Asian Games Host "E-Sport" Matches for the First Time
The Asian Games, which began in China on September 24th, are hosting "e-sport" competitions for the first time. These popular and profitable electronic sports events are likely to be the most-watched of these Games.
The Asian Games, which began in China on September 24th, are hosting "e-sport" competitions for the first time. These popular and profitable electronic sports events are likely to be the most-watched of these Games. In the e-sport arena of the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, competitors take the stage accompanied by music. The first match is between Vietnam and Tajikistan. Among the spectators, a computer engineer eagerly explains how much he has been looking forward to these days.
E-sport, which first emerged as a demonstration sport in Jakarta in 2018, is now in a competitive stage in Hangzhou in 2023. With over 490 million viewers and an e-sport industry employing over 500,000 people, China is undoubtedly the world's foremost e-sports country. Therefore, it is expected that China will share the medals in the e-sport category at the Asian Games with another country that hosts many e-sport enthusiasts: South Korea.
The thousands of fanatics watching the matches on screen show the kind of excitement typically seen in soccer matches. In fact, many viewers hope that the Asian Games will serve as a showcase for e-sport. The most-watched, popular, and financially rewarding electronic sports occur predominantly in Asia, with approximately 46% of the industry's revenue taking place on the Asian mainland. Industry revenue is expected to reach around 176 billion in 2023.
On Sunday, September 24th, fanatical fans turned the Hangzhou Arena into a boiling cauldron due to the e-sport competitions. The fans, the teams consisting of five players each in training attire, referees, and some scenes reviewed in slow motion all make e-sport look like a sport, even though it is not traditionally a sport. Whether e-sport will be recognized as a sport by international Olympic organizations is yet to be decided. However, for now, it is expected that the interest in e-sport will breathe new life into the Olympic Games in 2023, with a predominantly young audience of around 3.4 billion people, if e-sport is included in the sports category.
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