MOONTON, the company behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), has confirmed that the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Malaysia will switch to a franchise system after Season 16. That means from 2026 onwards, Malaysia will join Indonesia (2019) and the Philippines (2021) as the third region to have a franchised MLBB league.

MOONTON said the new ‘enhanced franchise format�will give the local esports scene steadier growth and room to expand. The aim is to support new talent, attract bigger business prospects, and keep fans more engaged in the long run.

Critics say franchising can make it harder for brand-new teams to enter the top level, but the MLBB Development League (MDL) helps balance that, still allowing new talents to join.

Season 16, the last legacy format, is set to kick off from September 13 to October 19 with 10 teams competing for two spots in the M7 World Championship.

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Tobias ‘JessNoLimit�Justin, who was a pro Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports player, has been named in the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for Media, Marketing, and Advertising. At just 29 years old, he stands out as a well-known content creator and business leader.

This honour from Forbes showcases a rising trend among the youth who leverage virtual tools, mobile games, and esports to create fresh career opportunities and spark new business ideas. Justin made a smooth shift to being a full-time content creator after he stepped back from competing in MLBB tournaments in 2019. 

He was a popular MLBB Professional League (MPL) Indonesia player who turned his efforts to making fun mobile game videos and vlogs. Justin’s content has racked up over 6.7 billion views on YouTube, where he has more than 54 million subscribers, making him the top YouTuber in Southeast Asia.

‘I am very grateful to be selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia. This is a great achievement and a great honour for me. A huge thank you to MLBB for being an important first step and foundation in my career journeyâ€? JessNoLimit stated.

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PRO Esports, a team with big hopes, saw its run end fast. They were set to win the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament in Cambodia, but a new team, Valhalla, beat them 3-2. With lots of skill, PRO Esports was a top pick to win. 

A loud crowd of MLBB fans watched as the rookie team, Valhalla, shocked all with a bold win in Game 1 of their best-of-five match. PRO Esports fired back in Game 2, showing strong skill and focus to tie the score. 

Game 3 went to PRO as they played smart, moved well, and won clean fights to take the lead, 2-1, but the fight was far from done. Though new to the esports scene, Valhalla showed calm and great teamwork. 

In Game 4, they picked bold heroes and played with no fear, evening the series once more. The last game kept fans on edge. Both teams gave their all, but Valhalla stayed sharp and tight as a group. When the last tower fell, the crowd went wild with Valhalla ending the game with a 3-2 victory. 

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