S8UL Disqualified from MLBB MSC 2025: Here’s Why It Happened
What happened to S8UL in MLBB MSC 2025?
Why S8UL Disqualified from MLBB, Moonton, the publisher of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), disqualified S8UL’s North American roster from the Mid-Season Cup (MSC) 2025. The controversy erupted after two players—MobaZane and Hoon—appeared in promotional content for Honor of Kings, a rival MOBA title. Moonton considered this a breach of tournament policy and issued suspensions, which left the roster ineligible.
Why did Moonton disqualify S8UL from MLBB?
Moonton’s tournament rules prohibit any involvement with competing titles during the tournament period. Despite receiving official warnings, MobaZane and Hoon participated in Honor of Kings promotions. Moonton enforced a suspension on both, which left the team short of the required five-man lineup. As a result, Moonton disqualified the entire roster from MSC 2025.
What did the S8UL owner say?
Animesh “8Bit Thug” Agarwal, co-founder of S8UL, addressed the situation through social media:
“We did everything in our control. Sorry to all of you. It was NEVER S8UL’s fault.”
He further emphasized:
“There will be a lot of people introspecting and making fun of what we did wrong. I can PUT A FOOT DOWN and say S8UL, its management, and the entire staff did nothing wrong and were not a part of any decision making that led to this.”
Thug also stated that S8UL would “maintain silence” while evaluating its legal and management options.
What did the players say?
Ian “FwydChickn” Hohl, one of the S8UL roster members, expressed disappointment:
“I am devastated to share that as a player who has travelled, spent a whole month practicing overseas to prepare for EWC (MSC), we have been forced to withdraw due to unfair restrictions and basically bullying from Moonton.”
How did the disqualification affect S8UL MLBB’s roster?
With two players suspended, the team couldn’t meet the 5-player minimum. S8UL earned its MSC slot by winning the North America Challenger Tournament (NACT) Spring 2025. Despite this achievement, the breach left them disqualified, and their hard-fought slot was lost.
Did S8UL India manage the roster?
No. The roster that qualified operated independently in North America. S8UL collaborated with the roster for the NACT Spring Split, but didn’t control its daily operations. The organization had no involvement in player decisions related to Honor of Kings.
What does the MLBB rulebook say?
Moonton’s MSC 2025 rulebook includes strict clauses:
- 2.1 – Conflicting Participation: Players must not engage in promotions or tournaments involving rival MOBAs.
- 4.3 – Team Responsibility: Organizations must ensure players comply with all rules.
- 5.0 – Penalty Enforcement: Violations may lead to suspensions, forfeits, or full disqualification.
How did the community react?
The Indian esports community rallied behind S8UL, while also criticizing the players’ poor decision-making. Many praised Thug’s transparency and acknowledged that the issue didn’t stem from S8UL India. Others debated whether Moonton should reconsider blanket suspensions for marketing collaborations.
Who replaced S8UL in MSC 2025?
Moonton announced that Area 77, the runner-up of NACT Spring, would take S8UL’s place in the MSC 2025 event. Although Area 77 did not originally qualify, they will now represent North America in Riyadh.
What’s next for S8UL MLBB?
S8UL is expected to:
- Reevaluate its international partnerships
- Build a dedicated Indian MLBB roster
- Draft tighter contracts for player conduct
Given S8UL’s legacy in titles like BGMI and Valorant, the organization is likely to bounce back stronger and return to MLBB with a homegrown lineup.
Will S8UL return to MLBB’s global stage?
Most likely. Despite the controversy, S8UL still enjoys a massive fan base, top-tier infrastructure, and experienced leadership. With the right approach, they can return to international MLBB events—this time with tighter control over team conduct and operations.
Key Takeaways
- Moonton disqualified S8UL due to players violating exclusivity rules.
- S8UL India did not manage the disqualified roster.
- Owner 8Bit Thug defended the org and promised internal review.
- Area 77 will now represent NA at MSC 2025.
- S8UL aims to rebuild and likely return with an Indian roster.
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