By Sagar V. Mankar 
Shanghai-based game publisher MOONTON, a subsidiary of ByteDance, has officially launched its flagship esports title, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), in China. This integration brings the China region into the global MLBB esports ecosystem, offering franchise slot fees and revenue-sharing opportunities from the publisher.
Despite being developed by Chinese creators, MLBB was not available in China for nearly a decade due to several factors:
- Regulatory Restrictions: The Chinese gaming industry is tightly regulated. All games must pass through the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) approval process, meeting specific content guidelines and obtaining a license for distribution in China.
- Intellectual Property Disputes: In 2017, MLBB faced a lawsuit from Riot Games, creators of League of Legends, over copyright infringement. Riot Games, owned by Tencent—a major player in the Chinese gaming market—claimed that MLBB copied elements of League of Legends. This dispute may have impacted MLBB’s chances of entering China.
- Competition from Tencent: Tencent dominates the Chinese MOBA market with games like Honor of Kings, which is hugely popular in China. Tencent’s dominance and the localized appeal of Honor of Kings leave little room for similar games like MLBB.
However, in April 2023, the NPPA granted MLBB approval for release. The game underwent visual and gameplay adjustments to comply with Chinese government regulations. After an intense internal beta testing phase, MLBB China now officially announced its release.
As part of its expansion efforts, MOONTON has formed a strategic partnership with Chinese smartphone brand Realme. Realme will serve as the official equipment provider for MLBB tournaments in China.
Chinese esports organization Invictus Gaming (IG) has also entered the MLBB scene. On Wednesday, IG announced the establishment of its MLBB division.
Globally, MLBB boasts over 1.5 billion users and 110 million monthly active players. The game has been downloaded more than 700 million times outside China, particularly in Southeast Asia.
MLBB is also a prominent esports title globally, ranking second in terms of watched hours after League of Legends, according to esports charts. It is one of the official esports titles in the Saudi-backed Esports World Cup (EWC). However, how the Chinese domestic MLBB competition will connect with the EWC remains unclear.
ByteDance acquired MOONTON in 2021 for approximately $4 billion, intensifying its rivalry with Tencent. Despite rumors in 2023-2024 suggesting ByteDance might exit the gaming industry, MOONTON remains a key player. ByteDance’s other gaming ventures include Marvel Snap, distributed by its game studio Nuverse.
Sources: The Esports Advocate