https://www.scmp.com/rss/324627/feed Esports (also known as electronic sports, e-sports, or eSports) is a form of sporting competition using video games. It often takes the form of organised, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. The Asian Games will include esports as a medal event at the 2022 edition after it was presented as an exhibition event at the 2018 Asian Games. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3/5 stars One of the most beguiling aspects of Gamer Girls is that it never acknowledges its characters’ gaming addiction for what it is. Too distracted by the craving for just one more match to function at your day job? Never mind. Needing to grind out another 500 hours of playtime within weeks to qualify for tournament selection? No problem. Despite its casual treatment of the gruelling, burnout-inducing realities of esports, and its light-touch approach to the toxic misogyny that often... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346211/gamer-girls-movie-review-angela-yuen-leads-ensemble-beguiling-hong-kong-esports-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346211/gamer-girls-movie-review-angela-yuen-leads-ensemble-beguiling-hong-kong-esports-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) will stage its first final outside South Korea this weekend, but the absence of superstar Lee Sang-hyeok has sent resale ticket prices in Hong Kong tumbling. Tickets for the 2026 LCK Cup finals at Kai Tak Arena sold out within half an hour when they went on sale in January, with esports fans eager for a chance to see Lee, who is more commonly known by his player name “Faker”, and his T1 team in action. Official prices for the losers’ final on February 28... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3344467/league-legends-champions-star-fakers-absence-hong-kong-hits-resale-value-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3344467/league-legends-champions-star-fakers-absence-hong-kong-hits-resale-value-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:37:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Some of the biggest names in esports will descend on Hong Kong next month for the finals of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Cup. Following on from the successful Blast Premier event at Cyberport last November, the LCK Cup represents another step up for gaming in the city. Kai Tak Arena will host the tournament, from February 28 to March 1, the first time the event has been held outside South Korea. Chow Kai-hong, chairman of the Hong Kong Esports Association, said they had received... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3341510/hong-kongs-kai-tak-arena-host-league-legends-champions-korea-cup-esports-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3341510/hong-kongs-kai-tak-arena-host-league-legends-champions-korea-cup-esports-event?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:00:18 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Outside Jonggak Station in central Seoul on a chilly Saturday evening, the air carries a hum of anticipation as an escalator climbing towards the third floor of a downtown office complex funnels hundreds of League of Legends fans towards a single glowing destination: LoL Park, the home of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) competition and the beating heart of Seoul’s esports scene. An hour before the big match between KT Rolster and Gen.G begins, the concourse feels like a high-stakes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 12-year-old Japanese gaming streamer is set to drop out after graduating from primary school to pursue esports full time, sparking controversy online. The youngster, Tarou, began playing video games at the age of three and has since amassed more than 230,000 followers online. On February 8, popular gamer Tarou, 12, announced that he would not attend secondary school, opting instead to pursue a full-time career in esports. “This is the result of a year-long discussion with my family and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3337694/japan-gamer-12-plans-quit-school-pursue-esports-supported-parents-sparks-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3337694/japan-gamer-12-plans-quit-school-pursue-esports-supported-parents-sparks-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao US video game developer Riot Games, creator of League of Legends, retains bragging rights to the most popular PC game in China nearly a decade and a half after its launch. First introduced in 2009 and brought to the mainland in 2011, the multiplayer online battle game has been around longer than many of those who play it – a remarkable feat in an industry known for its rapid shifts. The secret to the game’s longevity may lie in the sustained appeal of the League of Legends esports scene, as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333089/how-league-legends-remains-most-popular-pc-game-china-after-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333089/how-league-legends-remains-most-popular-pc-game-china-after-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 01:00:14 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding Brazilian Counter-Strike squad FURIA continued their march through Asia and secured their third tournament on the spin by winning BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals in front of a sold-out AsiaWorld-Arena on Sunday. Hong Kong’s first S-Tier esports event attracted a raucous crowd of around 12,000 as two of the world’s best teams fought out the grand final of the US$1 million (HK$7.7 million) tournament. The past two times the teams have met, FURIA beat Falcons without dropping a map, but Falcons were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3333005/furia-defeat-falcons-front-sold-out-asiaworld-arena-esports-take-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3333005/furia-defeat-falcons-front-sold-out-asiaworld-arena-esports-take-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 