China esports gains global traction during LoL World Championship

The Swiss Stage of the League of Legends Season 15 (S15) World Championship ended last Friday in Beijing, with TES and AL from the China region advancing to the quarterfinals thanks to their consistent performances. The next round begins on Tuesday.

The final matchday of the Swiss Stage featured a highly anticipated LPL intra-region showdown: third seed TES rallied from a one-game deficit to turn the tide against top seed BLG, securing the last quarterfinal spot. Meanwhile, all four teams from South Korea's LCK advanced to the quarterfinals unreservedly. On October 28th, the quarterfinals will take place in Shanghai. AL will face defending champion T1, led by the legendary player Faker, while TES will go head-to-head with their longtime rival G2 from Europe's LEC. The tournament's grand final is scheduled for November 9th in Chengdu City.

Since its debut in 2011, the League of Legends World Championship has evolved from a small event into one of the world's most influential esports tournaments, now attracting audiences in many countries and regions. Over the past decade, its influence has continued to grow: according to statistics from overseas data firm Esports Charts, the 2024 World Championship peaked at 6.94 million viewers on international live streams, setting a new record for overseas esports viewership. The opening play-in match of this year's S15 also created a buzz – before the showdown between iG and T1, the peak overseas viewership had already surpassed 600,000. As the match reached a 1-1 tie, this number surged to 2.13 million, and exceeded 2.5 million by the end, placing the tournament among the top 10 most-watched official League of Legends events right from the start.

The tournament's booming popularity clearly shows how the esports industry has grown strong over many years. According to a report released in August 2025 by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, China's esports industry made 12.76 billion yuan ($1.79 billion) in revenue in the first half of the year, with nearly 493 million users. The spread of China's esports influence internationally is especially notable: major tournaments have drawn over 4.13 million overseas viewers per match, highlighting the early rise of Chinese esports as a significant player in global cultural exchange.

Meanwhile, esports in South Korea and Japan is also booming. Data from Grand View Research shows that the Korean esports market is projected to reach $6.9 billion in revenue in 2024, with Japan slightly ahead at $7.51 billion. Together, China, South Korea, and Japan form a rising triumvirate on the global esports stage, shaping a new era for the industry across Asia.

From event operations and IP development to team management, casting, officiating, and broadcasting, the esports industry chain is becoming more professional. In China, policy support combined with a mature local ecosystem has built a strong talent pool and robust content creation capacity. Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea have leveraged their entertainment industries and ACG (anime, comics, games) cultures to introduce richer narratives and immersive experiences into esports.

Beneath the surface of this "digital competition" lies a broader battle over content, technology, creativity, and cultural influence.

As 5G, cloud gaming, and virtual reality technologies become more widespread, esports is breaking free from traditional arenas. Esports-themed exhibitions are appearing at urban landmarks, universities are offering esports management courses, and travel packages now include match-viewing experiences. As esports evolves into a "tangible future culture," the passion of Gen Z is breathing new life into the industry.