Inclusion in Asian Games to play pivotal role in promoting esports culture and participation

August 3, 2023

Karen Sweaney

The Olympic Council of Asia announced in June 2023, that esports will make its debut at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games 2022 to be held from 23rd September to 8th October 2023.

This acceptance of esports by a global mainstream sporting event has garnered significant attention from both domestic and international communities, playing a pivotal role in promoting esports culture and encouraging more people to participate.

Medals will be awarded in eight games: FIFA (made by EA SPORTS), an Asian Games version of PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, HearthStone and Street Fighter V.

Each title will have a gold, silver and bronze medal on offer, which means 24 medals can be won in Esports. Two more games - Robot Masters and VR Sports - will be played as demonstration events at the 2022 Asian Games.

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Director General, Husain Al-Musallam shared “I believe we have ticked all the right boxes ensuring a high level of competition which promises great viewing for enthusiasts and casuals alike.

“We at the OCA are looking forward to working closely with our friends at the Asian Electronic Sports Federation and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee to ensure a successful execution of the Esports event at the 2022 Asian Games.”

The Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) will be the technical delegate for esports. They will be responsible for the qualifying competition and management at the Asian Games 2022.

Dr. Robert H. Xiao, Chief Executive of Perfect World and Perfect World Esports and its platform segment, attended and addressed the 2023 Global Esports Conference on 28th July in Shanghai. He emphasised that the acceptance of Esports by global mainstream sporting events marks a new starting point, one that will bring long-term dividends and increased influence to the development of China's Esports industry.

As a leading esports enterprise in China, Perfect World serves as the exclusive operator of DOTA 2 and CS:GO in the Chinese mainland. The company primarily focuses on product development, operations, and professional event organisation. Since 2015, Perfect World has successfully hosted three DOTA2 Asia Championships and, in 2019, assisted in organising TI9 in Shanghai.

Dr Xiao advised "in light of DOTA 2's inclusion in the Asian Games, Perfect World has established a dedicated team to fully support and collaborate with the preparatory work of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC) and the General Administration of Sport of China.”

He further stated that the company is committed to ensuring the smooth execution of esports events during the Asian Games and maximising the allure of esports.

Dr. Xiao outlined three major trends for the future development of the Esports industry, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the Asian Games: standardisation in competitions, industrialisation in sports, and market popularisation.

Esports has evolved into a digital sports industry that integrates technology, competition, entertainment, and social interaction. The Asian Games have set a new blueprint for the globalisation of China's esports industry while simultaneously presenting fresh challenges for its high-quality and sustainable growth.

To address these challenges, Dr. Xiao highlighted four key areas for China's Esports to focus on in the future. First, incorporating digital technologies such as AR/VR and AIGC in events to enhance the user experience. Second, promoting global cultural integration. Third, fostering global cooperation to synergise with partners worldwide. And fourth, nurturing esports talents with a global perspective through deep collaborations with institutes worldwide.

Looking ahead, Perfect World is committed to promoting the high-quality development of core events, strengthening the ecological construction of esports, leveraging the influence of leading esports IP, exploring innovative consumer business models in esports, and accentuating the value of global integration in the industry's next phase of development.

Image top: The Indian League of Legends Esports team won all three of its matches at the Asian Games 2023 seeding event for Central and South Asian countries, which concluded in Macau last week. Team India beat Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the two-day seeding meet. The dominant display in Macau ensured a favourable seeding for India at the upcoming Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China; image above Dr Robert H. Xiao, Chief Executive of Perfect World and Perfect World E-sports & its platform segment addresses the 2023 Global Esports Conference on 28th July.

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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