22:00:36 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding Falcons will take on FURIA in the grand final of BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals at the AsiaWorld-Arena on Sunday after taking down Team Vitality 2-0 in the second semi-final on Saturday evening. The international squad have developed a deep rivalry with Vitality, a match up they had come out on the wrong side of on five occasions out of six heading into this encounter. The match, played in front of a sold-out AsiaWorld-Arena, began on Vitality’s pick of Inferno and at the break, it was the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332951/falcons-set-grand-final-furia-sold-out-blast-premier-rivals-takes-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332951/falcons-set-grand-final-furia-sold-out-blast-premier-rivals-takes-over-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 22:00:22 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding Hong Kong Esports fans were treated to an incredible spectacle as Team Vitality edged past Spirit 2-1 in a remarkable quarter-final at BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals at AsiaWorld-Arena on Friday. Two of the world’s best Counter-Strike teams served up topsy-turvy series in front of a raucous crowd for the biggest Esport event to date, with Spirit winning the opening map of Dust2, their map pick, in a nail-biting 13-11 fashion. With the score at 12-9 in Vitality’s favour on the second map of Nuke... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332885/team-vitality-wins-epic-hong-kongs-biggest-esports-event-wows-packed-crowd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332885/team-vitality-wins-epic-hong-kongs-biggest-esports-event-wows-packed-crowd?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 22:00:36 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding There will be no Asian representation at the esports BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals playoff stage after the mainland Chinese Counter-Strike side TYLOO and The MongolZ of Mongolia crashed out in the group stage at AsiaWorld-Arena on Thursday. TYLOO, the only mainland Chinese team there, needed to beat the Brazilian squad paiN Gaming to reach the playoffs, which will kick off in front of a live audience on Friday, but they were unable to come through the behind-closed-doors group stage. It was a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332688/tyloo-bows-out-blast-premier-hong-kong-rivals-group-stage-comes-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332688/tyloo-bows-out-blast-premier-hong-kong-rivals-group-stage-comes-close?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 22:00:21 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding The MongolZ were left on the brink of elimination after being upset by Passion UA as BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals, the first A-Tier esports event in Hong Kong’s history, began at the AsiaWorld-Arena on Wednesday. The HK$7.7 million (US$990,000) Counter-Strike tournament got under way behind closed doors, with the event switching to the arena on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be played in front of sold-out crowds. Counter-Strike is a first-person shooter esport, involving teams of five... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332525/rocky-start-asian-sides-blast-rivals-hong-kong-kicks-asiaworld-arena?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3332525/rocky-start-asian-sides-blast-rivals-hong-kong-kicks-asiaworld-arena?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:11:14 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding Home favourites TYLOO will hope to make the perfect start in their quest to make the play-offs of BLAST Premier Rivals Hong Kong when they take on the world’s best team, Team Vitality, at the AsiaWorld-Arena on Wednesday. The Chinese Counter-Strike (CS) squad have become fan favourites in 2025, spearheaded by the enigmatic antics of Ji “Jee” Dongkai. With the opening matches played behind closed doors before moving to the arena on Friday, TYLOO will need to win a pair of matches to play in front... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332386/blast-rivals-teams-relish-asia-swing-counter-strike-descends-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3332386/blast-rivals-teams-relish-asia-swing-counter-strike-descends-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 22:00:28 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Savvy Games Group, the video gaming powerhouse owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, is looking to the Chinese market for inspiration as it embarks on a new phase of global expansion, according to company executives. During a recent visit to Shanghai, Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, vice-chairman of Savvy, highlighted China’s appeal, citing its vast consumer base and exceptional talent pool. “What is unique to China is its ability to be successful in games and esports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332027/saudi-video-gaming-giant-savvy-eyes-china-after-success-delta-force-black-myth-wukong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332027/saudi-video-gaming-giant-savvy-eyes-china-after-success-delta-force-black-myth-wukong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse The International Olympic Committee and Saudi Arabia have ended their 12-year esports partnership after only a year, parting ways to develop separate projects, the IOC said on Thursday. Two years before the first Olympic Esports Games were to be held in Riyadh, the IOC said discussions with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee had ended the partnership 14 months after announcing a 12-year deal during the 2024 Paris Olympics. