MPL Becomes First Esports Series to Surpass One Billion Hours Watched

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) has become the first esports competition ever to reach one billion hours of viewership.

According to Esports Charts, a well-known data platform, this incredible achievement places MPL ahead of some of the biggest names in the industry, such as the League of Legends Worlds, the LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea), the Valorant Champions Tour, and The International.

However, these other events are not too far behind in terms of viewership. For example, League of Legends Worlds (LoL Worlds) is expected to hit the one billion hours mark soon, as it’s only about one million hours away. It’s also worth noting that League of Legends is the only esports title that has contributed two event series to the top five, with the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) standing at 960 million hours watched.

To put the MPL’s success into perspective within the mobile gaming industry, its viewership is roughly four times higher than that of the PUBG Mobile Pro League, despite having a similar total airtime. Furthermore, it has garnered more than triple the watch time of Twitch Rivals, which features over 600 tournaments and benefits from the large audiences drawn by popular internet personalities.

While the MPL’s success is undeniable, it has been somewhat limited by its lack of recognition outside of Asia. The game is extremely popular in countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. However, it has yet to capture the attention of audiences and professional players in Europe (EU), North America (NA), and other markets.

Hence, Moonton Games, the developer behind Mobile Legends, is actively working to expand its reach in recent times. Initially, in 2017, the league was only held in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Now, it has extended to Myanmar, Cambodia, LATAM, and the MENA region.

In fact, earlier this year, the first international Mobile Legends tournament outside Asia was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Esports World Cup. Here, in an epic showdown, Malaysian powerhouse Selangor Red Giants defeated Falcons AP Bren and took home took home the grand prize of $1,000,000.

This global expansion indicates a bright future for the MPL, as Moonton Games continues to push the boundaries of mobile esports, aiming to connect with even more audiences around the world.