If you thought the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang professional scene in the Philippines was going to follow the script, the opening day of the Season 17 playoffs just threw the script directly into a woodchipper. The high-stakes gauntlet kicked off at the FilOil Center in Metro Manila. Teams are fighting for the regional crown and two highly coveted tickets to the upcoming MLBB Mid Season Cup at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
The biggest shockwave of the opening play-in round came from Aurora Gaming PH. Despite entering the arena as the reigning M7 World Champions, Aurora has spent the entire domestic season suffering from a massive post-championship hangover. They limped through the regular season with a dismal 5-9 record and their struggles immediately caught up to them in the bracket. ONIC Philippines sent the world champions packing in a brutal 3-2 thriller, proving that international trophies don’t grant you immunity in the local meta.
The Heavyweights Wait in the Wings
While Aurora is busy booking early flights home, the regular-season titans are casually lounging in the upper bracket semifinals. Team Liquid PH is looking absolutely terrifying, entering the playoff phase with a ridiculous 13-1 match record. They are joined by Team Falcons PH, who secured the other direct seeding slot.
ONIC’s reward for surviving the Aurora series is a date with the Falcons, while Omega Esports booked their own ticket to the upper bracket by dismantling Twisted Minds 3-1. Omega will look to challenge the juggernauts at Team Liquid, setting up a massive day of tactical drafting and high-precision team fights.
What is on the Line?
The financial motivation for this tournament is massive. The regional champion walks away with a tidy $35,000 top prize, while the runner-up secures $20,000.
But the real prize is the plane ticket. Getting to represent the Philippines at the EWC in Riyadh means access to life-changing international prize pools. For traditional powerhouses like AP Bren and TNC Pro Team, the dream is already dead. Both squads underperformed drastically during the regular season, finishing in 7th and 8th place respectively to collect a modest $2,500 consolation check from the sidelines.
How to Catch the Action
The tournament runs through May 31st, concluding with a grueling Best-of-Seven Grand Final. If you can’t physically make it to the San Juan Arena to join the screaming local crowd, Moonton is keeping the digital doors wide open.
The games are broadcasting live across Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, featuring both Tagalog and English commentary teams. The production values are top-tier, ensuring you won’t miss a single Lord steal or cross-map initiation.
The reigning world champions are already out of the building before the upper bracket even starts. If that doesn’t tell you how cutthroat the Philippine MLBB scene is, nothing will. Good luck to anyone trying to draft against Team Liquid this weekend.