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:00:23 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov An industry around esports – team-based competitive video gaming – is in the early stages of development in Hong Kong, but is set to enjoy large growth in the coming years, according to an executive with gaming-peripheral company SteelSeries. “Hong Kong is not a fully developed esports market,” said Dickson Lee, the Denmark-based company’s vice-president and general manager in the Asia-Pacific region. “But we’re seeing a lot of government projects in the esports industry, such as esports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3328705/hong-kong-ready-play-esports-arena-executive-video-gaming-gear-company-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3328705/hong-kong-ready-play-esports-arena-executive-video-gaming-gear-company-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 11:15:27 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 2.5/5 stars The intense, jargon-filled world of professional esports might seem like a rather esoteric setting for a film. Yet in the new comedy-drama Good Game, this competitive backdrop is used for something unexpectedly heartwarming: a simple underdog story about chasing dreams and overcoming obstacles. Hong Kong director Dickson Leung Kwok-fai’s follow-up to his goofy fantasy comedy Yum Investigation is defined less by its geeky premise than its undemanding nature and unabashedly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325826/good-game-movie-review-hong-kong-esports-comedy-will-or-diverting-lightweight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325826/good-game-movie-review-hong-kong-esports-comedy-will-or-diverting-lightweight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:15:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese esports club which trains professional players has discovered a new business opportunity: helping addicted young people quit online games. Su Chenhao is the owner of an esports club in northern China’s Hebei province that opened in 2018. However, Su quickly discovered that talented players are one in a million. Most people think they can become professionals, but they have become addicted to e-games, which they play to escape studying and other real-life troubles. Su said this... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322517/china-esports-club-offers-22-day-course-help-children-quit-gaming-charges-us1400?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322517/china-esports-club-offers-22-day-course-help-children-quit-gaming-charges-us1400?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China this year will again serve as host to the League of Legends World Championship, the esports industry’s biggest tournament for a single title, raising hopes for another finals run by a mainland team. The annual professional competition, also known as the Worlds, will kick off in Beijing from October 14 and then move to Shanghai for the quarter-final and semi-final rounds from October 28 to November 2, according to US video game developer and tournament organiser Riot Games, a subsidiary of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319653/league-legends-world-championship-returns-china-mainland-esports-sector-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319653/league-legends-world-championship-returns-china-mainland-esports-sector-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:19:15 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Chinese football chiefs have revealed plans to launch a national esports team – and have been mocked by social media users who said that the body had done enough damage to the sport in the country. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on Monday that the team would compete in “events organised by Fifa, the Asian Football Confederation and other organisations”. The CFA sacked national coach Branko Ivankovic after a 1-0 defeat to Indonesia that effectively ended the country’s hopes of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3319176/chinas-football-team-flopped-world-cup-2026-bid-now-officials-launch-esports-version?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3319176/chinas-football-team-flopped-world-cup-2026-bid-now-officials-launch-esports-version?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:00:47 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding TYLOO broke new ground for China in Counter-Strike esports by becoming the country’s first team to win a Tier One event, securing Fissure Playground 1 in Belgrade, Serbia on Sunday. Ranked the second-best Chinese team and third in Asia, the squad went into the opening Counter-Strike tournament of the season as one of the underdogs alongside the Chinese No 1s, Lynn Vision. The US$1,000,000 (HK$7,850,000) event drew 16 of the best Counter-Strike teams, and both TYLOO and Lynn Vision topped their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3319023/tyloo-take-china-new-heights-counter-strike-first-tier-one-win-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3319023/tyloo-take-china-new-heights-counter-strike-first-tier-one-win-country?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:41:06 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Hong Kong is set to host its biggest esports event ever, bringing some of the world’s best teams to compete for a US$1 million (HK$7.85 million) prize pot at the AsiaWorld-Expo in November, organisers announced on Tuesday. Blast Premier Hong Kong Rivals will be the first event of its kind to be granted “M” Mark status, as officials said it would become a mainstay feature – with the aim of attracting more international gaming tournaments in the future. Blast Premier is an international tournament... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3313864/hong-kong-host-biggest-ever-esports-event-first-receive-m-mark-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3313864/hong-kong-host-biggest-ever-esports-event-first-receive-m-mark-status?