China is one of the most important countries in the world of esports. Not only is it home to some of the highest ranked teams and players, but esports are a massive thing in this country, with nearly a third of the population watching esports.
Today we’ll take a look at China’s esports scene and analyze some of the recent statistics to see exactly how big this market is. This article will discuss the most popular games, from Arena of Valor to League of Legends, and give an overview of the burgeoning esports industry and what its future looks like in this country.
The Birth of Chinese Esports Industry
China didn’t become an esports powerhouse overnight. The road to getting esports and competitive multiplayer gaming in front of millions of people was long and rocky. Despite the bustling gaming industry it has now, this country has not been very open to gaming as a pastime, let alone a profession.
For quite a while, Chinese youth’s gaming habits were subject to big prejudice. Video games were considered a delinquent activity, with many news articles published condemning gaming. Despite everything going against them, young esports players in China kept practicing in internet cafes and just enjoying their hobby.
The culture of internet cafes was the spark that started the fire. At the brink of the 21st century, internet cafes popped up all across the country. Cities like Beijing, Wuhan, and Shanghai were the epicenters of this new counterculture and, in turn, the birthplace of esports.
At one point in time, there were 145,000 internet cafes in China. Many of them had their own resident teams.
Unfortunately, China has been a tough regulatory environment for gaming even with such a booming industry. It wasn’t until 2003 that the Chinese authorities eased up on their anti-gaming policies. That same year, China’s General Administration of Sport recognized online games and esports as legitimate sports.
Even China Central Television (CCTV) has started broadcasting esports, and China was on the road to becoming a significant force in the esports world.
While the path was paved for future generations of e-athletes, the Chinese government still kept pushing back against esports from time to time. The biggest step forward for the country’s esports community happened in 2011 when Wang Jianlin, also known as “China’s richest son,” started investing in esports teams and events.
Thanks to his and other, similar endeavors, young people that wanted their shot in esports finally got the financial grounds to pursue this career.
China in Esports Today
Just like in traditional sports, China has become an esports powerhouse over time. The country has birthed impressive talent and some of the highest rated players and teams in the world. If you’re a Dota 2 fan, chances are you’ve cheered for numerous Chinese players. Simply put – the Chinese really know their MOBAs.
China isn’t just the birthplace of some of the world-renowned players, but also the largest esports market right now. Let’s see exactly how big it is.
China’s annual esports revenue was $403.1 million in 2021.
(CNBC)
China is earning a lot of money from esports events and other esports-related ventures. As we’ve mentioned above, China’s esports market is the biggest it’s been right now according to the latest data, contested only by the United States. As for the rest of Asia, only South Korea and Japan come close.
In China, 489 million people watch or participate in esports.
(Statista)
According to the latest statistics, 1 in 3 people in China are interested in esports on some scale, whether it’s by competing, organizing events, or simply being a spectator. The industry is so big that even the most popular sporting events can’t match the scale of esports. And it’s just getting bigger.
There are 6,054 registered esports players in China.
(Statista)
The number of active esports players in the most populated country in the world has been on a steady rise. After a slight drop in the number of active players during 2020 due to the pandemic-related event cancellations, the community grew exponentially and is now counting over 6,000 people that play video games professionally.
In China’s esports industry, 80% of revenue comes from prize money.
(International Journal of Esports)
Esports athletes currently earn the most from their participation and, of course, winning in tournaments, cups, and leagues. Another important revenue stream comes from live streaming. Many professional gamers have turned to various platforms where they share their best play moments with their fans. Surprisingly, only 0.3% of the industry’s revenue comes through clubs and another 1.3% through event organizing.
At least 40 million people tune into esports for more than three hours a week.
(Statista)
It’s not just that Chinese people are great at competitive video gaming, but they’re also avid esports fans. While watching esports on television isn’t as common as it is in South Korea and parts of Europe, millions of people watch and support their favorite teams.
Among the hundreds of millions of Chinese esports fans that regularly watch esports, 40 million of them said they watch their favorite teams and games several hours a week, while 240 million of them dedicate at least an hour of their time to watching esports.
Over 40% of all esports events are held in Shanghai.
(Mailman Group)
Shanghai continues to be the epicenter of the Chinese esports market. The city was home to the 2019 International, hosted the Shanghai Esports Masters, and was the main location for the Peacekeeper Elite Championship in 2020. One of the Overwatch teams is based in this city too; it’s the Shanghai Dragons, and the legendary Edward Gaming (EDG).
Most Popular Esports in China
When looking at the global esports scene, it’s obvious that the biggest titles are Dota 2 and League of Legends. But the world of esports is incredibly diverse, with Fortnite, Valorant, Rocket League, and many more games appearing regularly in the highest-grossing competitions.
But, China isn’t like any other gaming market. It’s a world of its own when it comes to gaming and, along those lines, competitive esports. In this section, we’ll look at which games are dominating the charts, as well as how much the players usually earn by competing in those esports events.
