Why has NAVI entered the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports?

Over the last couple of years, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports has become one of the hottest properties within the entire industry.

The MLBB scene has always been a mainstay in Southeast Asia, with its competitions regularly featuring in top esports viewership lists. However, global esports organisations have now started to take notice of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s passionate — and growing — audience. 

NAVI, one of the most recognisable teams within Counter-Strike 2, has become the latest name to stake its claim in MLBB, entering the ecosystem’s most popular league, MPL Indonesia.

“This is one of the best titles in the world,” stated NAVI’s COO Aleksey Kucherov when speaking with Esports Insider. “It has an awesome audience and huge viewership and fan base, especially in Southeast Asia and in Indonesia.

“NAVI is one of the biggest clubs in the world and we have many different titles in our portfolio. Of course, we can’t miss one of the best titles in the world, which Mobile Legends is, so that’s why we wanted to get in. And finally, it happened.”

Interestingly this isn’t the first time that NAVI has been in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, with the organisation previously operating a CIS roster. Despite its short tenure (less than a year), NAVI competed at Mobile Legends’ biggest international event in 2021, the M3 World Championship. 

Kucherov highlighted that this brief stint proved to be very significant, opening the Ukrainian organisation’s eyes to MLBB’s potential.  

“It was the start for us. It was the first meeting with MOONTON in general, with their approach and with the game itself,” he said. “Because we liked the approach from MOONTON and how Mobile Legends was structured, in general, we wanted to get in the best region possible this time.”

A major trend that has occurred within Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports is Western esports organisations tapping into the league’s Southeast Asian market. 

What’s fascinating is seeing how these Western brands have entered the scene using a variety of avenues. Last year, Fnatic secured a strategic partnership with ONIC to create a rebranded MLBB roster for 2024. Meanwhile, Team Falcons went from partnering with AP.Bren to acquiring its own MPL Philippines slot outright earlier this year. 

Going into the new season of MPL Indonesia — set to commence March 7th — NAVI’s COO told Esports Insider that there were two routes the organisation could take: acquire a franchise slot from MOONTON or purchase an existing organisation in the league. NAVI chose the latter, acquiring Indonesian organisation Rebellion Esports for an undisclosed figure. 

“The region, the audience and the work approach in general, this is something new for us,” Kucherov noted. “We need some expertise in Mobile Legends, we need some expertise with working with fans in the region and some ready infrastructure and operations on site.”

What was also emphasised while speaking with NAVI’s COO was the organisation’s focus on long-term investment: “Acquisition and long-term commitment in Mobile Legends, having the NAVI brand in the region, this is our focus and that’s why we moved in this way.”

Despite NAVI’s long-term goals, Kucherov did admit that its expansion into Mobile Legends: Bang Bang — and its recent venture into Chess — was influenced by the Esports World Cup. The COO highlighted that its expansion into more EWC titles was one of NAVI’s focuses this year.

It’s important to remember that it takes two to make a deal, so what was Rebellion Esports’ reasoning for becoming part of the NAVI family? 

According to Jonathan Yuwono, Rebellion Esports’ founder and now General Manager of NAVI MLBB, the prospect of joining NAVI was too good to turn down. Founded in 2019, the Indonesian organisation entered the MLBB scene in 2021 after taking over the franchise slot of Aerowolf Pro Team.

“We went from a local organisation playing in one title to becoming part of a global organisation that plays all the largest game titles in the world,” recalled Yuwono.

“I thought this was just an opportunity that we really couldn’t pass up. From previous shareholders to MOONTON, to staff to players, this was just an opportunity that we felt if we didn’t take now, we just didn’t know when it would ever come again.”

Whilst MPL Indonesia will always be catered towards its regional audience — which makes sense given the fact that Season 14 garnered 4m viewers — there is now a massive international rivalry in the league. 

After acquiring Southeast Asian esports organisation STUN.GG in 2024, Team Liquid has competed in MPL Indonesia and MPL Philippines for the past two seasons. When asked about the opportunity to clash with Team Liquid on a new stage, Kucherov explained that he was excited to see a familiar face in the league.

“When we saw the announcement that Team Liquid joined Indonesia, we were very happy,” he said. “We congratulated them and it gave us another confirmation that we are moving in the right way.”

In Team Liquid’s first year in MLBB, the organisation’s Philippines team qualified for the Mid Season Cup 2024. Meanwhile, its Indonesian roster valiantly finished second at last year’s M6 World Championship. Having another established Western name alongside NAVI in the scene also provides easy-to-deliver storylines that can entice fans of both organisations to watch their teams compete.   

Regarding NAVI’s own ambitions, both Yunwono and Kucherov highlighted domestic success, aiming for a potential top-two finish in MPL Indonesia. However, both emphasised that this is a long-term project and that patience is needed. 

“I think we need to have some patience as well,” explained NAVI MLBB’s General Manager.

“We do want to always get the best players, but, season to season, we don’t know whether that player is available for sale. We’re also committed to developing young talent. So there are many ways, many routes, to have a championship roster.”

Kucherov added: “This is not our first year in esports, we know how it’s structured. We know that, as Jonathan said, we need patience. We know that results will come with all the efforts we can put in, but they can not come immediately.”

MPL Indonesia Season 15 is set to be one of MLBB’s most anticipated leagues ever. 

Team Liquid ID is fresh from an impressive run at M6, NAVI is entering the fold and popular organisation RRQ Hoshi is looking to make a statement. All eyes should be on MLBB in 2025, no matter if fans are from Southeast Asia or not.