
Twitch downloads skyrocket in China thanks to esports at the Asian Games
State broadcaster didn’t air China's victory in Arena of Valor
China loves esports. And nothing’s going to stop fans from watching their national team kick ass in the Asian Games… even if it’s not on TV or local streaming services.

This year’s Asian Games, held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, is the first ever to feature esports as a demonstration sport. China got off to a good start on Sunday, beating Chinese Taipei to the Arena of Valor gold medal.
China takes first esports gold at the Asian Games in Arena of Valor
But on China’s internet, tempers ran hot as fans realized that CCTV -- China’s official Asian Games broadcaster -- wasn’t airing esports events.

There are some key differences between Twitch and Chinese streaming sites. For example, while Twitch only has a chatroom on the side of the screen, Douyu and Huya take it one step further by also splashing comments on top of gameplay -- resulting in something like this:

As esports fans in China flock to Twitch for the Asian Games this week, they have more games to look forward to. StarCraft II will take center stage on Thursday, followed by Hearthstone on Friday and Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 on Saturday.
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For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.
