Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup

The first iteration of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup was held in Indonesia in 2017 during the start of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang's growth into the mainstream gaming scene. A total of eight participating teams qualified in MSC 2017, two from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia while one team qualifying from Thailand and Singapore. No group stage was held for MSC 2017 and a direct playoff, double-elimination bracket was staged for the eight participating teams. The Philippines' Salty Salad advanced to the Grand Finals after defeating Thailand's IDONOTSLEEP 2–1 in the Upper Bracket but fell to the team in the Grand Finals in a 3–0, hailing Thailand the first MSC Cup champions.[3][4]

The second iteration of the Southeast Asia Cup remained in Indonesia for 2018 and this was during the time the inaugural MPL seasons have been held in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Defending champions IDONOTSLEEP, Myanmar's Burmese Ghouls and Vietnam's Fantasy Main all qualified through regional qualifiers meanwhile, the Philippines, Indonesia and the combined league for Malaysia and Singapore sent its champions and runner-up to the tournament. MSC 2018 is the first tournament in the MSC scene to have a Group Stage with both Filipino squads topping the seeds. Only the top 2 teams from both groups qualifies to the playoff bracket. MSC 2018 saw the first Philippines vs. Philippines final and a rematch of the MPL Philippines Season 1 grand finals between Aether Main and Digital Devils Pro with Aether Main sweeping DD in the Grand Finals.[5]

MSC 2019 was held in the Philippines for the first time and from 10 teams, the participating teams grew to 12. The roster of the defending champions Aether Main qualified under the organization of Bren Esports.[6] MSC 2019 became the first tournament in MSC history to have an Indonesia vs. Indonesia Grand Finals. ONIC Esports swept MSC 2017 champions IDONOTSLEEP in the Upper Bracket Semifinals and won 2–1 against co-Indonesian team Louvre Esports to advance to the Grand Finals. Initially, ArkAngel won 2–1 against Vietnam's Overclockers but fell to a 2–0 sweep from Louvre, eliminating the Philippines' champions from the tournament.[7] ONIC Esports won Indonesia its first MSC title since the tournament was established.[8]

The COVID-19 pandemic began on March 2020 following the sudden growth and spread of the virus around the world, especially in Southeast Asia where Mobile Legends' primary players were located. Majority of the Governments of Southeast Asia including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore shut and closed its countries from foreign visitors and tightened border security and patrol. On May 2020, game developers Moonton have announced the cancellation of MSC 2020 in order to comply with the "laws set to fight against the pandemic."[9]

Following the easing of restrictions in the region, MSC 2021 became the first iteration of MSC following the 2020 iteration's cancellation. Twelve teams participated in the online tournament with four teams in Cybe EXE, IDONOTSLEEP, Impunity KH and Nightmare Esports being directly invited to compete. MSC 2021 saw the resurgence in the Philippines' dominance in Mobile Legends, having an all Filipino grand finals after a 3–0 win by Blacklist International in the Upper Bracket Finals and a 3–1 win by Execration in the Lower Bracket Finals against Indonesia's EVOS Legends.[10][11] Execration won MSC 2021 and won the title for the Philippines since 2018.

MSC 2022 and MSC 2023 were the first two iterations of the tournaments to feature a live audience since the COVID-19 pandemic's easing of restrictions from hosts Malaysia and Cambodia, respectively.

MSC 2022 was hosted in Malaysia for the first time since the MLBB M1 World Championships were held in the region in 2019. MSC 2022 featured twelve teams from seven different regions with Myanmar returning to the international stage. Myanmar representatives were abruptly halted from leaving and participating from international tournaments of any Esports discipline due to the ongoing Myanmar civil war.[12] Falcon Esports were able to qualify through the regional qualifiers against other amateur and pro teams including Burmese Ghouls. The tournament ran from 11–19 June 2022 with the group stage and the playoff brackets. In the Grand Finals, the Philippines and Indonesia matched up for the first time in history with RRQ Hoshi besting RSG Philippines in the Upper Bracket Finals 3–1[13] and RSG Philippines sending their co-Filipino team Smart Omega home, 3–2.[14] RSG Philippines retaliated in the Grand Finals and swept the Indonesian champions 4–0 to bring the Philippines its unprecedented third MSC title.[15]

MSC 2023 was hosted in Phnom Penh in Cambodia for the first time.[16] Twelve teams were slated to participate in the tournament with representations from Malaysia and Singapore dropping from 2 to 1 in lieu for newer regions. This iteration of MSC was particularly interesting for many as it introduced the MENA, North American, and Turkish regions participating for the first time in MSC. [17] Also, Laos were able to win the Mekong qualifiers against Vietnamese and Thai teams. The tournament ran from 10–18 June 2023 with the Group Stage and the Playoff Brackets. This iteration of the tournament featured a single-elimination bracket and a third-place matcher between the two eliminated teams in the Semifinals.

In the Grand Finals, Indonesia's ONIC Esports faced off the Philippines' Blacklist International. ONIC swept tournament favorites and then-defending world champions ECHO Philippines in the semifinals.[18] Moreover, Blacklist International defeated hometown team BURN x FLASH 3–1 in the semifinals.[19] This Grand Finals would be the second appearance for both teams, ONIC Esports appearing and winning MSC 2019 while Blacklist International were the runner-up team during MSC 2021. ONIC Esports bested Blacklist International in the Grand Finals, winning the series 4–2. This marked the first title for the indonesian organizations' imports in Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol and Head Coach Denver "Yeb" Miranda.[2] This was the first major international tournament that Indonesia has won following their array of defeats in the M2, M3 and M4 World Championships, and the 2021 and 2022 MSC iterations.

MSC 2024 will be the first tournament bearing the rebranded name "Mid Season Cup". This iteration of the tournament is significant because it will be the first tournament outside of the Southeast Asian region, being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the first iteration of the tournament to be part of the 2024 Esports World Cup, and having the largest prize pool for any MLBB international and regional tournament with a prize purse of US$3,000,000.00.[20]

References:[28]

1 = Formerly known as Team NXL

2 = Formerly known as IDNS SG

3 = Formerly known as Team Saiyan

4 = Played as Aether Main

References:[29]

References:[30]

References:[31]

1 = Laos, Thailand, Vietnam

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Notes

1. ^ For documentary purpose only, according to their majority of players, teams from Commonwealth of Independent States region: Brute Force based in Saudi Arabia and Team Spirit based in Serbia both will represent Russia.

2. ^ For documentary purpose only, according to their base of operations, team from North America region: Cloud9 will represent United States.

Notes

* Nation hosts.

1. ^ Includes result playing as ONIC Esports during 2019 and 2023.

2. ^ Includes result playing as Aether Main during 2018.

3. ^ Includes result playing as RRQ.O2 during 2018.

4. ^ Includes result playing as EVOS Legends during 2021.

5. ^ Includes result playing as ECHO Philippines during 2023.

6. ^ Includes result playing as BURN x FLASH during 2023.

Notes

* Hosts.