Chinese esports players witness country’s opening-up
According to thepaper.cn, the coach of a famous South Korean esports team Kingzone DragonX said that South Korean esports have generally regressed. He also said that China will catch up and surpass South Korea in esports in a short period of time.
The coach was right. The inspiring progress of Chinese esports not only reflects Chinese young people’s enthusiasm for the game, but also shows China’s younger generation’s pursuit of technological development.
As the second largest economy in the world, the number of China’s Generation Z (Gen-Z) – the generation born after 1995 – has reached 149 million. This generation grew up in a more open environment and they have witnessed China’s rapiddeveloping technology. Today, many young Chinese couldn’t live without the internet in their life and work. Their pursuit of high-tech has promoted the development of all walks of life in China including Chinese esports.
According to an August report by gaming industry research firm CNG and the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association, the number of China’s esports players reached 428 million in 2018. If the technology lagged behind, how could China meet these gamers’ demands in such a huge market? With the development of online live-streaming technology, today’s Chinese people can watch players from all over the world playing games online. With virtual reality products, Chinese audiences can even watch esports games in an immersive way without stepping out of the house, as if they were really on the scene.
In only a few years, China’s esports have developed rapidly and this was largely brought about by technological innovation. The younger generation’s enthusiasm won’t stop. China won’t stop leading the global 5G market. It would be tremendous progress if Chinese esports and other industries can further combine with 5G technology in the future.
Compared with older generations, the mentality of young Chinese is completely different. Growing up in the internet era, their mind-set is more open. Unlike their parents, today’s youth receive a better education and some have even surpassed their peers in Western countries. Wu Sheng, a retired Chinese professional esports player, graduated from Zhejiang University and majored in biomedical engineering. Many of China’s Gen-Z went abroad when they were children. They travel a lot, speak fluent English, are full of competitive spirit and are also highly sensitive to new technologies. As they are creating new technology, they are also creating new markets.
Not only esports, but all trades need technology to move forward. China’s young generation pursues technological development. They want to use technology to change their life, a vital motivation for technological innovation. As China vows to open wider to the world, younger generations of Chinese, who have benefited from reform and openingup, are stepping forward. With a broader, more global perspective, they will craft the future of China.