THE WORLDS of boxing and esports connected recently with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao agreeing to be the Philippine ambassador for the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

Coinciding with the game’s milestone of one billion downloads worldwide, the people behind MLBB in the country said they are proud to welcome the boxing legend to their family, seeing the eight-division champion as embodying qualities that make one succeed in the game.

“We’ve been working on this partnership for more than a year. Based on the studies we’ve done, 70% of our users are big fans of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has a lot in common with boxing. Like boxing it requires skill, determination, physical effort, and most importantly, mental toughness. You can’t beat your opponent just by being strong, you have to also be smart,” said William Mei, marketing manager of MLBB for the Philippines, in a statement.

It is an involvement that Mr. Pacquiao, for his part, welcomed, highlighting, among other things, how the game touches him through his son, Jimuel, who plays and is a fan of MLBB.

“It was easy for me to say yes when Moonton approached me to be their Philippine ambassador. I already know of Mobile Legends even before they got in touch because my son, Jimuel, plays the game on his phone and regularly streams with friends. So, why not be a part of what my son loves?” he said.

Since developer and publisher Moonton released MLBB, the game has been picked up by gamers tremendously.

MLBB has over one billion installs and 100 million monthly active users. It has reached top 10 grossing rank in more than 50 countries and is a MOBA game which covers most countries, including Southeast Asia, Middle East, and India.

In last year’s Southeast Asian Games held here, MLBB was one of the featured titles as esports made its debut in the biennial Games, with the team from the Philippines bagging the gold in it.  

In the country, too, the number of Mobile Legends users increased during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, officials said, with over 100 million registered users and 25 million monthly active users.

“On behalf of the MLBB team, we can assure you that you can expect more surprises from us in the coming months. And to everyone who wants to venture into professional gaming or just wants to be the best version of themselves—be focused, keep pushing, and keep reaching for your dream because everyone can be a legend,” said Mr. Pacquiao.

For more on the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, follow its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MobileLegendsOnlinePH/. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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