Tencent has announced major changes to the 2024 esports season, building anticipation for the upcoming PUBG Mobile Global Championship Grand Finals.
In a thrilling turn of events for esports enthusiasts, Tencent, the publisher of PUBG Mobile, has announced major changes to the 2024 esports season, building anticipation for the upcoming PUBG Mobile Global Championship Grand Finals.
The highlight of these changes is the introduction of the PUBG Mobile Global Open (PMGO), a global event set to debut in Brazil in March 2024 with an enticing prize pool of $500,000 (~£397,495), promising intense competition and excitement.
The 2024 esports roadmap, revealed by James Yang, Senior Director of PUBG MOBILE Global Esports, showcases three global events that are set to elevate the competitive landscape. The renowned PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) retains its prestige, complemented by an upgraded midseason tournament, the PUBG Mobile World Invitational (PMWI), and the inaugural PUBG Mobile Global Open, adding a new layer of competition.
The PUBG MOBILE Super League (PMSL) steals the spotlight in the regional leagues, supplanting the PUBG Mobile Pro League (PMPL) across Southeast Asia, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East & Africa), Americas, and Central & South Asia. This premier competition is undergoing significant transformations, bringing in four regions and multiple seasons to foster a vibrant and competitive gaming environment.
During a press conference, Yang detailed the invitations for the PMGO, extending them to the host region’s qualifier, PMSL partnership teams, and regional PMSL qualifiers. These changes are aimed at providing more opportunities for new partnership teams to showcase their talent, while also offering community teams an additional avenue to compete against elite squads.
In a bid to elevate the competitive landscape, PMSL will take over the role of the premier competition in all regions, replacing PMPL. Offline events are planned for each league, promising an added layer of excitement to the proceedings. Southeast Asia is set to host three seasons of PMSL in the upcoming year, with EMEA, the Americas, and Central & South Asia (now united) each hosting two seasons.
Explaining the decision to have three seasons in Southeast Asia, Yang highlighted the success of previous experiences and the well-established esports ecosystem in the region. He hinted at the possibility of implementing three seasons in other regions, although no official confirmation has been made at this time.
In addition to the top-tier competition, PMSL regional qualifiers will offer amateur teams a chance to showcase their talents and compete against professional players. The fourth tier will feature smaller regional leagues and tournaments, including the prestigious PUBG Mobile Club Open (PMCO).
Expanding the esports landscape beyond mobile, PUBG Battlegrounds, the PC version of PUBG, is set to include 10 teams in its esports partner program for 2024. Teams interested in joining the program are currently undergoing the evaluation process, with the selection period open until December 15th, 2023. The announcement of the new lineup of partner teams is scheduled for January 2024.
As the esports community eagerly awaits the PUBG Mobile Global Championship Grand Finals, these exciting changes to the 2024 season promise a dynamic and competitive year ahead, with the introduction of PMGO and significant transformations to the regional leagues through PMSL.
PUBG Mobile continues to evolve its esports ecosystem, providing both established and emerging talents ample opportunities to shine on the global stage.