Esports inclusion as official medal event elevates attention
Esports being recognized as an official medal category at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, is a significant achievement.
Participants from all over Asia are highly intrigued by the Games, seeing this incorporation as a further boost to the evolution of esports.
During the 2023 Global Esports Summit in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in July, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, head of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, declared: “The Asian esports sector is witnessing explosive growth and has unleashed enormous potential. It enables the connection among people from diverse cultures, countries, and regions.”
Asian Games in 2018, hosted in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, saw the debut of Esports as a demonstration sport with China clinching two gold and one silver medal.
In today’s Hangzhou Games, esports has seven contest segments – the Asian Games Version of Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version, Street Fighter V, and FIFA-branded football game by EA SPORTS.
China is contesting in six out of these seven events, excluding Street Fighter V. Selection for the national team of 31 players was done from a pool of 125 candidates while five coaches were picked from a list of 27 aspirants.
Zhu Kai, the head coach of the Chinese League of Legends team reveals: “Working with League of Legends since 2012 for 11 years, I have coached several victorious professional clubs. But coaching the national team in the Asian Games is a unique honour and responsibility for me.
“My only task is to provide optimal conditions for our team in the Asian Games. We formulated careful strategies prior to the commencement of our programme, drawing from our experiences in 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and in professional leagues.”
Zhu gives insights that his players undergo daily training of about 10 hours with adhering to a strict routine and ensuring adequate rest.
“We had the provision of multiple aids during our training camp, including psychological counseling, training for significant sports events, as well as character tests,” states Zhu.
This approach is a fresh experience for the young players, most of whom are new members for the national team.
This generation has witnessed the substantial growth of esports in the preceding decade. For many, a well-established professional league system, immense support for the national team, and a rapidly expanding industry was unthinkable when they initially ventured into esports.
Ji Xing, the head coach of the Chinese League of Legends team, who secured the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, spoke to Xinhua News Agency, “A decade ago when I initially joined an esports club, it felt like walking into an internet cafe tucked away in an old neighbourhood. Today, the industry has made tremendously swift progress that some clubs even own their buildings.”
Ji, who entered the industry in 2012, has donned multiple roles including being a tactical analyst, coach, team leader and club manager. His stint in the 2018 Asian Games, leading the Chinese team to gold in the demonstration sport, remains his career’s most memorable moment thus far.
“I used to watch sports champions bring home glory for our country, never did I imagine I would be able to accomplish the same. It’s indeed a great honour to contribute to this industry,” expresses Ji.
One crucial aspect leading to the rising popularity of esports is the fast-paced evolution of the gaming industry.
A growth report unveiled during the 2023 Global Esports Summit and Tencent Esports Annual Conference in July estimates that by year-end, the global esports viewership would climb to 574 million, and by 2025, to 641 million. Further, the global esports revenue is projected to reach $1.8 billion by the end of the current year, the report claimed.
In February, a report issued by the Electronics Sports Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association stated that last year, Chinese esports viewers and participants totalled 488 million.
Mars Hou, vice-president of Tencent Games and general manager of Tencent Esports, pointed out, “Esports is a flourishing industry in the digital era, backed by millions of esports players and fans.”
“We are optimistic and look forward to wider engagement and collaboration with more sector partners in areas like international communication, talent identification and grooming, digital sports studies, and standardization of the industry.”
Dream become reality
The introduction of esports at a prominent event is a dream come true for many who work in the industry, including Ji, the ex-coach of the Chinese League of Legends team. He believes this will stimulate the esports industry’s worldwide growth further.
“Esports’ inclusion in the Asian Games will expose more Asian and global audiences to esports, potentially motivating more people to join this expansive family,” states Ji.
There’s more to esports than just the Asian Games. It has attracted the notice of other platforms as well like Olympic Esports Series, conducted in March. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) teamed up with international federations and game publishers to create this global virtual and simulated sports competition.
In June, the inaugural Olympic Esports Week occurred in Singapore. This four-day event displayed a range of high-quality virtual sports along with the recent simulated sports technologies and innovations. The objective of the event is to facilitate the growth of esports within the Olympic Movement and connect with the competitive games community.
Unlike the esports competitions at the Asian Games, the 10 games at the Olympic Esports Week were picked by international federations representing their individual sports, primarily simulations of conventional sports such as baseball, cycling, and tennis.
Thomas Bach, President of IOC proclaimed in May, “Our course of action for esports is to prioritize virtual sports representing reality sports requiring physical activity such as cycling and rowing. We currently have an electronic version of taekwondo along with a variety of other sports.”
“The physical activity level of these athletes matches those participating in traditional sports. Whether you’re doing a stage of the Tour de France at home on your stationary bike or real, both pose an equal physical challenge.”
In 2021, the IOC gave unanimous consent to the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which involves the promotion of virtual sports and encouraging more engagement with the video games communities. However, there are some “red lines”.
Bach mentioned, “In terms of e-games, there a very distinct red line. Games that violate Olympic values like violent games or those promoting discrimination are absolutely prohibited within the Olympic Movement.”
More roles than just being a player
Whilst numerous young esports fans resolve to become top-notch players, the industry isn’t just about those who take the centre stage. It includes varied talent such as game designers, team managers and broadcasters.
Ji reveals: “Esports has the capability of collaborating with multiple sectors. It is envisioned that in the future, Esports will interconnect with a wider range of industries, offering more opportunities.”
“There’s a requirement for experts who can translate coaches’ strategies and decisions into data and visual diagrams for better analysis of our tactics. The industry needs more talent.”
Ji also conveyed that even though the standards for professional esports players are extremely high, not all enthusiasts will reach the peak.
“Truly skilled professional players aren’t gaming addicts. They need to be highly efficient and complete their tasks swiftly. Besides, being a successful professional player demands much more than just possessing good skills. A player requires a resilient mindset and adeptness at team coordination.”
An instance is commentator Guan Zeyuan, who has managed to make a mark in esports but not as a player.
“Although my aspiration was to become a professional player, it was clear that I lacked talent,” Guan candidly admits. Known for his exuberant commentary style, he has amassed over 7.5 million followers on social media.
“I wish to remain associated with esports. I recall the first time I went to Brazil for commentary work in 2017. I was bowled over by the passion and energy of the spectators. It was the first time I felt that the fervour for esports can match that of a football game.”
“Esports has imparted many lessons to me, including the significance of being persistent, which is critical to success. In this industry, I have encountered many inspiring individuals who have taught me a lot.”
shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn