The first Samsung x MLBB – Galaxy Gaming Campus Tournament (Galaxy Gaming Academy X Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Campus Series 2025) has wrapped up successfully, creating a significant moment for college esports in Southeast Asia. This exciting tournament brought together top student gamers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore in the first inter-country MLBB Campus Series, aimed at developing new talent and building a strong community of competitive gamers.
The grand finals were held from June 20-22 at Taman Anggrek Mall in West Jakarta, known as the “esports shopping mall”. Team NU Bulldogs from the Philippines won after a tough competition among the top eight teams. The tournament saw over 1,000 teams from four countries competing through local qualifiers for a big prize pool of US$40,000.
“Samsung is deeply committed to empowering the next generation of esports talent across Southeast Asia,” said Carl Nordenberg, VP, Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania. “The Galaxy Gaming Academy x MLBB Campus Series reflects our dedication to providing students with the technology, platform, and opportunities they need to excel in competitive gaming. We are proud to support these young athletes as they pursue their esports dreams – and we are excited for a fun and engaging competition between Southeast Asian universities!”
Ray Ng, Head of Ecosystem, MOONTON Games, emphasized the significance of the partnership: “The collaboration between MOONTON Games and Samsung for the first-ever inter-country MLBB Campus Series Tournament significantly aligns with our commitment to building a strong foundation for aspiring gamers to pursue their esports careers through the tournament. We thank Samsung for this partnership and the Galaxy Gaming Academy that successfully showcased their commitment in the gaming and esports ecosystem while encouraging esports development and student participation across the region.”
NU Bulldogs from the Philippines won the championship title and a prize of US$18,000. They showed great skill, strategy, and teamwork during the tournament, establishing themselves as the best campus MLBB team in Southeast Asia.
FAITH NOVUS Bravehearts finished in second place and received US$8,000, while VL Team from Indonesia came in third and won US$5,000.
“Taking home the championship title is beyond what we imagined when we first registered. Playing against the best campus teams from Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore has made us all better players and showed us the incredible depth of talent in our region. This tournament proves that student gamers deserve serious recognition and support, and we cannot wait to see how this grows in the future. We hope more students will join us in competitive gaming!” said Patrick Balanquit, coach for the NU Bulldogs.
GGA x MCS 2025 Tournament Highlights
The GGA x MCS 2025 featured a three-stage tournament: open registration from March 15 to April 6, domestic online qualifiers from April 7 to May 11, and an additional offline competition in Indonesia from April 19 to May 25. The top two campus teams from each country advanced to the grand finals in Jakarta.
The event showcased the depth of young esports talent in Southeast Asia, with teams exhibiting advanced tactics and gameplay. Samsung provided Galaxy devices, enhancing gaming performance for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition.
A major highlight was the presence of professional esports teams like Dewa United, Onic, EVOS, and Team Liquid, supporting the event’s goal of offering aspiring gamers a platform to compete and gain experience, thus facilitating pathways to professional careers in esports.
Looking to the Future of GGA x MCS
The first Galaxy Gaming Academy x MLBB Campus Series 2025 has set a high standard for college esports in Southeast Asia. The tournament showed that with the right organization, technology support, and involvement from the community, college-level esports can reach professional quality while keeping the exciting and passionate nature of college competition.
The complete engagement process—from raising awareness before the event to finding talent after the tournament—has created a model for developing a lasting esports community that others can follow.
For more details on Galaxy Gaming Academy, please visit Samsung’s Game Portal.