On a humid November afternoon in 2025, inside the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang—the largest agro park in Asia—the roar of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia Season 16 Playoffs became the backdrop for a milestone announcement. MOONTON Games, the global developer and publisher behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, unveiled a landmark partnership with Redd+E, a Singapore-based esports and entertainment media agency. Under the agreement, Redd+E was appointed as the authorised reseller of broadcast rights for all MLBB Esports intellectual properties across Southeast Asia and for the M7 World Championship, the flagship international tournament scheduled for January 2026.
The announcement resonated deeply with the esports community. For years, competitive gaming has been chasing the commercial legitimacy of traditional sports such as football, tennis, and basketball. This partnership represented a first for MLBB Esports: a broadcast rights collaboration that mirrors the maturity of traditional sports entertainment while staying true to the community-driven spirit that defines esports.
🎯 Pioneering a New Era for Esports Broadcasting
Redd+E, which has worked with partners such as the International Paralympic Committee, BLAST Premier, Esports Insider, Badminton Asia, TVRI, Astro/eGG Network, W-Sports Channel, and the Women's Tennis Association, brings deep Southeast Asian roots and a global media network. The agency's mandate covers MPL leagues in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Singapore, along with M7. By connecting MLBB with broadcasters and media partners across the region, the collaboration aims to establish a sustainable and scalable broadcast rights model that expands reach and commercial value.
Yip Ren Kai, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Redd+E, described the partnership as a significant step towards unlocking additional revenue streams for esports IP owners. He noted that MLBB is one of the most culturally significant and widely followed esports titles in the world, and that the goal is to connect the game with broadcasters and media partners to drive new commercial pathways, audience growth, and long-term value for the entire ecosystem.
Adrian Cher, Global Head of Partnerships for MLBB Esports at MOONTON Games, said the partnership reinforces MLBB Esports' reputation as a world-class sports entertainment property. He added that working with Redd+E would create a stronger and more sustainable broadcast ecosystem, delivering commercial value to media partners while ensuring millions of fans around the world can experience the thrill of MLBB Esports at the highest production standards.
📊 The Numbers Behind the Momentum
The announcement did not happen in a vacuum. According to Esports Charts, MLBB Esports amassed 475 million hours watched in 2024, placing it alongside the biggest names in global sports entertainment. The game has also received public support from world leaders and government officials at the Esports World Cup, who have lauded MLBB as a catalyst for national growth and for its ability to change lives.
The scale is enormous:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2024 hours watched | 475 million |
| Global installations | More than 1.5 billion |
| Monthly active users | 110 million |
| Regional MPL coverage | Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore |
| Flagship event | M7 World Championship, January 2026 |
This is not just about raw numbers; it is about cultural relevance. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has become a daily ritual for millions of players, a competitive stage for grassroots heroes, and a shared language across Southeast Asia and beyond.
🌏 A Blueprint for Global Expansion
Adrian Cher pointed out that the collaboration represents the first step toward a larger vision for MLBB Esports, one where it is as accessible and commercially compelling to partners as any global sport. With more than 1.5 billion installations and 110 million active monthly users worldwide, MLBB has the potential to scale this broadcast framework into other regions with thriving communities, from the Middle East to Europe to Latin America and beyond.
For fans, the practical impact is clear: MLBB Esports content will become more discoverable, more accessible, and more valuable to broadcasters, sponsors, and audiences alike. For the industry, the partnership offers a blueprint for how digital-native sports can evolve into mature media properties without losing authenticity.
As 2025 drew to a close and the esports world turned its attention toward the M7 World Championship in January 2026, the MOONTON Games–Redd+E partnership stood as a sign of changing times. It was no longer a question of whether esports could command serious broadcast rights value. With this deal, the question became how far and how fast the model could grow.