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:15:11 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov As Chinese esports giant NIP Group plans to establish a global headquarters in the Middle East, co-founder Hicham Chahine is considering how to capitalise on opportunities in vastly different video gaming markets. “The West is very accustomed to PCs, consoles,” Chahine said in an interview on May 14. “In China, gaming is a mobile phenomenon, led by companies like Tencent and NetEase.” For Chahine, the existence of super apps such as WeChat, owned by video gaming behemoth Tencent Holdings, means... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3310761/chinese-esports-giant-nip-eyes-global-expansion-abu-dhabi-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3310761/chinese-esports-giant-nip-eyes-global-expansion-abu-dhabi-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Hong Kong teenager Jamison Kao managed to draw a “super-crazy” chess game with mainland Chinese grandmaster and former world champion Ding Liren at the weekend – but the city’s No 1 still said he was a “bit disappointed”. Ding was visiting for Sunday’s Harrow Hong Kong Scholastic Open Chess Tournament, which featured more than 100 schools. And on Saturday, Ding took part in a “simul event”, in which he took on 12 players including Kao simultaneously, while riding a tram through the city. Kao,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3310158/grandmaster-ding-liren-and-kao-15-play-super-crazy-chess-game-hong-kong-tram?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3310158/grandmaster-ding-liren-and-kao-15-play-super-crazy-chess-game-hong-kong-tram?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 23:45:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Hero Esports, a Chinese esports powerhouse backed by Tencent Holdings and Saudi Arabian video-gaming giant Savvy Games Group, is betting big on artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and become a global industry leader, the CEO said in an interview. “We are pilot-testing several AI models, including DeepSeek, in all aspects of the business,” said Danny Tang, co-founder and CEO of Hero Esports. The company is also adapting a local version of DeepSeek to analyse patents and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3307095/tencent-backed-hero-esports-leverages-ai-bid-become-global-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3307095/tencent-backed-hero-esports-leverages-ai-bid-become-global-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Two competitors were positioned side by side, hands jittering as they waited to prove that they were the best fighters. A live audience, cheering and heckling, watched on a giant projected screen above. Tucked in the corner, two broadcasters provided colourful commentary for an online audience of over a thousand watching from home. The competition was not boxing, but a fighting video game – Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes – with the tournament taking place over a recent weekend in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3297446/ready-fight-how-fighting-game-tournaments-draw-thousands-fans-and-hungry-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3297446/ready-fight-how-fighting-game-tournaments-draw-thousands-fans-and-hungry-players?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2025 20:15:08 +0000 Maybe attending sports events in person is too been-there, done-that in the modern age. So, apparently, is watching the actual action on a TV, laptop or phone. The Australian Open is getting in on the newest trend in the sports world by re-creating tennis matches in video-game form. The year’s first grand slam tournament, which runs until January 26, is streaming real-time animated feeds on its YouTube channel that mimic what is happening in the three main stadiums. Players are represented by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3295066/real-unreal-australian-open-brings-game-gamers-live-matches-animation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3295066/real-unreal-australian-open-brings-game-gamers-live-matches-animation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:00:14 +0000 Lynn Farah Lynn Farah Streaming platform Twitch is turning its most followed stars into mega millionaires. A new generation of social media stars, Twitch streamers can potentially earn big bucks from sponsorships, advertising revenue, influencer partnership programmes, tiered subscriptions, merch sales and tips from their subscribers. Here are some of the richest Twitch streamers at the time of writing, according to Celebrity Net Worth’s calculations. 8. Raúl Álvarez Genes (AuronPlay), 36 Estimated net worth: US$10... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3293761/8-richest-twitch-streamers-2025-net-worths-ranked-ninja-and-shroud-youtuber-pewdiepie-and-onlyfans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3293761/8-richest-twitch-streamers-2025-net-worths-ranked-ninja-and-shroud-youtuber-pewdiepie-and-onlyfans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:00:36 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China’s esports industry returned to growth in 2024, according to figures released by an industry association, as major video-gaming companies led by Tencent Holdings and NetEase bet big on the sector’s international expansion. Revenue generated by the esports industry grew 4.6 per cent from a year earlier to 27.6 billion yuan (US$3.8 billion), on the back of a number of factors including government support and overseas expansion, according to a report released by the China Audio-Video and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290350/chinas-esports-industry-returns-growth-2024-tencent-netease-expand-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290350/chinas-esports-industry-returns-growth-2024-tencent-netease-expand-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:59:46 +0000 Zhu Hao, an office worker in his early twenties, recently checked into a hotel in Shenzhen for a weekend escape with a couple of buddies. Their plan: play video games until early morning, order food in and maybe take a break with a quick massage in the southern Chinese city. “It’s boring to play by myself,” said Zhu, who loves gaming getaways so much they have become a near-weekly routine. “And here at the hotel, my parents can’t nag me or interrupt my gaming.” The Jinnang E-Sports... