Mobile Legends: Bang Bang to headline esports at next year’s SEA Games

In the history of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, esports is a recent addition, having only been implemented in 2019. 2025 will mark the fourth time esports is appearing in the SEA Games, and topping the list of games is Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

The 33rd SEA Games, set to take place in Thailand in December 2025, will feature the mobile game as the headlining title for the esports category. Like the last SEA Games, the MLBB event will feature both men’s and women’s categories.

Overall, it’s the fourth time in a row that MLBB is featured as a medalled sport at the SEA Games, and there’s good reason behind its choice as the headlining title: At the last SEA Games in Cambodia, both the men’s and women’s categories had over a million Peak Concurrent Viewers, according to analytical site Esports Charts. Both categories also averaged over 300,000 viewers across the entire competition.

Adding to the game’s popularity, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was also awarded the Mobile Esports Game of the Year Award for the second time in a row. Ray Ng, Head of Esports Ecosystem at MLBB developer and publisher MOONTON Games, called MLBB’s inclusion as a medalled sport in the 33rd SEA Games “another positive step forward for esports”.

There’s no official announcements for other esports titles aside from MLBB to be featured at the SEA Games, though for reference, last year’s games included Valorant (which Singapore clinched a contentious gold medal for alongside Indonesia), PUBG Mobile and League of Legends Wild Rift. 

The 33rd SEA Games is set to take place from 9 to 20 December 2025, and host cities consist of Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla. Competing countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.

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