SINGAPORE, 7 March – The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Continental Championships (MCC) returns for Season 3 with a new contender for the crown. MOONTON Games and FISSURE today announced that Season 3 of the MCC will begin on 30 March, with Team Spirit joining in the competition. Living up to their reputation as the largest and most decorated esports organisation in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region, Team Spirit also confirmed that they had signed Deus Vult's roster, who clinched the MCC Season 2 championship title and a record top-four finish at the M5 World Championship.
Team Spirit enters the Season 3 fray
Known as the underdogs of the M5 World Championship, Deus Vult catapulted to international success and won the hearts of many fans with the charismatic "Kid Bomba." Their efforts caught the attention of Team Spirit, who has signed the following line-up:
Stanislav "SAWO" Reshnyak
Anton "HIKO" Pak
Kemiran "Sunset Lover" Kochkarov
Mathaios "Kid Bomba" Chatzilakos
Sergei "Marl" Finashev
Adalyat Mamedov, Esports and Commercial Lead, EECA, MOONTON Games, said: "We're delighted to welcome Team Spirit into the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang arena. As one of the world's esports juggernauts, we expect them to raise the league's competitive quality and entertainment value to the next level. Coupled with their world-beating talent equipped with teen spirit, they are set for an impactful first season."
Nikita Cheshir Chukalin, CEO, Team Spirit, said: "Team Spirit is an international esports organisation that has proven to be among the world's best. Victories at The International, Riyadh Masters, and IEM Katowice are worthy results, but we don’t intend to stop. Therefore, the Team Spirit family is getting bigger and the organisation is spreading to new disciplines. This year, we decided to pay close attention to mobile gaming. Throughout the organisation's existence, our strategy has been to recruit young talented players, and help them find their way to the top-tier. This time is not an exception: we believe that this Mobile Legends: Bang Bang roster will rise above the competition and quickly become part of Team Spirit's DNA."
Nikita added: "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is another new discipline for us. We are happy to join the circuit in which I hope we can be a serious contender despite the formidable competition. We believe in the guys and know what they are capable of. At the same time, we will do everything in our power to make them feel comfortable both during training and playing at major competitions. So that the only thing they are focused on will be their performance."
MCC Champions Earns Direct Qualification to MSC
As the biggest Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports tournament in the region, the MCC will feature eight of the EECA region's top teams as they fight for the crown and US$40,000 prize pool. Additionally, the winning team will earn themselves direct qualification to the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where a US$3,000,000 prize pool awaits. The first runner-up will advance to the Wild Card stage.
The Gauntlet Format launches in Season 3
Following that of MPL Philippines, MCC Season 3 will introduce the Gauntlet Format this season, that gives an advantage to the highest-performed or highest ranked teams from the first stage. The single elimination bracket will take place during the Playoffs Play-in.
The eight teams in Season 3 will comprise the following:
Direct Invitation: three teams
Closed Qualifiers: three teams
Third-Party Tournaments: two teams
The eight contenders will compete in the Regular Season for six consecutive weekends, beginning 30 March. The highest-ranking three teams will qualify for the Playoffs, while the remaining five teams will proceed to the Playoff Play-in format. The Play-in will take place from 11 to 12 May, offering one team a spot in the Playoffs. The Playoffs will run from 1 to 2 June and will see the top four teams battle for the crown.
