Mobile Legends M Tournament: Winners, qualifiers, rewards and more

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, also known as MLBB, continues to hold its position as one of the most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, especially in Southeast Asia, notably in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia. The game’s developer, Moonton, recognized the immense popularity of MLBB and introduced the Mobile Legends M Tournament in 2019, three years after the game’s initial release. This tournament allows teams from different countries to compete against each other on a global stage for recognition and substantial prizes.

The Mobile Legends M Tournament, also referred to as M-Series or M, stands as the pinnacle of professional Mobile Legends competitions. Moonton has been organizing the tournament since 2019, and it is currently in its fifth year. To participate in the tournament, teams must first compete in their respective country’s Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL), such as MPL Philippines and MPL Indonesia. The MPL winners and runner-ups from each country then go on to represent their nation in the M Tournament. Additionally, certain teams have to qualify for the tournament through wildcard matches to fill the remaining slots.

The Mobile Legends M World Championship usually features 16 teams, except for M2, which had 12 teams due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, the tournament has gained representation from various professional ML leagues across different continents. However, Southeast Asia, particularly countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia, remains the dominant region with the most significant ML leagues.

The tournament follows a format consisting of a Group Stage and a Knockout Stage. During the Group Stage, the qualified teams are divided into four groups, where they compete in a round-robin, best-of-3 series. The top two teams from each group advance to the Knockout Stage, while the bottom two teams are eliminated. In previous editions, the tournament followed an upper and lower bracket playoff system. However, the current format prioritizes a round-robin group stage.

The Knockout Stage features the eight teams that advanced from the Group Stage. These teams engage in a double-elimination tournament, playing best-of-5 matches until two teams reach the Grand Finals. The final two teams then compete in a best-of-7 match to determine the M World Champion.

As the premier Mobile Legends competition, the M World Championship boasts a substantial prize pool, which is further supplemented by sponsorships. In addition to the Team Award, there is also an MVP Award given to the tournament’s best player. While all participating teams receive a share of the prize pool, there is a significant difference in earnings between the champion and the 16th place team. The prize pool has progressively increased over the years, with the most recent championship, M5, offering a total of $900,000.

Below is a breakdown of the previous prize money distribution for the top placements in each edition of the championship:

M1:
1st – $80,000
2nd – $40,000
3rd – $20,000
4th – $12,000
5th-6th – $8,000
7th-8th – $6,000
9th-12th – $4,000
13th-16th – $3,000
MVP – $3,000

M2:
1st – $140,000
2nd – $67,200
3rd – $28,000
4th – $16,800
5th-6th – $8,400
7th-8th – $5,600
9th-12th – $4,250
13th-16th – Not specified
MVP – $3,000

M3:
1st – $300,000
2nd – $120,000
3rd – $80,000
4th – $55,000
5th-6th – $40,000
7th-8th – $30,000
9th-12th – $15,000
13th-16th – $10,000
MVP – $10,000

M4:
1st – $300,000
2nd – $120,000
3rd – $80,000
4th – $55,000
5th-6th – $40,000
7th-8th – $30,000
9th-12th – $15,000
13th-16th – $10,000
MVP – $10,000

M5:
Prize distribution and winners yet to be determined as the tournament is scheduled for December 2023.

The previous editions of the M World Championship saw various teams competing for the title. Here is a list of the locations, prize pools, and winners and runners-up for each edition:

M1 World Championship:
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Prize Pool: $250,000
Winner: EVOS Legends (Indonesia)
Runner-up: Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) (Indonesia)

M2 World Championship:
Location: Singapore
Prize Pool: $300,000
Winner: Bren Esports (Philippines)
Runner-up: Burmese Ghouls (Myanmar)

M3 World Championship:
Location: Singapore
Prize Pool: $800,000
Winner: Blacklist International (Philippines)
Runner-up: ONIC PH (Philippines)

M4 World Championship:
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Prize Pool: $800,000
Winner: ECHO (Philippines)
Runner-up: Blacklist International (Philippines)

M5 World Championship:
Tournament yet to be held. Scheduled for December 2023.

In conclusion, the Mobile Legends M Tournament stands as a highly anticipated event in the Mobile Legends community. Teams from various countries battle it out to secure a spot in the tournament and compete for the prestigious title of M World Champion. With substantial prize pools and an increasing fan base, the tournament continues to grow in popularity and showcases the immense talent and skill of professional Mobile Legends players worldwide.