MSC 2024 to be held in Saudi Arabia with biggest prize pool in MLBB esports history

Manila, Philippines (23 January 2024) – US$3 million will be up for grabs in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup (MSC) which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in July 2024.

This figure is the biggest in MLBB competitive history and is over three times the US$900,000 prize pool of the M5 World Championship held in Malaysia and the Philippines from November to December 2023.

MSC, formerly known as the MLBB Southeast Asia Cup, will feature teams from 35 countries worldwide and will be part of the Esports World Cup. The said tourney is usually conducted at the conclusion of the first round of pro tournaments, which happen from February to June.

A wildcard system will be implemented for MSC 2024 – also the first in the tournament’s history.

The Philippines – home to current MLBB world champions AP.Bren – and Indonesia, home of the inaugural M-Series champions EVOS Legends, will each have 2 slots, determined by their MLBB Professional League (MPL) Season 13 Champions and Runner-ups.

The MENA region will also have 2 slots, while Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Turkiye, China, North America, Eastern Europe/Central Asia (EECA), Latin America (LATAM), and the Wild Card winner each have one.

MOONTON Games’ Head of Esports Ecosystem Ray Ng said that their collaboration with the Esports World Cup is a “new chapter” for MLBB esports and the global esports ecosystem.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Esports World Cup Foundation and go beyond our horizons to Riyadh,” Ng said in a statement.

MSC 2024 is scheduled for 1-14 July 2024.

Bigger platform for women: MLBB Women’s Invitational also to be held in Saudi Arabia

MSC 2024 is just one of two major MLBB tourneys to be held during the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, as the MLBB Women’s Invitational or MWI 2024 will also be held in Riyadh – and with a bigger reach and prize pool.

A US$500,000 prize pool will be contested by women’s teams from 12 participating regions: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia & Singapore, China, the Middle East & North Africa, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, the Mekong Region (Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), Brazil, and North America.

The said prize pot is also the biggest in MWI history – with last year’s tilt only having US$30,000.

“Alongside teams from new participating regions, this year’s iteration presents boundless opportunities for more regions to participate, “in line with our vision to expand MSC and MWI to foster greater diversity and inclusiveness,” Mr Ng also added.

The MWI 2024 tourney dates will be announced at a later date.

Data from MOONTON says the mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title has over 1.46 billion installations and a monthly active user base of more than 110 million.