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After Prince Salman's prediction, eSports is making a splash in Asian Games
Esports and gaming, the Saudi Crown Prince said, is now competing with the biggest Hollywood movies for viewership
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. — AP
It was only a few days ago that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman predicted a bright future for eSports.
The visionary leader who is inspiring Saudi Arabia to usher in a new era of sporting growth, has identified eSports as one of the key components in his Saudi Vision 2030.
"Esports is one of the most important things happening globally. It's one of the most growing industries on the planet. It grows by 30 per cent every year," said the Crown Prince during his recent interview with Fox News.
Esports and gaming, the Crown Prince said, is now competing with the biggest Hollywood movies for viewership.
The video games platform has proved the Crown Prince right by making a splash at the ongoing Asian Games in China.
China eSports players participate in the quarterfinal game against Myanmar. — AFP
ESports is making its debut as a medal event at the Asian Games, seen as a major step towards the Olympics one day, with renowned gamers such as South Korea’s Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok in action.
Medals are up for grabs in seven gaming titles, including Arena of Valor, League of Legends and EA Sports FC Online.
ESports tickets costing up to $137 are like gold dust with desperate fans signing up multiple times through a lottery system in hope of seeing their gaming heroes live.
For the unlucky ones, they have instead waited outside the gates of the futuristic-looking Hangzhou Esports Center, craning their necks to look inside the official Games buses passing through.
A fan poses with League of Legends cards outside the venue. — Reuters
Underlining just how popular it is, eSports is the only competition at the Games where tickets were allocated through an initial online lottery, before being opened up last week for direct purchase.
Tickets run up to 1,000 yuan ($137), making eSports one of the most expensive events to watch at the Asian Games.
"Getting tickets for this eSports competition was quite intense," said Xu Kezhen, a 20-year-old fan at the swish venue.
"I had to try five or six times before finally getting one. Everyone wants to come and support the Chinese team and their favourite players, so there is a rush to grab the tickets and show their support."
The hassle and expense did not deter Zhao Xiaohan, who signed up for all possible lotteries before eventually winning a prized spot. (With inputs from AFP)
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