eSports user number in China 2016-2024

Around the globe, eSports is rapidly gaining popularity with millions of fans and billions of dollars up for grabs. The competitive, organized video gaming had attracted 490 million users in China in 2024. The country has become one of the largest eSports powerhouses in the world, with rising numbers of female viewers and players in eSports leagues. 

Climbing to the top of the ladder

The first time Chinese gamers appeared in a global video gaming competition was the World Cyber Games in 2001. The United States and South Korea were leading the tournament chart in terms of total prize money, whereas China ranked tenth among 29 participating countries that year. After two rapid growth stages of China’s eSports industry between 2013 and 2016 and in 2021, the number of professional players and the amount of prize winnings reached a record high. In 2023, Chinese players occupied 13 of the top 50 player spots, surpassing the United States in the global eSports arena.

Rising participation of women in competitive gaming

While eSports gaming is male-dominated to a great extent, female fans accounted for about a quarter in China. Several consumer surveys have found that females are more willing to fly to attend an overseas eSports event and spend more on related merchandise. On the other side, the landmark victory of Chinese female player Li Xiaomeng has not only encouraged more Chinese women to go pro, but has also attracted a lot of young, female viewers. As the leading female Chinese eSports gamer, Li was the first woman to win a Hearthstone Grandmasters championship and a BlizzCon tournament in November 2019. In the long term, the eSports industry needs to address the gender gap as more and more female consumers want to see women represented in eSports tournaments.