A young female player competes in a recent e-sports event in Taicang, Jiangsu province. E-sports are set for much bigger growth in China. JI HAIXIN/CHINA DAILY
'Nascent' e-sports are already a rage as contests produce millionaire world champs, but experts strike a note of caution
Years ago, at schools in China, teenaged video game players were seen as a bad influence on others. Both parents and teachers believed the games were addictive and dangerous that could potentially imperil the future of the next generation.
Li Peng's parents were part of such 'believers'. But, the other day, they became converts to the growing 'religion' of video-gaming, and stayed up all night to watch and cheer their 20-year-old son as he emerged into a world gaming champion－and a millionaire overnight.
Li triumphed at the world's most rewarding e-sports tournament (total prize money: a whopping $20 million-plus).
Li's five-member team named Wings Gaming secured a record-breaking $9.12-million prize after winning the final of the 2016 International DOTA 2 Championships, held in Seattle, Washington, in mid-August.
DOTA 2, short for Defence of the Ancients 2, is a game in which two five-member teams battle to conquer each other's base.
"I've been playing online games since junior high school. But becoming the champion is still beyond my imagination. After all, the five of us formed a professional e-sports team less than two years ago," said Li of the Chongqing-based Wings Gaming.
