MOONTON has confirmed that Cellular Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Skilled League (MPL) Malaysia will develop into franchised after Season 16.
Which means that from 2026 onwards, Malaysia will develop into the third franchised area in MLBB after Indonesia and the Philippines.
In a press launch, MOONTON mentioned that the league will undertake an “enhanced franchise format” with extra info to return sooner or later. It’s unclear what it will entail; nonetheless, it may sign that MPL Malaysia may have a special mannequin from its different franchised areas.
MOONTON additionally mentioned that the principle purpose of the franchised league is to take the nation’s esports business to the “subsequent stage” by creating extra alternatives for the ecosystem.
Notably, in April this yr, MOONTON teased that it was ‘significantly contemplating‘ franchising its Malaysian esports ecosystem.
“By strategically investing in long-term stability, we’re opening new pathways for expertise improvement, industrial progress, and deeper fan engagement,” mentioned Krystal Tan, Head of Enterprise Improvement for Malaysia Esports at MOONTON Video games.
“This may make sure that MPL Malaysia continues to set the usual for sports activities leisure in Malaysia and set up the worldwide benchmark for esports excellence.”
Different MLBB franchised leagues
MPL Indonesia, the primary franchised esports league for SEA, adopted the format in 2019. The Philippines adopted go well with in 2021. Since then, each leagues have seen sturdy progress in viewership and fanbases for the franchised groups—components which might undoubtedly have influenced MPL Malaysia to observe of their footsteps.
In a franchised league, groups pay a buy-in payment to buy a everlasting slot within the competitors, shifting away from the promotion/relegation format.
Moreover, franchised groups are often given incentives similar to a income share from the general league. The franchised format additionally offers stability to gamers, whereas making certain salaries stay sustainable by means of wage caps and different rules.
Criticism of franchised leagues stems from the truth that it limits alternatives for brand spanking new expertise to rise by means of open tournaments. MOONTON has usually dealt with this in Indonesia and the Philippines by means of the MLBB Improvement League (MDL), which has open qualifiers and third-party tournaments. Many skills from the MDL have gone on to play within the MPL throughout each areas.
In 2019, the buy-in for the MPL Indonesia amounted to $1m. On the time, MOONTON mentioned that the groups may obtain greater than 50 per cent of the league’s income pool earlier than deduction of working bills and advertising and marketing prices.
Further info concerning the MPL MY buy-in quantity and different contractual intricacies hasn’t been revealed but.
MPL Malaysia Season 16 to be the Final Version With Legacy Format
The MPL Malaysia Season 16 is about to kick off with its common season from September thirteenth to October nineteenth.
Ten groups will compete within the match: SRG x OG Esports, Homebois, Untitled, AERO Esports, Staff Vamos, Monster Vicious, Todak, Staff Rey, CG Esports, and GamesMY Kelantan.
The highest six from the common season will advance to the playoffs, with the most effective two from right here representing the area within the M7 World Championship.
