Fans from all over the world are welcome to watch the biggest Mobile Legends tournament in the world here in the Philippines.
Mobile Legends developers Moonton Games and the Department of Tourism (DOT) join forces to pave the way to the M5 World Championships happening later this December. A memorandum of agreement was signed on Oct. 25, 2023, bringing a new age of esports tourism here to the Philippines with M5.
Present for the MOA signing were Roberto P. Alabado III, DOT Director of the Office of Film and Sports Tourism, Atty. Mae Elaine T. Bathan, DOT Undersecretary for Legal and Special Concerns, Logan Shaw, Moonton Games Philippine Esports Head, and Keith Niño Medrano, Moonton Games Regional Regional Public Relations Manager.
“As the hosting country for M5, the Philippines needs to show a warm welcome to the fans,” says Logan Shaw. He explained the different initiatives that Moonton Games will be undertaking to get local and foreign fans excited for M5. Among them is a send-off conference for Philippine delegates and nationwide watch parties.
“Esports is one of the portfolios that we want to develop and support under sports tourism,” said Atty. Mae Bathan. “Today we try to forge ties between esports and the tourism industry as we welcome and provide support to a seamless entry into the country.” Among the DOT’s initiatives are providing tourism packages to international delegates to help introduce them to the Philippines.
A Historic Venue for the Grand Finals
Revealed also during the MOA signing were the venues for the M5 tournament. First, the Wildcard will take place in Jio Space, Selangor, Malaysia. Next, the group and knockout stages will be held in the EVM Convention Center, Quezon City. Finally, the grand finals will be hosted in the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“We are very happy to be able to hold the M5 World Championship in the Rizal Memorial Coliseum,” says Keith Medrano. “It’s been a common venue for traditional sports and for it to hold its first-ever global esports event, it really means a lot to us.”
Esports tourism is now in full swing as tickets for M5 are now up for sale on Slash. It’s going to be a monumental moment for Philippine esports when M5 opens its doors later this December.
Banner photo from Moonton Games.
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