WHAT IS MLBB?
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, commonly referred to as ML or MLBB, is a mobile multiplayer online battle arena
(MOBA) game developed and published by Moonton, a subsidiary of ByteDance. Released in 2016, the game grew
in popularity worldwide, most prominently in Southeast Asia, and has since crossed the 1 billion downloads feat,
with peak monthly players of 100 million. In 2021, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang achieved an all-time gross
of US$1 billion with 44 percent of its revenue emanating from outside Asia, making it the top mobile game of its
genre with the most global appeal.
At its core, the game pits 2 teams of 5 against each other in real time with at least 10-second matchmaking
and 10-minute matches. Featuring traditional battle arena gameplay, players must fight over three lanes to take
the enemy's tower and defend their own. Like classic MOBAs, there is no hero training to level up or pay to play
angle—winners and losers are decided based on skill, ability, and strategy.
Following success, Moonton has tapped into the esports scene with the creation of several regional tournaments
dubbed as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Middle East
and North Africa regions that serves as a qualifier for the Mobile Legends World Championships where a total of
15 countries, including Japan, Russia, and the United States, have participated so far. It was also among the
6 games chosen for the first medal event of esports competition at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in the
Philippines.
Originally named Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA, the initial release of the game in 2016 was met with criticism
citing similarities with another MOBA game, League of Legends. In July 2017, Riot Games filed a lawsuit against
Moonton for copyright infringement; however, the case was dismissed by the Central District Court of California
in the United States on account of forum non conveniens. Moonton has since then made several remodeling and
patch updates for distinction and game improvements.