State of the Ecosystem: PUBG Cellular esports (2023 overview)

State of the Ecosystem is a collection overviewing the modern esports scene in a number of main esports titles, with a main give attention to the business aspect.

Broadly thought to be one the largest world cellular esports, PUBG Cellular is a battle royale title for Android and iOS, developed and launched by Tencent Video games again in 2018. The sport is a cellular model of the PUBG: Battlegrounds franchise and has since gone on to eclipse its predecessor’s esports recognition.

Again in 2018, cellular esports wasn’t a significant participant within the scene. So, the thought of making an esports ecosystem for a Battle Royale title that has 100 gamers parachute onto a map from a cellular gadget appeared inconceivable.

Nonetheless, Tencent made it clear from the get-go that it was an space it needed to give attention to, creating an invitational world championship within the first yr of the sport’s launch. From there, the corporate has constructed up a vibrant and world ecosystem. 

Whereas PUBG Cellular is the frequent identify for the sport cherished by followers worldwide, the Battle Royale title has completely different identities in some areas. These embrace India and China the place the sport was first launched as PUBG Cellular, however later modified for a number of causes.

In China, Tencent took down PUBG Cellular again in Could 2019 and changed it with Peacekeeper Elite, basically the identical sport however with much less violence in accordance with the international locations’ strict gaming legal guidelines.

India, then again, banned PUBG Mobile and various different Chinese language purposes for knowledge privateness issues amidst heightened border tensions between the 2 international locations in 2020. Later, South Korea’s KRAFTON took over the publishing tasks of the sport, seemingly in an try to distance itself from China, and introduced the Battle Royale again as Battlegrounds Cellular India (BGMI). Given the game’s 2020 ban, comeback, ban again and second comeback, PUBG Cellular has undergone a turbulent interval in India, one in every of its extra standard markets.

Tencent is answerable for operating the worldwide PUBG Cellular esports ecosystem and works with native companions like ESL and VSPO to execute its tournaments. Nonetheless, in some areas like South Korea and India, it’s KRAFTON that helms the sport’s actions. 

Moreover, generally Tencent groups up with third-party tournaments to supply slots for its official tournaments just like the PUBG Cellular Membership Open (PMCO) or PUBG Cellular Nationwide Championship (PMNC). 

As an alternative of making a standard world PUBG Cellular esports format, Tencent has carried out completely different methods that modify from area to area based mostly on the sport’s recognition. 

The most typical format, which is adopted nearly globally, is the PUBG Cellular Professional League (PMPL). This format begins off with the PUBG Cellular Nationwide Championships (PMNC). These are, because the identify suggests, open-for-all nationwide championships that includes one nation competing for victory.

In addition to this, Tencent has one other grassroots-level program known as the PUBG Cellular Membership Open (PMCO). Each the PMNCs and PMCOs embody almost each nation on the earth throughout Africa, the Center East, Southeast Asia, Europe, elements of Asia, North America, and South America. 

From right here, prime groups transfer to the PUBG Cellular Professional Leagues (PMPL). These occur throughout 9 areas of the world and often embrace an extended league stage adopted by a finals. Every PMPL results in a PMPL Championship, which incorporates separate competitions for the MEA, South Asia, Americas and Europe areas. 

Beginning in 2023, the PMPL SEA Championship has been changed by a partnered PUBG Cellular Tremendous League (PMSL). This league fixtures 15 partnered groups, that in response to Tencent had been chosen based mostly on previous outcomes, monetary viability, and contribution to the PUBG Cellular esports ecosystem. 5 of the slots are open to groups from the SEA PMPLs. Tencent has stated that it may deliver comparable partnered leagues for different areas quickly as properly. 

China and India are two areas which have separate ecosystems. Maybe the largest esports area for PUBG Cellular / Peacekeeper Elite esports is China. 

The Peacekeeper Elite League (PEL) occurs throughout the Spring and Summer time seasons yearly and options 20 extremely precious franchised slots. The league is undoubtedly the largest for PUBG Cellular esports with a prize cash that exceeds $2.3m (~£1.9m) each season and a very on-line format spanning a number of weeks. The league additionally incorporates a switch window for groups to swap gamers with gamers promoting for excess of $500,000 (~£410,000) as well. 

Presently, Battlegrounds Cellular India Sequence (BGIS) is the top-level of aggressive BGMI within the nation. It additionally incorporates a televised month-long LAN league held yearly known as the Masters Sequence (BGMS), which is executed by Nodwin Gaming. 

Regardless of which construction a area follows, all competitions throughout the ecosystem culminate at both the mid-season PUBG Cellular World Invitational (PMWI) or the PUBG Cellular World Championship (PMGC), which occurs in the direction of the tip of the yr as a LAN occasion with an enormous prize pool.