools to guide students through structured and responsible gaming experiences.

MLBB is also deeply rooted in Malaysia's esports ecosystem. MLBB Professional League (MPL) Malaysia is the country's largest and longest-running professional esports league. Its long-term partners span everyday Malaysian life, from CelcomDigi in telecommunications and Yamaha in automotive to Grab in everyday services. Malaysia has also hosted major MLBB tournaments, including the M6 World Championship (M6), bringing the global esports community to Malaysian shores and supporting the country's ambition to become a leading esports hub by 2030.

Together, they tell a success story built in Malaysia, shaped by a decade of growing with Malaysian culture and communities.

Joe Jiang, Head of MLBB Global Publishing at MOONTON Games, said: "There is no single playbook for building a global game. Every market has its own culture, communities and stories. Our approach has always been to understand what matters locally and grow from there. Malaysia shows what that approach can achieve when those roots deepen over time. As we celebrate MLBB's 10th anniversary this September, the milestone is both a celebration of how far we have come with our communities and a starting point for how much further we can grow together."

MLBB's local-first approach is reinforced by global cultural collaborations that connect players across markets. These include NARUTO, one of the world's most recognised anime franchises and a household name in Malaysia. This balance of local relevance and shared global experiences connects communities to the wider MLBB ecosystem.

As MLBB enters its second decade, deep localisation remains central to MOONTON Games' globalisation strategy. The five-region structure unveiled earlier this year connects MLBB's global ecosystem while empowering each region to invest according to its local needs, from infrastructure to talent development. Success in established markets like Malaysia sets a benchmark for MLBB's growth in emerging regions, showing how strong local roots can power lasting global growth.