E-Sports Makes Debut As “Medal Sport” At 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou

According to the latest reports, the 19th Asian Games will take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. E-sports (online gaming) has been added as an official event of the Asian Games 2023 for the first time in history. Moreover, it will offer seven gold medals across seven gaming titles. The 19th Asian Games introduced Esports as a medal event giving global recognition to this rising form of sport. In recent years, Esports has gained substantial popularity worldwide.

The 19th Asian Games Will Kick Off Tomorrow in Hangzhou, China

It will be a 15-day competition. The Hangzhou Asian Games will award a total of 481 gold medals, including seven gold medals for Esports. Reports claim that 45 countries have registered for the Asian Games 2023. Among them, 31 countries and regions will participate in Esports. Over 500 Esports athletes will compete for gold medals at the Hangzhou Esports Center.

Just for your information, the Hangzhou Esports Center was completed in 2022. It covers an area of 80,000 square meters and can house up to 5,000 spectators. Moreover, it was designed especially for the Asian Games Esports events and looks like a sci-fi spaceship when viewed from above. The Esports lineup includes League of Legends, DOTA 2, Honor of Kings (also known as Arena of Valor), PUBG, FIFA Online 4, Street Fighter V, and Dream Three Kingdoms 2. Asian Esports Federation president Huo Qigang stated:

“Asian esports has become a thriving industry, unleashing enormous potential and connecting people from different backgrounds, cultures, and countries”

It is pertinent to mention here that this event was actually scheduled to take place in 2022. However, at that time, the event got delayed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has been selected as the official Esports gaming phone provider for the Hangzhou event. It means that all contestants at the international event will use iQOO flagship phones.