The 16th World Esports Championship (WEC), held from November 11 to 19, once again proved Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) as one of the standout titles of IESF competitions. Both the Open and Women’s categories delivered exceptional competition; with live audiences and online viewership worldwide, this year’s tournaments stood as one of the most-watched MLBB tournaments of the year.

The MLBB Open tournament delivered one of the most exciting playoffs in WEC history. For the third consecutive year, a new champion was crowned, as Malaysia triumphed in dominant fashion. In a great run, Malaysia stunned the MLBB giants by defeating Indonesia, the 2022 champion, in the semifinals and then the Philippines, the 2023 champion, in a thrilling final.

• Gold: Malaysia

• Silver: Philippines

• Bronze: Indonesia

The tournament reached a peak viewership of 613k, making it one of the most-watched MLBB Open tournaments in WEC history.

A Historic Year for Women in Esports

The debut of the MLBB Women’s Tournament marked a new milestone for the World Esports Championship. Teams from across the world displayed extraordinary talent and competitiveness, with Indonesia, the pre-tournament favorite, securing the first-ever MLBB Women’s World Esports Championship title.

• Gold: Indonesia

• Silver: Cambodia

• Bronze: Egypt

The Women’s tournament reached a peak viewership of 258k, presenting the growing interest in women’s Esports. This debut exceeded all expectations and set the stage for more successful tournaments in the future, proving the Women’s category deserves its rightful place on the biggest stage.

Record-Breaking Prize Pool

This year’s tournaments also had the largest prize pool in MLBB history throughout WEC, totaling $280,000 across both categories:

• $160,000 for the MLBB Open Tournament

• $120,000 for the MLBB Women’s Tournament

The success of this year’s MLBB tournaments is a result of the strong partnership between IESF and MOONTON Games. Together, we have elevated MLBB into one of the most iconic and recognizable elements of the World Esports Championship.

“We are proud to have delivered such an impactful and pleasant MLBB experience for our fans and athletes. The incredible performances and viewership this year reaffirm our goal to growing MLBB’s presence on the international Esports stage,” said Igor Nedeski, IESF’s Esports Manager.

Ray Ng, Head of Ecosystem at MOONTON Games, said: “Congratulations to the whole IESF team for another great event that achieves a new milestone together with MLBB. We share the same beliefs of excellence and inclusion and are excited to build on this momentum to create even more unforgettable moments for MLBB fans around the world.”

Australian wagering giant Tabcorp selects French supplier PandaScore as its dedicated esports data and odds provider

One of Australia’s biggest operators, Tabcorp, has partnered with specialist esports supplier PandaScore to expand its esports offering in Australia.

Tabcorp will initially incorporate PandaScore’s esports data and odds services for the Big 3 esports titles: Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Dota 2. Tabcorp is keen on integrating the full suite of PandaScore titles, markets and products to drive future expansion in esports.

The agreement will see Tabcorp offer an expanded range of markets and market lines, including PandaScore’s lucrative player markets.

Powered by PandaScore’s market-leading esports products, Tabcorp’s multichannel distribution will see its levelled up esports offering available over digital and physical options, including web, mobile app, betting shops and terminals in licensed venues.

For Tabcorp Trading General Manager, David Beirne, “this partnership with PandaScore is invaluable to our investment in esports. It gives us access to dedicated esports trading and odds creation services for the most popular titles, with eyes to build out a full esports offering fit for the next generation of bettors. This partnership is another step in creating the ultimate sports entertainment experience for our customers.”

Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore stated that he’s “very excited about working with one of the biggest operators in Australia. Tabcorp is an Australian institution with outstanding visibility and market penetration and a pedigree for success. Rolling out our best-in-class esports products to a market leader in Australia builds on our existing successes in this market, and it’s one we’re confident we can continue fostering growth in.”

Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy join Purp0 and Cloud to aim for a return to the top of one of the most prestigious international esports competitions

The global esports organization GIANTX has unveiled its new Valorant team for the 2025 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT). The primary goal is to qualify for the Valorant Champions, the world championship that will take place in Paris, after an uneven 2024 season.

The roster includes Cloud, Purp0, Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy. Cloud and Purp0 remain with the organization, while Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy are new additions.

• Cloud will take on the role of in-game leader (IGL).
• Purp0 will continue to bring his ability to perform in key situations.
• Westside joins from Diamant Esports and makes his debut at the highest level.
• Runner, previously with Team Vitality, played in the 2024 world championship.
• Tomaszy, formerly of Rebels Gaming and Karmine Corp, also joins the project.

The coaching staff will be led by Pipson, with Waylander as assistant coach. Both bring extensive experience from the competitive scenes of Valorant and Counter-Strike.

The EMEA region will feature 12 teams in the 2025 VCT:

• GIANTX,
• Fnatic,
• Natus Vincere,
• Team Liquid,
• KOI,
• Team Heretics,
• Apeks,
• BBL Esports,
• FUT Esports,
• Gentle Mates,
• Karmine Corp,
• and Team Vitality.

The official competition kicks off in January with the Kickoff Tournament, where teams will compete for a spot at the first international event of the year: Masters Bangkok.

This weekend, GIANTX will participate in the preseason tournament Intel Monsters Reloaded 2024 in Istanbul.

Their first opponent will be Team Liquid on Saturday at 6:00 PM. If they win, they will face the winner of the match between BBL Esports and SuperMassive in the final.