With just a few months left until the highly anticipated fifth edition of the MLBB World Series, slated for December in the Philippines, Moonton Games, the company behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, has announced their partnership with the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) to elevate the esports tourism landscape in the country.
On Wednesday, October 25th, Moonton Games inked a memorandum of agreement with the Philippines DOT to jointly organize the M5 World Championship, commencing in Manila on December 2, 2023. The event’s early bird prices, tournament venues, and ticket sales were unveiled during the ceremony.
Held at EVM Convention Center, the partnership cements the official endorsement of MOONTON Games hosting the international championship in Manila. It establishes the framework between the global developer and DOT for hosting the tournament. It is set to welcome tens of thousands of offline fans across three weeks and millions of online viewers.
The agreement was penned by DOT Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Mae Elaine T. Bathan, Office of Film and Sports Tourism Director Robby Alabado III, Moonton Games Philippines Esports Head Logan Shaw, and Regional PR Manager Keith Medrano. MOONTON Games Regional Esports Marketing Lead Mabel Zhang was also present during the signing.
“The Philippines is one of the biggest Mobile Legends: Bang Bang markets and among the strongest regions in MLBB esports. It is prime time to host the M5 World Championship in Manila, and we are excited to bring local and global MLBB communities together in this memorable event,” says Moonton Games PH Esports Head Logan Shaw.
“It is an immense honor to work with DOT for the international tournament, and we are grateful for their support. We hope to bring a greater level of esports tourism to the nation and simultaneously deliver an exceptional viewership experience to the fans.”
“We are proud to be part of history as we welcome participants in our country. We know many Filipinos play and support the game. Today, our esports industry stands on the edge of this tremendous growth, attracting a diverse audience, and we would like to take advantage of this diversity and convert them into tourists who love our country and explore further the bounty of our nation,” says DOT Chief of Staff Atty. Mae Elaine Bathan.
With a global monthly active user base of 105 million and legions of esports fans worldwide, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Mongolia, the Middle East and South Africa, the M5 World Championship will introduce several tourism initiatives in partnership with DOT that will be unveiled at a later date.
