The epicenter of gaming

Among the Chinese esports organizations accelerating overseas expansion is the Chengdu-headquartered All Gamers Esports Group, one of the oldest esports organizations in the world.

Established in 1999, AG Esports Group now has 28 branches worldwide, half of which are overseas, and is engaged in 16 game divisions covering most major esports games, such as League of Legends, Honor of Kings, Peacekeeper Elite, Valorant, CrossFire and more, according to Layne Le Kedeng, chairman of AG Esports Group.

Le, who also serves as chairman of the club commission of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, says that Asia is increasingly becoming the center of global esports, and more of the world's top esports tournaments have been held in the region over the past three years.

"Asia contributes over 70 percent of the global esports viewership and about half of its total revenues. The Esports World Cup is connecting the Eastern and Western esports scenes, and more Chinese esports organizations are making a global impact," says Le.

Notably, while esports in most Western nations are still based on computer games, China is taking the global lead in mobile gaming esports, represented by the King Pro League, the highest-level league tournament of Honor of Kings in China. This approach has been a huge success not only in China but also in overseas markets, especially in Southeast Asia.

He notes that mobile gaming now generates massive viewership across Asia, achieving explosive market growth and fostering new cultural bonds. It has extremely low barriers to entry and much easier access, regardless of time or location.

Eddy Chen, vice-president at All Gamers Global, highlights the significant role of esports in promoting cultural exchanges. He says that AG teams often prepare free gifts for fans at tournaments, and initiatives like this have helped them connect with overseas esports communities, along with promoting Chinese culture.

"We are happy to see our overseas fan base growing, and many of them buy our merchandise such as team uniforms. We are committed to building AG into one of the largest, best-performing and most sustainable esports clubs globally, and thus better connecting China and the world," Chen says.

As esports see deeper integration with cities and culture, Chinese esports organizations are also exploring beyond the arena. Shi Yu, vice-president of Beijing's Dragon Ranger Gaming Esports Club, is exploring how to unleash esports' potential in urban development.