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288122/esports-hotels-prosper-china-offering-fast-computers-gaming-chairs-multi-bed-rooms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288122/esports-hotels-prosper-china-offering-fast-computers-gaming-chairs-multi-bed-rooms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:15:07 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The fierce debate over whether it should be mandatory for escalator users at MTR stations to stand on both sides of escalators and refrain from walking is indeed a necessary one given that safety,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3286408/we-need-conversation-about-reckless-escalator-use-mtr?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3286408/we-need-conversation-about-reckless-escalator-use-mtr?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Sophie Li Connor Mycroft,Sophie Li It was nothing less than a dream come true for Hong Kong gamer Ip Chi-ho when he found himself on stage alongside South Korean esports superstars T1 in a pair of exhibition matches last month. The response of about 5,000 fans packing the AsiaWorld-Expo venue added to the thrill of appearing with the five-member Korean team led by Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as “Faker” and widely considered the greatest player in the battle-arena game League of Legends. “The cheers and enthusiasm of the audience... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282079/hong-kong-and-esports-havent-quite-clicked-fans-urge-government-support-reboot-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282079/hong-kong-and-esports-havent-quite-clicked-fans-urge-government-support-reboot-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Oct 2024 01:00:21 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese esports company VSPO has announced its first multi-title tournament in Asia, marking a big push to expand its presence in the global industry with support from Saudi Arabia. The Esports Asian Champions League (ACL) will kick off next year, with tens of thousands of professional players set to compete across the continent in a six-month season each year, VSPO announced on Tuesday. The Tencent Holdings-backed company is the biggest esports operator in Asia. The tournament will include... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3279810/chinese-esports-firm-launches-multi-title-tournament-asia-saudi-arabia-backing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3279810/chinese-esports-firm-launches-multi-title-tournament-asia-saudi-arabia-backing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2024 03:00:07 +0000 Last month, China’s top courts published a judicial review on cryptocurrencies, online game coins and tips given to live-streamers. Such transactions, including transfers and conversions, are now included in money laundering activities. Chinese officials pointed to criminal usage of virtual currencies and game coins to evade China’s capital controls and to enable cross-border transactions. This increasing effort to curb illicit financial activities conducted via digital assets highlights the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3278744/will-chinas-latest-crypto-crackdown-stifle-its-gaming-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3278744/will-chinas-latest-crypto-crackdown-stifle-its-gaming-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:30:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang In recent weeks, Black Myth: Wukong has been called a digital masterpiece, an unprecedented miracle and a beacon of hope for the Chinese gaming industry. As the first Chinese game to be dubbed AAA, meaning it took “a lot of time, a lot of money and a lot of resources” to make, it has even been seen by the authorities – who have tended to portray games as “spiritual opium” – as an opportunity to boost China’s soft power on the international stage. Admittedly, the game’s developers put a lot into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3276212/why-black-myth-wukongs-success-should-spark-reflection-sexism-gaming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3276212/why-black-myth-wukongs-success-should-spark-reflection-sexism-gaming?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China has claimed another victory in esports, with the Chinese team Edward Gaming (EDG) winning the country’s first world championship at the annual tournament for the shooting game Valorant on Sunday. The five-player professional team beat Spain’s Team Heretics 3:2 in the grand final of Valorant Champions 2024, amid strong European competition. Valorant is a shooting game developed by US-based Riot Games, a subsidiary of Tencent Holdings. The victory, marking the first time a Chinese team has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275992/china-claims-another-victory-esports-edg-team-wins-valorant-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275992/china-claims-another-victory-esports-edg-team-wins-valorant-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Aug 2024 12:00:21 +0000 Teenager Cheng Yip-kai will not be parading through the streets on an open-top bus like Hong Kong’s Olympic medal winners, but he is the city’s latest champion. The 16-year-old won the Pokemon Go world championships in Honolulu last weekend, defeating his Dutch opponent 3-1 and claiming the US$20,000 prize. Cheng, better known to fans as Yekai0904, came top among 208 finalists from all over the world in a tournament that also featured three other Pokemon games. The championships, running for 20... