The Next ‘Arcane’? Fellow MOBA Game ‘Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’ Is Getting An Animated Adaptation

Moontoon Games has announced a new animated series based on its blockbuster MOBA title, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), following in the footsteps of League of Legends, one of the most popular such games of all time which inspired Netflix’s Emmy-winning series Arcane.

The project is being produced by The Little Black Book Studios (TLBBS) and Base Media, the animation house behind China’s record-breaking Ne Zha 2 and several of Disney+’s recent Marvel reboot projects.

For those keeping score, this comes on the heels of the breakout success of Riot Games’ Arcane, Netflix’s Emmy-winning animated series adapted from League of Legends, another MOBA giant. Arcane proved that high-quality, narrative-driven adaptations of video games can captivate both gamers and general audiences, and it appears Moontoon is betting on a similar strategy for MLBB’s sprawling universe.

The yet-untitled series promises to dive deep into the lore of the Land of Dawn, a world familiar to MLBB’s 1.5 billion players worldwide. With animation duties handled by Base Media’s teams in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, fresh from their recent work on Deadpool & Wolverine and Netflix’s Wish Dragon, the project boasts serious pedigree. TLBBS, co-founded by Ibrahim Mohammed, Paul Liang, and Ross Leo, positions itself as a creative incubator for global IP, with previous credits that touch franchises like Naruto and Attack on Titan.

“This is our most ambitious project to date,” said TLBBS co-founder Ross Leo in the announcement. “We’re taking a huge and popular game and translating that into an animation that will bring the MLBB world to life.” Chris Bremble, CEO of Base Media, echoed the enthusiasm, highlighting the synergy between Moontoon, Base, and TLBBS as key to capturing MLBB’s expansive universe.

While exact plot details, release platforms, and the series title remain under wraps, Moontoon confirmed that the production marks a “step out of their comfort zone” as they explore new entertainment platforms beyond games and Esports. A global merchandising campaign will accompany the launch.

If Arcane’s success is any indication, MLBB’s foray into serialized animation could be another signpost in the ongoing merger between top-tier animation and video game storytelling, a trend that is quickly becoming one of the industry’s most reliable sources of breakout content.