Breaking into Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports can feel daunting but, in our interview, pro player Sanford offers insights to help guide aspiring players to realize their dreams. From refining core skills to mastering mindset, his advice covers what it takes to stand out and get noticed by top teams.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) is a hugely competitive MOBA game where the stakes are elevated even further in the esports scene. This cutthroat landscape has birthed numerous players and teams who have worked tirelessly to step up their game against challenging opposition.
The level of competition is certainly intimidating and can leave many hopeful casual players apprehensive about their chances of breaking into the esports scene – or at the very least, unsure if they have the skills necessary to be a professional player. Fortunately, the path to becoming a pro MLBB esports player is within reach for many out there.
To give you an idea of what you’ll need to do to become one, we interviewed Sanford "Sanford" Vinuya, the current EXP Laner for the Philippines-based outfit, Team Liquid PH. He has had great success with various teams in competitions such as the Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines and the Snapdragon Pro Series. Notably, he was a part of the winning team who were crowned champions of the MLBB M4 World Championship.
Sanford shares his insights into how casual players can successfully enter the MLBB esports scene and how they can improve not only the skill aspect of their game but also their mentality.
The First Step Is To Refine Your Core Skills
It may come across as a cliché but the most important step to going pro is to improve the very basic, core-level skills of MLBB. This includes positioning, hero knowledge, skill timing, adaptability, and team communication.
For Sanford, the best way to refine these skills is to identify which hero you want to master. Once you have that in mind, you should start watching professional matches involving this hero. Then, take notes on how they are played in each stage of the match, what items they’re equipped with, and what team compositions they work well in.
While you may want to watch matches where the hero does well mostly, we’d also suggest you watch matches where they don’t perform well. Having this approach will be beneficial in the long run as it allows you to notice things that you shouldn’t be doing in certain matchups and gives you an idea of how top players can uniquely counter your hero.
Additionally, you’ll want to identify mistakes or bad habits in your play style. “Lack of map awareness is the most common mistake that I always see and I think they [players] just have to use the mini-map always so they won't get ganked easily”, Sanford mentions when asked about errors he sees casual players make.
Nailing these core aspects of your playstyle is incredibly pivotal. Having this solid foundation will deepen your understanding of the game and give you a good platform to expand your skill set.
Managing Your Mindset And Emotions Is Important
MLBB is a very intensive skill-based game, but it’s also a mental one. Ensuring that your mind is in the right headspace when you jump into a match can lead to dramatically better performances. But, we know that is easier said than done as the pressure can get too much at times.
When asked about how he manages pressure and nerves during high-stakes matches, Sanford answered, “I always say to myself that this is my time to shine. The only advice that I can give is to not think about the pressure – think about why you’re there.” Reassuring yourself of your abilities in the face of pressure can be a game-changer in your confidence levels at times.
It’s also important to not worry about failure. “Just keep playing and take some lessons from your mistakes whenever you play a game” is something Sanford wants players to always keep in mind if they feel like they’re struggling to improve their skills.
On top of all that, patience plays a key role in how you perform. Sanford advises players to not rush into battles and, instead, wait for their hero’s power spike. Doing the opposite can lead you to lose your footing against enemies and potentially the match itself. You should take some time, but not too long, to understand the situation in the game and prepare a strategy with your teammates on how you can win it.
Your Path To Getting Noticed By A Professional MLBB Esports Team
Once you assess your abilities and mental capacities, you may wonder how you can join one of the top MLBB esports teams. In such a competitive space, one of the best ways forward is to start a team and participate in tournaments.
“Join or form a team that is in your same skill level and start practicing”, Sanford states. When you’re a part of a team, you can easily join online tournaments or take part in local events. This way, you can test your skills and also practice your teamwork and communication.
The Snapdragon Pro Series, the world’s largest multi-title mobile esports ecosystem, is a popular competition for up-and-coming MLBB players as it offers them the chance to climb through the competitive rounds from local qualifiers to an international stage. Additionally, the Snapdragon Pro Series launched the MLBB women’s league in Asia-Pacific and Japan. This league offers women competitors an opportunity to turn pro and the chance for them to earn a share of the USD $30,000 prize pool.
However, if you’re unable to join a competition, climbing in Ranked and having consistent results is also a great option if you want to be noticed by a professional team. Sanford was first scouted by an organization due to his performances in his Ranked matches and he believes this is still a popular route for teams looking for new talent.
Now, it takes more than just raw skill to be noticed, but also a good attitude toward the work that is required to reach the very demanding, competitive standards. “Most of the organizations in the scene will always prioritize attitude over skills but, of course, you will also need to have the mechanical skill. You should start practicing time management because the moment you enter the pro scene your schedule will be packed with daily practice”, Sanford explained.
If you can persevere and commit to all these crucial steps, then you’re already on the right path to becoming a professional MLBB esports player. It will certainly take a massive amount of time and effort, but we’re sure that the hard work you put in will reward you with a place on the podium of many competitions and, eventually, a place amongst the game’s top competitive players.
For more information on the Snapdragon Pro Series, visit the official website, and follow the league on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.
MobileMatters is in partnership with ESL FACEIT Group, the tournament organizers behind the Snapdragon Pro Series.