Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is the first confirmed esports title to return in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (33rd SEA Games) scheduled in Thailand in 2025.
This marks MLBB’s fourth consecutive appearance at the SEA Games, with both men’s and women’s tournaments expected to attract large audiences, similar to the previous SEAG.
Esports in the 33rd SEA Games
The 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, set for December 9 to 20, 2025, in Thailand, will bring together athletes from 11 countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.
Events are scheduled primarily at the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Chonburi, and Songkhla.
The full list of esports titles for the 2025 Games has yet to be released, though esports has become a significant draw for SEA Games audiences.
At the 32nd SEA Games, titles included Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift, PUBG Mobile, Crossfire, FIFA Online 4, and Mission Against Terror.
Both men’s and women’s tournaments saw high viewership, with standout performances from the Philippines and Indonesia, which took gold in several titles.
The SEA Games has increasingly showcased esports’ popularity in Southeast Asia, with the previous tournament events drawing record-breaking audiences and further establishing esports as a mainstay in the regional sports lineup.
Mobile Legends leads esports titles at 33rd SEA Games
Mobile Legends esports returns as a medal event at the 33rd SEA Games with both men’s and women’s competitions.
MLBB remains one of the region’s most-watched esports titles, recording high viewership in the 32nd SEA Games, where the men’s tournament reached 1.46 million peak concurrent viewers, and the women’s event saw 1.37 million.
In that event, the Philippines’ Team SIBOL claimed gold in the men’s tournament, while Team Indonesia took gold in the women’s division.
Esports has gained significant traction in the SEA Games, drawing record-breaking audiences and firmly establishing its place in the event’s lineup.
Thailand’s hosting of the 2025 SEA Games is expected to further boost esports, with the Thailand E-Sports Federation (TESF) working closely with organizers to connect with the local gaming community and build additional economic and community-focused opportunities.
TESF President Santi Lothong emphasized the potential for growth within Thailand’s esports sector, noting that partnerships with popular titles like MLBB can encourage more players to compete on an international level.
READ MORE: 32nd SEA Games 2023 Mobile Legends: Schedule, results, format, where to watch
