M5 World Championship will be co-hosted by the Philippines’ Tourism Department

The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) M5 World Championship, set to take place in the Philippines, will be co-hosted by the country’s Department of Tourism (DOT), MOONTON announced today. The tournament will happen from Dec. 2. To 17 in Manila, the Philippines.

“We are proud to be part of history as we welcome participants in our country. We know many Filipinos play and support the game. Today, our esports industry stands on the edge of this tremendous growth, attracting a diverse audience, and we would like to take advantage of this diversity and convert them into tourists who love our country and explore further the bounty of our nation,” said DOT Chief of Staff Atty. Mae Elaine Bathan.

Image Credits: MOONTON

M5 World Championship venues announced

Additionally, MOONTON has revealed the venues for the M5 World Championship. These are as follows:

• Group Stage and Knockout Stage one (Dec. 2 to 12): EVM Convention Center, Manila, the Philippines.
• Knockout Stage 2 and Grand Finals (Dec. 15 to 17): Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila, the Philippines

Early Bird Tickets for the M5 World Championship are now available on Slashevent starting at 500 Philippine pesos (about $9) for a single-day group stage ticket. They go up to 3,199 Philippine pesos (about $56) for a Grand Finals ticket.

Early Bird Tickets will be available until Nov. 3. Regular sales will begin on Nov. 4 which will also have a 10 percent discount for MPL Philippines Playoffs stage Season 12 ticket holders.

Besides this, MOONTON also announced the venue for the newly introduced Wildcard Stage in the M5 World Championship. This will happen at the Jio Space in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Nov. 23 to 25. Tickets will be available for free starting Nov. 4.

Not the first time MOONTON is tying up with the government

Image Credits: MOONTON

This isn’t the first time MOONTON is tying up with a government-associated agency for its esports tournaments. The SEA Cup (MSC) earlier this year in Cambodia was held in association with the Esports Federation Cambodia (EFC) which is recognized by the government. The M2 World Championship in January 2021, on the other hand, was supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

It isn’t surprising to see this happening. The M4 World Championship, for example, saw 4.2 million peak viewers, per Esports Charts, with thousands more flocking to the LAN event to witness it in person. With the game giving a significant tourism boost to the host country, government support will come hand-in-hand.

The M5 World Championship will feature 16 teams in the Group Stage fighting for a share of the $900,000 prize pool.

“It is an immense honor to work with DOT for the international tournament, and we are grateful for their support. We hope to bring a greater level of esports tourism to the nation and simultaneously deliver an exceptional viewership experience to the fans,” said MOONTON Games PH Esports Head, Logan Shaw.

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