Dawn of a globalized era: Teams to watch at MPL Philippines Season 17
The MPL Philippines Season 17 begins on March 20, launching a new competitive year for the world’s most dominant Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports region. The anniversary season arrives with several major storylines already shaping the league: reigning world champions Aurora Gaming PH return with their championship roster intact, Team Liquid PH attempt to rebound from a disappointing M7 campaign and a dramatic offseason rebuild, and former world champions ONIC Philippines begin a high-pressure rebuilding phase after losing superstar gold laner.
At the same time, the league itself is entering a new phase. The MPL Philippines celebrates the tenth anniversary of MLBB with a new arena, expanding commercial partnerships, and an increasingly international competitive landscape highlighted by the arrival of Indonesian imports. Together, these shifts make Season 17 one of the most intriguing chapters in the league’s history — both for the tournament itself and for the teams attempting to reshape its hierarchy.
MPL PH Season 17: New venue, Indonesian imports and schedule
Season 17 marks a moment of transition for the entire MLBB esports ecosystem. The league now moves into a new live venue at Victoria Sports Tower in Quezon City, a significantly larger arena designed to support MPL Philippines’ growing audience. The relocation reflects the continued expansion of MLBB esports in the Philippines, where the league remains one of the country’s most popular competitive circuits.
However, the biggest shift this season comes from the changing competitive landscape. Historically, MPL Philippines has been a largely domestic ecosystem built around Filipino talent. That dynamic began to shift during the offseason, as several organizations turned to international imports, particularly from Indonesia and Singapore. This is the first meaningful wave of cross-regional roster building in MPL Philippines history.
Two signings illustrate this change most clearly. ONIC Philippines recruited Indonesian gold laner Clayton "Savero" Kuswanto, while Team Liquid PH later followed with the acquisition of Sultan "AeronnShikii" Muhammad from Team Liquid Indonesia. Their arrivals introduce a new tactical variable into the league, blending Indonesian aggression with the macro-focused playstyle that has long defined the Philippine scene.
The result is a season filled with new strategic questions. Can imported MLBB pro players adapt quickly to MPL PH’s demanding environment? Will cross-regional rosters become the new standard? And which teams are best positioned to capitalize on the evolving competitive landscape?
Three organizations stand at the center of these questions: Aurora Gaming PH, Team Liquid PH, and ONIC Philippines. Each enters Season 17, which will run from March 20 to May 31, with a very different trajectory — and each could ultimately shape the balance of power within the league.
Aurora Gaming PH roster: Can the M7 World Champions stay on top?
Aurora Gaming PH enter the MPL Philippines Season 17 in the rarest possible position in esports: as undisputed world champions. M7 World Championship winners cemented the roster as the strongest team in the global Mobile Legends: Bang Bang ecosystem and extended the Philippines’ streak of international dominance.
Unlike most title-winning teams, Aurora chose stability over change. The organization retained its entire championship lineup heading into the new season. With head coach Aniel "Master the Basics" Jiandani continuing to lead the roster, Aurora enter Season 17 without the adjustment period most teams face after esports roster changes, which gives Aurora a major advantage early in the season.
Aurora’s success is built on one of the most disciplined macro systems in the MPL. Edward "Edward" Dapadap anchors the EXP lane, allowing Jonard "Demonkite" Caranto and Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo to control the map through a highly active mid-jungle partnership, while Jan "Domeng" Delmundo serves as the team’s primary late-game damage source. Much of this structure is orchestrated by roamer Dylan "Light" Catipon, whose vision control and precise initiations often set the pace of team fights and objective setups.
Yet Aurora’s biggest challenge this season may not be mechanical at all. Historically, defending champions often struggle to maintain the same hunger that fueled their breakthrough run. Every opponent in the MPL Philippines has now spent weeks, if not months, studying Aurora’s strategies and identifying potential weaknesses.
Season 17 will reveal whether Aurora can continue evolving tactically or whether the inevitable target on their back begins to slow them down.
Team Liquid PH: Life after Oheb and the AeronnShikii transfer
Team Liquid PH enters Season 17 as the opposite of Aurora’s stability: a team undergoing radical reinvention. After dominating the MPL for much of the past two years, the roster entered the M7 World Championship chasing the elusive “Golden Road”, but instead, an early elimination (by the team's standards) abruptly ended that run and triggered one of the most serious offseason restructures in the league’s history.
Team Liquid parted ways with head coach Rodel "Ar Sy" B.Cruz and made the controversial decision to bench longtime gold laner Kiel “Oheb” Soriano, one of the most recognizable players in MLBB esports and the team’s primary damage source for several seasons. In his place, the organization signed Indonesian gold laner Sultan “Aeronnshikii” Muhammad, one of the most notable cross-regional transfers of the offseason.
The move introduces a stylistic experiment. Indonesian teams are often associated with faster, mechanically aggressive gameplay, while Philippine rosters traditionally emphasize macro coordination and disciplined objective play. If Aeronnshikii successfully adapts, Team Liquid could gain a more explosive offensive dimension.
Supporting that transition is new head coach Ong Wei “Aeon” Sheng, tasked with integrating the roster’s new elements while preserving the team’s established macro structure.
Importantly, the core of the roster remains intact, so the central question for Team Liquid PH is simple: how quickly can this new roster reach full synergy? Cross-regional rosters often require time to stabilize, particularly when communication systems and strategic habits differ. But if the experiment works, Team Liquid may once again become the most dangerous roster in the league.
ONIC PH rebuild: Replacing Kelra with Savero for Season 17
Few teams in MLBB esports have experienced a rise and fall as dramatic as ONIC Philippines. Just a year after winning the M6 World Championship and establishing themselves as one of the most dominant rosters in MPL history, the team’s momentum collapsed during the MPL Philippines Season 16, where a fourth-place finish left the reigning world champions outside qualification for the M7 World Championship.
The disappointing season triggered a major roster change: the departure of superstar gold laner Duane “Kelra” Pillas. As the team’s primary late-game carry and one of the most mechanically gifted gold laners in MLBB, Kelra had been central to ONIC’s championship identity.
To fill the gap, ONIC signed Indonesian gold laner Clayton "Savero" Kuswanto, a historic transfer that made him the first Indonesian player to join an MPL Philippines franchise. Replacing a player of Kelra’s stature presents a significant challenge, especially as Savero must simultaneously adapt to a new region and competitive environment.
As ONIC begins its rebuilding phase, leadership responsibilities shift toward mid laner Frince "Super Frince" Ramirez and jungler King "K1NGKONG" Perez, whose mid-jungle synergy remains one of the team’s key strengths. The roster will thus attempt to regain stability and prove that its championship pedigree can survive the loss of a generational star.
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These narratives and storylines will unfold tomorrow, March 20, when the MPL Philippines Season 17 officially kicks off. The regular season runs until mid-May, featuring three match days per week with 2-3 series daily. An influx of international players and staff this season may drive viewership metrics to new heights. You can follow the tournament’s progress and monitor its audience statistics in real-time on Esports Charts.
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