Xiaohai becomes the champion of KOF15 at Evo 2023, Las Vegas, U.S., August 6, 2023. /Evo
Legendary Chinese fighting game player Zeng "Xiaohai" Zhuojun was crowned Kings of the Fighters XV (KOF15) champion at Evo 2023 in Las Vegas, U.S. on Sunday.
During the grand finals, Xiaohai fought to be the last person standing against Lin "E.T." Chia-hung from China's Taiwan, beating him 3:2 with more careful movements and better timing.
For this tournament, Xiaohai employed what audiences call "box tech" – a cardboard box surrounding his controller. Neither casters nor esports media outlets figured out why he had to use the box.
Xiaohai's team, Shenzhen-based esports club Qanba, didn't reply to CGTN's request for comment.
Xiaohai covers his controller with a cardboard box before a KOF15 match at Evo 2023, Las Vegas, U.S., August 6, 2023. /Evo
It's been nine years since the last time Xiaohai won an Evo main event title. Though he won the KOF14 title at Evo 2016, the tournament was only a side event in that year.
The Evo organizer commented on the 34-year-old champion saying, "The return of the king."
"I always believe that as long as I want, the champion of the KOF will belong to me," said Xiaohai on Twitter. "The next to focus on Street Fighter 6, I also hope to become the champion. I also believe that I can do it."
"Don't think it's too late for working hard, now is the youngest time in your life," he added.
People in their 30s are often considered less competitive in esports than younger players as older people have longer reaction times.
A great portion of world-level esports players retire at around 28, with some becoming coaches or managers to continue utilizing their understanding of gaming.
Combined with his win at Evo Japan, Xiaohai is now qualified for the KOF15 world championship, which will be held by developer SNK in spring 2024. As the runner up of the Evo 2023, E.T. has also qualified for the event.
The preparing screen for a game of KOF15 between Xiaohai and E.T. at Evo 2023, Las Vegas, U.S., August 6, 2023. /Evo
KOF is a fighting game franchise that has lasted for nearly three decades, which had a huge fanbase in China until the government banned arcades for including gambling and addictive games. The ban was lifted in 2016.
Fighting games are a genre that usually features one-on-one close combat in a virtual world. One of the most noticeable characteristics of fighting games are "combos" – a chain of attacks that are hard to perform but deal huge damage to the opponent.