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3275541/pokemon-win-opens-door-hong-kong-esports-glory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3275541/pokemon-win-opens-door-hong-kong-esports-glory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2024 22:30:10 +0000 A 75-year-old liver expert has been hailed as a key contributor to the success of a Hong Kong teenager who this week became the city’s first world champion at Pokemon Go. Sam Cheung Lok-hang, who managed the team of Hong Kong representatives at the Pokemon World Championships, said on Thursday that Dr Lai Ching-lung had helped them financially last year and offered much-needed encouragement when they were repeatedly snubbed while seeking sponsorships. “I was criticised, teased and ignored every... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3275531/hong-kong-liver-expert-75-hailed-key-player-teens-pokemon-world-championship-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3275531/hong-kong-liver-expert-75-hailed-key-player-teens-pokemon-world-championship-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:41:35 +0000 Hong Kong should inject more funding into the esports industry to boost the city’s economy and technological development as local players have shown their potential at recent events, sector representatives have said. The calls for more resources followed 16-year-old Cheng Yip-kai becoming the first Hongkonger to win the Pokemon World Championships, held this year in Honolulu, Hawaii. Eric Yeung Chuen-sing, founding president of the Esports Association of Hong Kong, said Cheng’s victory on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3275241/funding-esports-could-result-big-win-hong-kong-economy-industry-players-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3275241/funding-esports-could-result-big-win-hong-kong-economy-industry-players-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:00:18 +0000 A 16-year-old boy has become Hong Kong’s latest world champion, not at the Olympic Games, but in Pokemon Go. Cheng Yip-kai, who plays under the username Yekai0904, secured the title on Sunday at the Pokemon World Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii, becoming the first Hongkonger to do so. He beat his Dutch opponent Martijn Versteeg, or Inadequance, 3-1 and took home the US$20,000 (HK$155,760) prize. Cheng’s triumph came less than a year after another Hong Kong team won a silver medal in esports at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3275129/cheng-yip-kai-16-becomes-first-hongkonger-win-pokemon-go-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3275129/cheng-yip-kai-16-becomes-first-hongkonger-win-pokemon-go-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Aug 2024 03:51:23 +0000 Mario Ho Yau-kwan, the youngest son of the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, on Friday became the youngest founder of a Nasdaq-listed company in Asia, as the 29-year-old entrepreneur’s esports firm NIP Group started trading in the United States. NIP, which achieved a milestone as the first listed Chinese company in the esports industry, raised a total of US$20.25 million from its offering of 2.25 million American depositary shares at US$9 per share. “Looking back at this journey, we... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3272213/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-leads-first-listed-chinese-company-esports-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3272213/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-leads-first-listed-chinese-company-esports-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 11:30:25 +0000 China this month approved 104 new video games from mainland developers, including titles from internet giants Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding. The latest titles given the go-ahead by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) included Tencent’s online role-playing game Roco Kingdom: World, and Ruyuan from Alibaba studio Lingxi Games, according to a post on the regulator’s website on Tuesday. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. This month marked a rebound for... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3268024/tencents-roco-kingdom-world-among-104-new-video-games-approved-beijing-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3268024/tencents-roco-kingdom-world-among-104-new-video-games-approved-beijing-june?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:17 +0000 Now that the Olympics have inched closer to adding esports – video games – to the traditional menu of actual running and swimming, officials face a delicate balance. Can they use gaming to attract a new generation of fans while avoiding all that virtual blood and violence? This question loomed over last week’s announcement that International Olympic Committee (IOC) members will soon vote on – and are expected to approve – the creation of the Esports Olympic Games. The event, which would be held... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3267076/olympic-games-ioc-faces-challenges-it-moves-add-esports-event-without-any-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3267076/olympic-games-ioc-faces-challenges-it-moves-add-esports-event-without-any-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2024 12:00:14 +0000 Esports entrepreneur Mario Ho Yau-kwan, the youngest son of the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, is seeking to expand the international reach of his organisation NIP Group, as it pursues an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States. NIP is a Cayman Islands-based holding company, with operations primarily conducted through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Ninjas in Pyjamas Gaming in Sweden, which is engaged in esports teams operations; and Wuhan Xingjingweiwu Culture & Sports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266695/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-sets-sights-chinas-first-esports-ipo-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266695/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-sets-sights-chinas-first-esports-ipo-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 01:00:19 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Last month, the findings of a survey showed that as many as 80 per cent of Hong Kong secondary students were unsure about their future. The survey, conducted by researchers at Hong Kong Shue Yan... