The 19th Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China, with the goal of restoring national pride and worldwide respect. The regional Olympics-style event will allow competitive video games to compete for medals. Tencent, which owns four of the seven multiplayer games, is using the event to expand its entertainment portfolio. Esports is viewed as a platform akin to QQ, which has evolved beyond chatting to become a platform that connects people to the corporation.
In anticipation of the event, Tencent co-developed an esports hotel in Hangzhou, where fans can be close to the excitement while also playing their favorite games. This year, the facility had an occupancy rate of more than 90% while asking $50 or more per night for accommodations with bunk beds and high-end gaming PCs. Every year, dozens more gamer-friendly hotels spring up across China, acting as a social outlet.
Beijing distinguishes between video games and esports, even though the software is the same. In China, elite gamers are acknowledged as having a genuine job, and colleges and vocational institutions offer a variety of relevant degrees. Esports are “incredibly, massively favored by the Beijing government.”
