Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Yoda walk into a jungle. All hell breaks loose. Nope, this isn’t a childhood fantasy concocted by hardcore Transformers and Star Wars stans (or is it?). It’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
Fans make or break a game. Their continued interest fuels a longevity many companies would die for. Which is why Moonton, MLBB’s publisher, aims to give gamers what they want.
Pop culture can be a magnetic attraction when combined with video games. Tapping the increasing traction it has gained over the years, Moonton launched Transformers and Star Wars skin packs this year.
Heroes like Argus and Johnson got makeovers and were able to wield powers that the respective movie characters possessed.
“The reason why we wanted to partner up with (these brands) is because we wanted to bring something fresh, new and exciting to our fans,” Kelly Chiew, Senior Public Relations Manager at Moonton, shared with Ulti.Asia in an interview.
But that’s not all. Other new skins include yet-to-be-released original designs by the company for heroes such as Floryn and Alpha. It is all part of Moonton’s strategy to keep fans engaged.
While the game publisher had organised exhibition matches, watch parties and masterclasses for the MLBB community to enjoy, the pandemic put a pause to those plans, said Business Development Manager Fikri Rizal Mahruddin.
“The most important thing when organising an event during this pandemic is to ensure that everyone is safe,” he said, emphasising that while it wasn’t ideal, all exhibition matches and classes were moved online.
He added that community engagement is Moonton’s number 1 priority during this period.
For example, Moonton’s annual 515 eParty that was held in 2020 and 2021, from April to May in both years, went online. The virtual event included a lineup of fun activities, including a Team Singapore versus Team Malaysia friendly show match that featured all-star players in a Facebook livestream.
These programmes are part of Moonton’s roadmap to create a thriving esports ecosystem in Singapore. With more fans invested in MLBB, it could mean a spike in the Mobile Legends Professional League Singapore’s viewership. It is all a numbers game.
It will be a long and winding road ahead, but Fikri is relishing the grind. He said: “Providing the content our audience wants…so that our players and partners will get the visibility they deserve…this is something that keeps us up at night and gets us excited in the morning.”
Big plans seem to be in motion for Moonton. Let’s hope it delivers.
