MOONTON, ESL partner for expanded global MLBB Snapdragon Pro Series

MOONTON Games, developer of hit MOBA game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, strengthened their partnership with worldwide leading esports and video game entertainment company ESL FACEIT Group or EFG and Qualcomm to strengthen the worldwide presence of the Snapdragon Pro Series for MLBB.

The partnership will introduce more MLBB esports competitions to new regions such as Europe, Latin America, and North Africa.

MOONTON Games head of esports ecosystem Ray Ng said in a statement, “With MLBB Esports having already begun taking root in the mainstream, our focus is on expanding our ecosystem to be even more inclusive and accessible. We’re delighted to team up with Snapdragon Pro Series again to offer the international MLBB community even more opportunities to watch, compete, and celebrate their passion for the game.”

“Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has been a global leader in mobile competition,” said Sam Braithwaite, the VP Game Ecosystems, Mobile of ESL FACEIT Group. He adds, “Alongside MOONTON Games and Qualcomm Technologies, we’re looking forward to delivering more ways to play MLBB through the Snapdragon Pro Series and our new inclusivity initiatives.”

The new partnership is expected to provide a total of US$780,000 in prize money.

As part of the agreement, MLBB will become a Mobile Masters title for Year 3 of the Snapdragon Pro Series, with up to USD $200,000 up for grabs for top international competitors. Mobile Masters is the global championship which will round out a year-long calendar of premier MLBB competitions, which also includes the M6 World Championship and the MLBB Mid-Season Cup (MSC) and MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) taking place at the Esports World Cup.

Snapdragon Pro Series is also expected to tap familiar and powerhouse regions, such as APAC and Japan, for an all-new MLBB women’s league, with a top-notch prizepool of US$30,000 to be distributed throughout the season.

“The league aims to not only broaden MLBB’s fanbase, but also create new paths to pro for women competitors,” said MOONTON Games in a statement.

The Snapdragon Pro Series has been a critical catalyst in the expansion of mobile esports worldwide. Since Year 1, the league has hosted 18 live mobile esports events and distributed over USD $4 million in prize money, not including its upcoming Mobile Masters event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 12-14. As a result, the Snapdragon Pro Series has generated over 21 million hours of watch time in Year 2 and facilitated nearly one billion matches from its Open and Challenge circuits across 10 titles.

The MOONTON Games partnership arrives as ESL FACEIT Group looks to expand its reach across mobile esports. The mobile gaming market, which is expected to reach up to USD $184 billion in 2024, is rapidly growing, especially in regions like the Middle East and Africa (4.7 percent year-over-year market growth) and Latin America (3.8 percent year-over-year growth). This international interest paired with the over 4.3 billion people with smartphone access makes mobile a key avenue to expand the global gaming audience. 

Snapdragon Pro Series MLBB competition begins in Asia Pacific on April 8, with circuits in Europe, MENA, and Latin America to follow.