Esports
18:35, 05-Jun-2018
Five Chinese sports champions try League of Legends, praising esports
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Five Chinese sports champions have tried playing esports title League of Legends (LOL) in Beijing last week, saying it's a "good idea" to include esports in the Asian Games.
The national champions are thriving in table tennis, ice skating and trampolining, some of whom are already playing video games as a way to relax.
They beat a South Korean female team to win the single-game exhibition match.
"A lot of young people love esports," Shi Jingnan, one of the champions, said after the match.
"I'm very happy to see esports being included in the 2018 Asian Games. I hope the Olympics could do the same," he added.
Different from Shi, ping-pong player Zu Li tried esports for the first time.
"I felt this is a healthy sport instead of video game addiction," she told a group of journalists after playing.
"You need a strong soul to do this, just like all other sports."
Trampolining champion Ye Shuai likes the game for a specific reason. "It's collaborative. You have to work closely with your teammates. It's about strategy, and how to carry it out."
ESCC Photo
ESCC Photo
The match is part of the opening show of an Electronic Sport China Cup (ESCC) invitational event, which started on May 29.
The event featured LOL and was partially supported by the game's owner Tencent.
The 2018 Asian Games, being held in Indonesian capital Jakarta in August, will feature six esports titles including:
- League of Legends (Multiplayer online battle arena)
- Starcraft II (Real-time strategy)
- Hearthstone (Collectible card game)
- Pro Evolution Soccer (Soccer simulation)
- Clash Royale (A mobile tower rush game)
- Arena of Valor (The mobile LOL)
Qualifier matches will begin in June, and CGTN will pay close attention to the events. Stay tuned for latest updates on the esports side of the 2018 Asian Games.