China's booming esports industry fuels new career opportunities

Xu Bicheng, known globally by his ID "Yinuo," who won an esports gold medal at the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, first discovered his exceptional gaming talent while still in school.

Born after 2000, Yinuo never imagined that in 2019 his team would be acquired by the professional club Chengdu AG Super Play, thrusting him into one of the most dynamic and fast-growing industries.

Players of TT Global of China compete during the grand final of the Honor of Kings at the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, July 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Chen)

Along the way, the esports industry has grown into a vast ecosystem, giving rise to a wide range of new career opportunities.

Esports have become a major driver of China's digital culture and new forms of consumption, according to a report on the development of China's esports industry in 2025, released by the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association.

In 2019, China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security officially recognized esports event managers and players as new professions.

China retained its position as the world's largest esports market in 2025, with industry revenue reaching 29.331 billion yuan (about $4.29 billion) and a user base totaling 495 million, according to the report.

At the upcoming 20th Asian Games, esports will feature 11 events, up from seven at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Over the past eight years, Yinuo has trained for eight to 10 hours a day with almost no breaks. Yet to him, the hours seem to fly by. "Because it's something I truly love," he said.

He has built a large following among younger audiences. On the short-video platform Douyin, he has over 8.4 million followers and 280 million likes. Each of his matches typically draws live audiences in the hundreds of thousands.

Huang Xinyuan, a professor at the Communication University of China, has seen firsthand the growing influence of esports and its players.

In 2017, the university became the first in China to offer an undergraduate esports program. That November, first-year students organized and livestreamed an amateur tournament, attracting more than 40,000 concurrent viewers.

"The program is designed to prepare students for roles across the esports industry chain, particularly in live broadcasting and event production," Huang said, adding that there are also opportunities in areas such as the development of derivative products.

Today, esports broadcasting and livestreaming employ a large and steadily growing workforce. Data show that livestreaming remains the sector's primary source of revenue. In 2025, China's esports livestreaming revenue reached 23.7 billion yuan, accounting for 80.81 percent of the industry's total.

Born in Shanghai, Gao Tianyun majored in English while studying in Hong Kong. In 2018, when the first KPL international championship opened recruitment for English-language hosts, she immediately signed up.

The role requires thorough preparation before each match. Ahead of every game, she must review both teams' lineups, strategies, play styles and previous records in detail. About two hours before the match, commentators, hosts, guests, directors, event staff and broadcast coordinators gather to align on the day's key content and production plan.

Over time, Gao has seen the industry gain increasing visibility, and she has also become a well-known bilingual esports commentator and host.

"Back in 2018, I had to go into a lot of detail to explain what my job was before people got it," Gao said. "But since 2021, the typical reaction has been, 'Wow, your job sounds so cool!'"

After graduating in 2017, Wang Danna worked in Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu, holding three jobs she ultimately found unfulfilling. She realized traditional industries weren't the right fit. After several months of exploring her options, she started a self-media account focused on the esports industry.

Since 2018, her account has produced numerous videos with millions of views on Douyin and has attracted nearly 7.5 million followers on the platform.

Over the past few years, a growing number of similar accounts have emerged and grown. By interpreting and expanding on esports-related topics, they have become an important part of the industry's broader ecosystem.

As esports continue to converge with sectors such as cultural tourism and technology, the industry has given rise to a range of hybrid roles, including event operations, content creation and data analysis, forming an integrated employment ecosystem that spans the entire industry chain and is worth over 10 billion yuan.

From full-time positions to more flexible roles, esports-related careers have become an increasingly popular option among young job seekers.

China's esports industry employed over 650,000 full-time workers in 2024, with 80 percent concentrated in first-tier and emerging first-tier cities, according to a report on the development of the industry released by the Shanghai Esports Association.

Meanwhile, flexible roles, such as esports coaching, have grown rapidly, creating a wide range of digital employment opportunities for young people.

To date, 139 universities across China have established esports-related majors, supplying a steady stream of professional talent to support the industry's continued growth.