Chinese gamers warming rapidly to esports

Plentiful jobs

Although the value of China's esports' market is huge, the industry desperately needs more talent. With no shortage of gamers, it has many other vacancies waiting to be filled.

There are an estimated 260,000 vacancies in the domestic esports industry, according to a university esports development report published by the Network Film and TV Center of the Chinese Communist Youth League in May.

However, the jobs do not involve playing games. Authorities are trying to nurture professional game designers, coaches, tournament mangers and esports live broadcasters.

The report also announced the launch of the Chinese University E-sports League to help further boost the healthy development of esports, especially at university level. Through the national esports league, the Youth League plans to nurture and regulate the emergence of more esports clubs at universities and create more job opportunities in the sector.

According to the 2018 China E-sports Development Report, 32.6 percent of esports users in China are willing to work in the industry, and 24 percent of the users who are parents support their children in finding jobs associated with esports.

According to the report, 32.3 percent of people want to work on live-broadcast platforms for esports, 31.9 percent have chosen to work in esports clubs, and 23.7 percent want to work as game designers. However, only 19.9 percent want to become professional gamers. To fill the positions, universities across China have work to do.

In September 2016, the Ministry of Education listed "esports and management" as a college major, paving the way for higher education institutes to offer related courses and diplomas.

Among the universities offering esports classes, Peking University has received the most attention. Chen Jiang, associate professor at the university's School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, started an esports class in the spring semester.

Chen said the course is not a gaming training camp, but includes in-depth study of the gaming industry, game designs and user experience.

"When I prepared the class before the semester, I did a lot of research on how foreign universities have incorporated esports courses," Chen said. "A typical example is the University of Southern California, one of the best universities in the United States. Students there can earn around 14 academic degrees at different levels associated with games and esports, including game design."

Chinese tech giant Tencent has also been helping to nurture more talent by working with schools and different organizations and universities, including Communication University of China, which added an esports-dedicated subject－digital media art－last year. It is also one of the first schools in China to offer degrees in game design.

Mars Hou, a senior manager with Tencent Interactive Entertainment, said, "Esports education is a very new area for everyone, and like many new subjects, the industry's development has already gone beyond academic studies.

"Tencent E-sports has been building a system, including academic education, that offers diplomas, professional training and general education for the public. On the one hand, there is a desperate need for talent. On the other hand, we can never rush it. Education is rigorous, which needs patience."