MAL MY Season 3 Playoffs: CG Esports, Wu Zetian, and the Road to MPL Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — When the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Academy League Malaysia (MAL MY) Season 3 Playoffs took over Quill City Mall from 26 to 29 June, the Malaysian MLBB scene got a clear look at its next generation. The top 10 teams from the Regular Season clashed for a USD 20,000 (~MYR 85,769) prize pool, while six Challenger Conference teams fought for promotion to the biggest competitive stage in Malaysia: the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Malaysia. In 2026, that weekend still stands as a defining moment for the country's esports pipeline, a proof point that MAL MY is more than a feeder league.

What Makes MAL MY So Important?

Launched in January 2024 by MOONTON Games and IO Esports, MAL MY serves as the bridge between Malaysia's grassroots scene and national-level esports. Its purpose is simple but ambitious: build a structured talent pipeline that gives young players a realistic entry point into professional play. The league prepares local talent for international stages such as the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) and the MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI) at the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC). By 2026, that mission has only grown more relevant as Malaysia continues to produce players who can compete at the highest level.

The Season 3 Playoffs were especially important because they combined two high-stakes journeys in one venue. Established amateur and semi-pro teams chased a title and prize money, while Challenger Conference squads chased something even bigger: a ticket to MPL Malaysia Season 16. For many players, this was the difference between staying in the grind and finally reaching the big leagues.

CG Esports: The Final Boss

All eyes were on CG Esports. The team entered the Playoffs as the undisputed frontrunner of MAL MY and the squad many considered the 'final boss' to secure a ticket to MPL Malaysia Season 16. CG Esports dominated the Season 3 Regular Season with only a single match loss. That kind of consistency made them the benchmark for every other contender.

CG Esports also sported two of the most experienced players in MLBB Esports Malaysia: Muhammad Danial 'Cikugais' Mohamad Fuad and Muhammad Syafizan Najmi 'Garyy' Kamarulzaman. Cikugais is one of the most decorated players in Malaysian MLBB history, and he is one of only three players to have participated in the first four M Series events, M1 through M4, MOONTON Games' flagship international MLBB tournament. Garyy, meanwhile, is one of the most expensive transfers in MPL Malaysia history, with a reported move worth MYR 100,000. Together, they gave CG Esports a mix of clutch experience and high-level mechanical skill that few academy teams could match.

So, what made CG Esports so dangerous? It was not just individual talent. The team played with the confidence of a roster that had already solved the Regular Season. Their macro decisions, objective control, and teamfight discipline made them look like an MPL team waiting to happen. The Playoffs were their chance to finish the job.

GamesMY Kelantan: The Hungry Challenger

Another strong contender was GamesMY Kelantan. The team narrowly missed MPL Malaysia promotion last season, but it entered the Playoffs in second place, right behind CG Esports. With momentum and hunger to break through, GamesMY Kelantan aimed to upset the tournament favourites and book their place in MPL Malaysia Season 16. For fans, this was the perfect underdog story: a team that had come close before, now armed with experience and nothing to lose.

The contrast between CG Esports and GamesMY Kelantan gave the Playoffs a compelling narrative. CG Esports had the star power and the Regular Season record. GamesMY Kelantan had the desperation and the recent memory of falling just short. In a short playoff bracket, that combination can be explosive.

Wu Zetian Debuts Outside of China

Adding extra excitement was the competitive debut of Wu Zetian, MLBB's newest hero and a likely game-changer in the current meta. Season 3 of MAL MY marked the first tournament in Southeast Asia to offer Wu Zetian as a potential pick. Fans were eager to see how Malaysia's top talent would harness her potential.

Cikugais summed up the hype: 'Her long-range magic poke, oppressive lane control, and powerful ultimate make her a true game-changer in the MLBB playoffs meta.' That kind of endorsement from a veteran player carried weight. It also highlighted how quickly MAL MY has become a testing ground for new strategies. When a new hero debuts outside China for the first time in Southeast Asia, the league is no longer just a developmental circuit. It is part of the global meta conversation.

A Revamped Promotion Format

This season, MAL MY introduced a revamped promotion format that intensified the path to MPL Malaysia. The top Challenger team earned direct promotion after winning the Challenger Upper Bracket Final, while the losing team still had a second shot through the Challenger Stage against current MPL team JP Niners.

That structure raised the stakes for every match. Teams could not afford to treat the upper bracket as a safety net, but the second-chance route also kept hope alive. For JP Niners, it was a chance to defend their MPL status against a rising challenger. For the Challenger teams, it was a brutal but fair test of resilience.

Why the 2025 Playoffs Still Matter in 2026

As 2026 unfolds, the MAL MY Season 3 Playoffs remain a useful blueprint for Malaysian esports. The event showed how a national academy league can create real stakes, real stars, and real pathways. It also demonstrated that offline events at venues like Quill City Mall can bring the community together and give young players a taste of professional pressure.

MAL MY is supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Esports Integrated (ESI), Rakan Muda, and the Malaysia Esports Federation (MESF). That backing matters because building a sustainable esports ecosystem requires more than prize pools. It requires coaching, structure, exposure, and a clear ladder from grassroots to MPL and beyond.

For fans, the Season 3 Playoffs delivered everything: a dominant favourite in CG Esports, a hungry challenger in GamesMY Kelantan, a historic hero debut in Wu Zetian, and a promotion format designed to reward consistency while offering redemption. The event may have taken place in June 2025, but its impact continues to shape how Malaysia develops its next generation of MLBB stars. 🏆🎮

In the end, MAL MY Season 3 was not just about who lifted the trophy. It was about who earned the right to dream bigger. And in a region as competitive as Southeast Asia, that dream is everything.