By Rafael “Rafa” Alves, Co-Founder of RESPAWN.MEDIA

MPL Indonesia Season 17 just kicked off three days ago, the Fredrinn meta is making tank junglers relevant again, and the entire MLBB competitive calendar for 2026 looks absolutely stacked. So naturally, I had to get on a call with my guy Rizky “RizkyPro” Pratama, our Indonesia Editor and former RRQ manager, to break it all down. If you want an insider take on everything happening in Indonesian Mobile Legends right now, trust me on this one, Rizky is the person you want to hear from.

So, Rizky, MPL ID S17 literally just started. Give us your first impressions from Week 1.

Rizky: The energy is different this season. You could feel it even before the first match. Nine teams, all of them hungry, and the stakes are higher than ever because two MSC slots are on the line. The opening weekend already delivered some surprises. NAVI came out swinging with a clean 2-0 over RRQ Hoshi on Day 1, which nobody expected. ONIC looked sharp against Alter Ego, and Team Liquid ID edged out NAVI on Saturday. The storylines are writing themselves already.

NAVI beating RRQ 2-0 on opening day is a statement. What happened there?

Rizky: People forget that NAVI acquired the Rebellion Esports franchise slot and built a serious roster. Karss in the EXP lane, Andoryuuu in the jungle, UK1R and xMagic sharing mid responsibilities. They are not a team that is just filling a spot. They came to compete. RRQ, on the other hand, made some roster moves heading into S17. They brought in Yehezkiel to stand in for Rinz, and that kind of adjustment takes time. It is Week 1, so I would not panic if I were an RRQ fan, but NAVI proved they belong.

Let’s talk about the new Battlefield Effects. Every match now gets a random map variant. How is that changing the pro meta?

Rizky: This is the biggest variable this season and honestly, it is what makes MPL ID S17 so exciting to watch. You have four maps that can show up randomly during draft: Dangerous Grass, which adds dense bushes everywhere and turns the mid lane and Lord pit into ambush zones. Broken Walls, which opens up new shortcuts across the jungle. Flying Cloud, which gives respawned heroes a five-second glide from near the base. And Expanding Rivers, which boosts movement speed in wider river areas.

The impact on drafting is massive. If Dangerous Grass pops up, you suddenly want assassins and pick-off heroes who thrive in bushes. If Broken Walls appears, junglers with fast rotations become even more valuable. Teams cannot just prepare one strategy anymore. You need flexibility across four different battlefield conditions, and that rewards deeper hero pools and smarter coaching.

Speaking of junglers, let’s get into the Fredrinn conversation. He is back in the meta after being out for a while. What changed?

Rizky: A few things converged. The 2026 season introduced adjustments to objective scaling that favor durability over raw burst damage. Fredrinn fits perfectly into that philosophy because his entire kit is built around absorbing damage and converting it into offense through his Crystal Energy passive. He soaks hits, builds up gray HP, and then his Ultimate can hit like a truck if you time it right.

In ranked and pro play, we are seeing him primarily as a jungle pick. He pairs incredibly well with utility supports like Mathilda or Floryn who keep him alive while he builds combo points. The return of tank junglers also opens up the EXP lane for assassin-type fighters like Arlott, which gives teams more flexibility in their overall damage distribution.

For our readers who want to try Fredrinn in ranked, what is the quick version of how to play him?

Rizky: Simple. Early game, focus on farming. You need to unlock your Ultimate as fast as possible. Use Skill 1 and Skill 2 on jungle creeps to stack combo points before fights. Once you have four combo points, your Ultimate becomes available and that is when you start looking for engagements. The basic combo is Skill 2 to close the gap, Skill 1 to poke and slow, Skill 3 to taunt nearby enemies, and then Ultimate for the big area burst.

For items, the standard build right now is Warrior Boots, War Axe, Cursed Helmet, Thunder Belt, Oracle, and Guardian Helmet. If you want to go full tank for your team, swap War Axe for Antique Cuirass and add Radiant Armor. Use Ice Retribution for jungle, Flicker if you are playing EXP lane.

One more thing: Fredrinn’s passive converts turret damage into HP when he deals damage to enemy units. Use that. Do not be afraid to tank a few turret shots during a dive if you can hit someone immediately after.

Alter Ego made the M7 Grand Final back in January. Now they are back in MPL ID S17. Do you think that World Championship run changes the dynamic of the league?

Rizky: Absolutely. Alter Ego went into M7 as a team nobody was talking about and ended up in the Grand Final against Aurora Gaming PH, who swept them 4-0 for the title. That loss stings, but the experience they gained is invaluable. They know what it takes to reach the biggest stage. The question is whether they can maintain that form across a full Regular Season, which is a completely different challenge than a bracket tournament.

Meanwhile, ONIC has Kairi back and they always look dangerous. EVOS picked up EgaTzy as a substitute. And then you have NAVI making noise right away. This is going to be one of the most competitive MPL ID seasons we have seen.

The viewership numbers from Week 1 are already wild. Over 2 million peak viewers on Day 3 alone. Why does MPL Indonesia consistently pull these kinds of numbers?

Rizky: Indonesia’s MLBB fanbase is something you cannot replicate anywhere else. The game is deeply embedded in the culture here. People watch MPL the way football fans in Brazil or Europe watch their leagues. Every team has a massive, passionate community. RRQ alone can swing viewership by hundreds of thousands just by playing.

This season also benefits from the M7 hype. The World Championship hit nearly 5.7 million peak viewers during the Grand Final in Jakarta, so the entire ecosystem got a boost. Fans who tuned in for M7 are now following their favorite teams into MPL. Add the new Battlefield Effects making every match unpredictable, and you have a recipe for insane engagement.

Looking ahead, what are the big milestones on the 2026 calendar that fans should circle?

Rizky: The MPL ID S17 Regular Season runs through May 24, with Playoffs in June. The top two teams qualify for the Mid Season Cup, which is happening in Riyadh as part of the Esports World Cup 2026 this summer. That event alone had over $70 million in total prize money last year, so the incentive to qualify is enormous.

Then you have the second half of the year, which includes the return of regional leagues, the Asian Games in September where MLBB will be a medal event for the first time, and the M8 World Championship closing out the season. It is a packed year.

Last question. You went from managing RRQ to writing about MLBB for RESPAWN.MEDIA. What are your personal goals for 2026?

Rizky: My goal is to make RESPAWN.MEDIA the go-to source for MPL Indonesia coverage in English. There is so much happening in the Indonesian scene that the global audience does not get to see because the content stays in Bahasa Indonesia. I want to bridge that gap. When someone searches for the latest meta breakdown, I want them to land on our site and think, okay, these guys actually know what they are talking about.

On a personal level, I want to keep building connections between the Southeast Asian MLBB community and audiences in Latin America, Europe, and beyond. Mobile esports is growing everywhere, and the Indonesian scene is leading the way. More people should know about it.

Rafa: And that is exactly why we brought you on board, brother. Thanks for breaking it all down. See you in Week 2.

Rizky: Always. Let’s go.