MET Malaysia parts ways with Mineski Global, rebrands as IO Esports

MET Malaysia, the Malaysian division of Asia esports event organiser MET (previously known as Mineski Events Team), has left its parent company Mineski Global and rebranded itself as an independent esports event organiser named IO Esports. Kenchi Yap, CEO at IO Esports, said the decision to part ways was due to "differences in strategic planning and direction of the company". Nonetheless, both parties parted on good terms and Yap said IO Esports will continue to focus on its new direction.

IO Esports will collaborate with business partners to continue its work as a premier esports event organiser. It will also continue to operate Mineski Infinity cyber-cafes in Malaysia as per a separate franchise agreement. The company will also be looking to expand throughout Southeast Asia and globally as well, aiming to pursue local and international success under its new banner with a range of "gold standard esports events" in the future.

“I would like to thank Mineski for its collaborative efforts for the past 10 years, working together in flourishing the global esports industry," Yap said. A+M has reached out to IO Esports for additional information.

Mineski Global also confirmed that the separation was "amicable" on a post on MET Malaysia's LinkedIn page. "We at Mineski Global wish our former partners all the best in its new endeavors," said Ronald Robins, Mineski Global founder and CEO. Mineski Global added in the post that it also intends to expand its services beyond Southeast Asia and into new global markets.

Based in Manila, MET was founded in 2006 by Robins and a group of gamers. Some of the companies it works with include Blizzard Entertainment, Asus, Razer, Twitch, Garena, and Microsoft. Last year, IO Esports and MET organised global sports event Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M1 World Championships held in Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to the press statement, the event was attended by over 4,000 fans from across the globe, with over 650,000 global fans watching live on YouTube's gaming channel.

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