While everyone was hiding in holes afraid the coronavirus might get them, PUBG Corporation seems to have the right idea. This spring, the company has announced several major PUBG Mobile leagues, all paving the way to the PUBG MOBILE World League.
Four pillars
PUBG Corporation wasn't kidding about that $5-million investment into PUBG Mobile esports. As Battle Royale remains a popular genre, it's fair to say that the competition will be savage. As part of the company's attempt to streamline its esports scene, we are getting four separate PUBG Mobile Pro Leagues, all for different regions, all set for spring, as part of the official PUBG MOBILE World League. We are expected to see a similar structure in fall, somewhere around October. Winners from the spring and fall splits will ultimately test their mettle in the World Championship which is set for December.
Here are the three PUBG Mobile Pro Leagues in their respective regions:
- Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia/Singapore, Vietnam): February 14 to April 19
- Chinese Taipei: March 12 to April 19
- South Asia: March 12 to April 5
- North and South America: Early to late April
You might be noticing a common theme there: three of the four leagues are set in Asia. That is no coincidence as mobile titles are especially popular in China and the rest of Asia. You're probably also noticing that the first league is already underway. That's right, the SEA PUBG Mobile Pro League had its first plays on February 14. You can watch the first day of the Thailand showdown here if you want to brush up on your Thai:
Currently, direct invitees FaZe Clan are first with a massive lead, standing at 194 points. The Top 5 currently looks like this:
- FaZe Clan – 194 points
- Suphanburi E-Sport – 159 points
- 2019 Fall Split champions RRQ Athena – 126 points
- Golden Cat – 124 points
- Team Secret TH – 123 points
What's at stake?
But the Spring Split is still very young, so this can change at any time. Keep in mind that on a national level, the prize pool is relatively small (around $4,800) but it quickly ramps up at a regional level. There, teams will battle for a slice of a bigger pie – slightly over $150,000 are up for grabs for the SEA PUBG Mobile Pro League. It will be interesting to see if interest in the North American region will rival the hype in Asia.
We will keep a close eye on the PUBG Mobile Pro Leagues as the ring of contestants keeps getting smaller.