In no particular order, here are the 10 most popular esports games in China:
- Peacekeeper Elite (formerly PUBG Mobile)
- Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds
- Honor of Kings (Arena of Valor)
- Dota 2
- League of Legends
- League of Legends: Wild Rift
- CrossFire
- Overwatch
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Hearthstone
Honor of Kings is the most popular esport in China with 55 million monthly players.
(Chineasy)
Honor of Kings, or Kings of Glory as it’s often called, is a Chinese MOBA game launched by Tencent Games in 2015. Originally launched in mainland China, the game soon after got an international release as Arena of Valor, but remained the most popular in the domestic esports market.
It’s frequently compared to League of Legends for its format and artstyle. It’s also one of the highest grossing mobile games of all time.
Chinese Honor of Kings players have earned over $42 million in total.
(Esports Earnings)
China is absolutely dominating all the tournaments and leagues in the game. Solidifying its place as the country that’s the biggest market for Honor of Kings, all of the top 50 players are from China, and this is the only country with $10+ million in earnings.
19 out of 20 highest earning Chinese esports players are Dota 2 players.
(Esports Earnings)
Despite the popularity of other games in China, Dota 2 remains the biggest esports title in this country. So far, Chinese players have earned $78 million from various Dota 2 tournaments and championships, strongly positioning their country at the top of this esport. In fact, China is so successful in Dota 2 that its earnings are three times higher than Russia’s, which is currently in second place.
110 pro Dota 2 teams are from China.
(Statista)
With such a long esports tradition, it’s not surprising that China has many teams playing for the country. The number of teams counts in the hundreds and, to no one’s surprise, Dota 2 is represented by the most teams. Here’s what the top five look like, based on the number of esports teams based in China:
- Dota 2 – 110 teams
- Overwatch – 78 teams
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – 49 teams
- Starcraft 2 – 39 teams
- League of Legends – 37 teams
Highest Rated Chinese Esports Teams and Players
Before we conclude today’s overview of the esports scene in China, we need to take a quick look at the people and organizations that are leading the charge there. Here are the highest earners, the games they play, as well as their most notable wins at local and international events.
With $3.77 million in prize money, Wang “Ame” Chunyu is the most successful esports player in China.
(Statista, Esports Earnings)
The 25-year-old Dota 2 player is currently rated as the 17th highest earner on the global esports leaderboard. As a member of the PSG.LGD organization, Chunyu placed 2nd at The International 2021, earning $1 million along the way. His other feats include 2nd place at The International 2018 and a win at the Riyadh Masters 2022.
Zhu “Paraboy” Bocheng is the best Chinese PUBG Mobile (Peacekeeper Elite) player, worth $1.3 million.
(Esports Earnings)
Moving from the world of MOBA games, we find many talented PUBG players hailing from China. Among them, the highest rated is Zhu Bocheng, aka Paraboy. Bocheng scored wins at the PMGC 2021 Grand Finals, the Peacekeeper Elite Championship 2020, and the Peacekeeper Elite League Season 3. He’s currently playing for the Chinese esports organization called Nova Esports.
PSG.LGD is the best esports team in China with $15.7 million in prize money earnings.
(Statista)
It comes as no surprise that the most successful esports player would come from an equally successful team. LGD Gaming, now owned by the French football team Paris Saint-Germain, is not only the most successful team in China, but all of Asia. The team has been active since 2010 and its main game is Dota 2.
These are the top five Chinese esports organizations right now according to their tournament earnings:
- PSG.LGD – $15.7 million
- Newbee – $13.3 million
- Wings Gaming – $9.56 million
- Vici Gaming – $7 million
- Invictus Gaming – $4.91 million
Conclusion
Even after decades of a turbulent gaming landscape, China remains the leading power in the world of esports. Thanks to millions of players and fans, as well as companies like Tencent, Riot Games, and NetEase, the esports market in China continues to grow year after year.
The country has more professionals within the esports ecosystem than ever before and, with an ever growing number of tech companies becoming partners with esports organizations, the business of esports is booming.
FAQ
Are esports big in China?
Yes, esports are incredibly big in China. In fact, this country is the biggest market for esports in the world, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. As for the viewership, nearly half a billion people watch or participate in esports, with 40 million people claiming they watch esports events for more than three hours a week. This all makes China the #1 country in the esports scene.
Are there esports in China?
Yes, China has a bustling esports ecosystem. Millions of people watch or compete in esports. The country houses over 100 Dota 2 teams, for example. On top of that, some of the most popular esports titles, like PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings, are produced by Chinese developers.
Who is the best esports player in China?
The best esports player in China is Wang “Ame” Chunyu. He’s a Dota 2 player, currently the highest grossing esports player in China with $3.7 million in prize money.
How many esports players are there in China?
More than 6,000 registered players participate in China’s esports scene. The country has 110 professional Dota 2 teams, and some of the highest-grossing players are Chinese-born.
Sources:
International Journal of Esports