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3262698/inspire-hong-kongs-young-people-dream-just-giving-them-chance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3262698/inspire-hong-kongs-young-people-dream-just-giving-them-chance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 03:30:13 +0000 Esports cafes in China that expect their female waiting staff to dress in French maid outfits and to kneel while serving customers have drawn condemnation from the authorities. In the city of Yiwu in China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, several esports cafes have been promoting their businesses by offering such racy forms of service. When customers enter, they are greeted by servers wearing very short dresses and bunny ear headbands who bow and say: “Welcome home, master.” They kneel to serve... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3259410/racy-china-esports-cafes-where-servers-french-maid-outfits-kneel-feed-guests-derogatory-womens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3259410/racy-china-esports-cafes-where-servers-french-maid-outfits-kneel-feed-guests-derogatory-womens?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:00:20 +0000 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), South Korea’s top-tier esports league, is expected to grapple with publicity and financial challenges despite its success in the Asian Games and World Championship last year, according to industry officials on Thursday. For South Korea, 2023 marked a big win for its esports industry, especially for Riot Games’ League of Legends (LoL), one of the world’s biggest esports titles. Korea bagged two of the seven gold medals for esports, including one for LoL,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249970/south-korean-league-legends-esports-league-faces-challenges-china-after-taiwan-controversy-halted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249970/south-korean-league-legends-esports-league-faces-challenges-china-after-taiwan-controversy-halted?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jan 2024 11:00:28 +0000 A US teenager has beaten classic computer game Tetris, forcing it into a game-ending glitch in a feat previously achieved only by artificial intelligence. Willis Gibson, 13, a competitive gamer known as “blue scuti”, became the first human to reach the “kill screen” of the Nintendo version of the puzzle game, as fellow players followed his progress online. “Oh my God!” Willis screams repeatedly towards the end of a more than 40-minute video he uploaded to YouTube this week. “I can’t feel my... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3247216/us-teen-willis-gibson-becomes-first-human-player-beat-unbeatable-tetris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3247216/us-teen-willis-gibson-becomes-first-human-player-beat-unbeatable-tetris?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jan 2024 03:22:56 +0000 South Korean powerhouse T1 swept aside China’s Weibo Gaming on Sunday to clinch a record fourth League of Legends world championship, widely considered the Super Bowl of esports. T1 won three straight games in the best-of-five final at the Gocheok Sky Dome stadium in Seoul, roared on by a capacity crowd of 18,000. Legions of fans descended on Seoul for the final of the League of Legends world championship, which has rapidly grown since the first edition in 2011 into one of the crown jewels of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3242122/league-legends-south-koreas-faker-wins-record-breaking-fourth-world-title-after-defeating-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3242122/league-legends-south-koreas-faker-wins-record-breaking-fourth-world-title-after-defeating-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Nov 2023 02:44:31 +0000 Thousands of fans from around the world have descended on South Korea’s capital Seoul for the League of Legends world championship final on Sunday, widely considered the Super Bowl of esports. First held in 2011, the League of Legends (LoL) world championship has rapidly grown to become one of the crown jewels of esports, which are globally forecast to attract audiences of nearly 1.4 billion by 2025. South Korean powerhouse T1, who lost in last year’s world final, will take on China’s Weibo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3242007/league-legends-gaming-fans-flock-seoul-super-bowl-esports-faker-targets-rare-home-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3242007/league-legends-gaming-fans-flock-seoul-super-bowl-esports-faker-targets-rare-home-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Nov 2023 06:00:24 +0000 China won four esports gold medals out of seven matches at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, providing a morale boost for the country’s video gaming fans who yearn for recognition of their hobby amid Beijing’s hostility towards the industry. Tens of thousands of young Chinese, some joined by their parents, flocked to Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province, to cheer teams competing in video games, which have been labelled “spiritual opium” by Chinese state media. Youth addiction to gaming is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236668/asian-games-2023-china-bags-over-half-gold-medals-esports-events-even-beijing-maintains-its-harsh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236668/asian-games-2023-china-bags-over-half-gold-medals-esports-events-even-beijing-maintains-its-harsh?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:03:17 +0000