Esports more than just fun and games

Chinese gaming enterprises cashing in on solid sector expansion

China now has the world's most esports users and the sector is seeing continuous and steady expansion both at home and abroad, said industry experts and business leaders during the 21st China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, or ChinaJoy, which was held from Friday to Monday in Shanghai.

Currently, China is home to about 490 million esports enthusiasts, the world's biggest user base, said a report released during ChinaJoy by the Electronics Sports Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.

In the first half, many local governments have rolled out preferential policies to boost esports development. The industry is seeing more diverse esports games and events, as well as wider and deeper international engagement, said Zhang Yijun, first vice-chairman of the association.