Playing video games is no longer just a hobby for many youngsters across China. Gaming now goes beyond the computer and console, and is part of a booming industry in China. With that comes a whole new arena of competition known as e-sports, and universities are now offering courses on gaming. Zheng Chunying has the story.

They may not have abs of steel or a lot of muscle, and they may not be training hard outdoors, but these gamers certainly know how to bash their keyboards. For video game enthusiasts, so-called training in the classroom, is the one path to becoming a champion in the sport they hold most dear. These are students from one vocational school in eastern China, that prepares youngsters for video game competitions, also known as e-sports.

TENG XIN, STUDENT SHANDONG LANXIANG VOCATIONAL SCHOOL "This was a hobby for me. I was really into playing video games, and this is a new major as well. I think there are good prospects. I want to try it out. I'm still young, I feel like I have the time to dedicate to it."

The e-sports course at this school lasts for three years. It includes both gaming and theory lessons, that enable students to succeed in the industry and competitions. In China, playing video games was once an activity banished to the corners of internet cafes. However, the e-sports industry is booming, with hundreds of millions of people either playing or watching. Market research company Newzoo estimates that the global e-sports market will grow to more than 900 million US dollars this year, with China alone, accounting for a whopping 18 percent of that total. It's no wonder why many universities are turning their eyes to e-sports as an academic option.

RONG LANXIANG, DIRECTOR SHANDONG LANXIANG VOCATIONAL SCHOOL "At first, parents thought it was just about playing video games. In fact, that's not the case, e-sports is developing to a very high degree and it's become a factor in the market economy. That's how things are now."

YANG XIAO, E-SPORTS TEACHER SHANDONG LANXIANG VOCATIONAL SCHOOL "We're dealing with a group of young people, some a little older, maybe around 20 years old. At their age, they may not have much autonomy or organisation in their way of working. They need the school to guide them to learn."

E-Sports is set to be included as a medal event for the first time ever at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. And for these young gamers, now is the time to test their limits, and seize the moment of victory in the virtual world. Zheng Chunying, CGTN.