Crew Vitality Cellular Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) participant Vivi “Vivian” Indrawaty modified her life and her household’s by banking on her esports profession. The Indonesian athlete comes from a rural family, the place she struggled with insecurity and concern of judgment about her residing scenario all through her childhood.
Vivian’s unbelievable MLBB success, nevertheless, allowed the participant to purchase a house for her mom.
At present, Vivian is likely one of the most adorned ladies in esports historical past, often known as the “Mom of Tanks” amongst MLBB esports followers. Alongside her teammates at Crew Vitality, she most just lately defended the MLBB Ladies’s Worldwide (MWI) crown on the 2026 Esports World Cup.
This marks the 27-year-old’s second back-to-back MWI trophy (2022-2023 and 2025-2026). In the meantime, the 2026 version grew to become the most-watched MWI occasion so far with 565,483 peak viewers, in line with esports viewership platform Esports Charts.
Vivian just lately spoke to Esports Insider about her esports journey, her transition from Jungler to Roamer, and ladies’s esports.
Discovering her function in MLBB
ESI: Might you inform me a bit about your function and your journey to get there?
Vivian: I didn’t begin off as a Roamer. I began taking part in as a Jungler, truly, like a injury supplier. However, finally, as time [went by], I spotted that I couldn’t absolutely execute that function correctly. Then, after that, I transitioned to Roamer. And I spotted that, [as] a Roamer, I do know what the injury sellers need.
From beforehand being a injury supplier and now specializing in the Roamer facet, the very first thing I did was develop my hero pool as a Roamer. Then, I executed my job by masking for the teammates or initiating for the crew, and offering the crew with as a lot info as I may as a Roamer.
The mindset of an esports veteran
ESI: What does a traditional coaching day appear like for you now, versus 5 years in the past?
Vivian: 5 years in the past, coaching was primarily about gaining expertise. We didn’t have the identical assets, and I generally needed to borrow a tool simply to apply. A lot of the studying got here from taking part in as a lot as attainable and figuring issues out by myself.
We’ve a gaming home, good amenities, and dependable gadgets, so I can absolutely give attention to coaching. Having a coach has additionally made an enormous distinction as a result of I now obtain clear steering on what to work on and the place I want to enhance.
ESI: Given all of your mixed expertise and accomplishments, do you continue to really feel the nerves or the strain of competing in a championship grand ultimate?
Vivian: No, I didn’t really feel nervous when stepping on the stage. However as an alternative, I [had] a whole lot of ideas on my thoughts about what I’ve achieved thus far. Have I fulfilled my duties as a Roamer? Is there something to pay attention to [when] moving into the grand finals? That’s all.
Inspiring the following technology of girls’s professional gamers
ESI: You might have gained 34 regional and worldwide titles all through your aggressive profession thus far. That’s greater than most male gamers within the scene. Do you assume the trade nonetheless wants the label “ladies’s esports,” or are we previous that?
Vivian: If you happen to take a look at conventional sports activities, males’s and ladies’s classes every have an vital place, and I consider the identical is true in esports. The groups can have totally different communication kinds, dynamics, and experiences.
As the one all-women’s match on the Esports World Cup, MWI provides feminine athletes an important world stage to compete, acquire recognition, and encourage others. That visibility is crucial to creating extra alternatives and strengthening the ladies’s aggressive scene.
ESI: You walked away from a steady graphics engineering profession to go all-in on esports when ladies barely obtained a glance in. If a younger lady got here to you at the moment with that very same alternative, what would you inform her?
Vivian: I might inform her that if that is actually her dream, she mustn’t let detrimental voices or discouragement cease her — however going all-in additionally means being absolutely dedicated.
Begin by competing in smaller neighborhood tournaments. They provides you with useful publicity, enable you to perceive the place it’s worthwhile to enhance, and construct the psychological power required to compete at the next stage. The journey won’t all the time be simple, particularly when individuals doubt you, however don’t hand over when issues get tough.
Maintain believing in your self, continue to learn, and maintain combating on your dream.
From MLBB participant to world esports stardom
ESI: Two years in the past, you grew to become the primary MLBB ladies’s athlete to be showcased at The Sphere in Las Vegas, alongside former AP.Bren participant David “FlapTzy” Canon. How did that really feel?
Vivian: I used to be extremely pleased and shocked as a result of I by no means anticipated to see myself on the Sphere. It was an actual “wow” second and actually mind-blowing.
Personally, it proved to me that each one the arduous work and struggles all through my journey have been price it. I began as an atypical one that merely liked taking part in MLBB, and I by no means imagined that someday my face would seem on such a worldwide stage.
ESI: You’ve beforehand talked about the disgrace your mom had. What would she say if she noticed you compete at the moment?
Vivian: She would most likely say, “That’s my daughter — she’s superb!”
ESI: What do you assume it’ll take for the following Indonesian esports icon to emerge?
Vivian: It’s going to take somebody who can beat me. That’s after we’ll know the following world esports icon has arrived!
