Shanghai Aims To Build China’s Best Esports Stadiums
Published: Aug 7, 2019 - Last Updated: Oct 6, 2022
Shanghai will build many new esports stadiums as it aims to become China’s competitive gaming center. The city’s municipal culture and tourism bureau have issued new guidelines to this effect. These will ensure Shanghai is equipped to become a world leader for hosting some of the biggest competitive gaming tournaments such as Dota 2 The International 2019.
New esports stadiums
The announcements were made at the China Digital Entertainment Expo earlier this week. Among the details of the new stadiums were requirements that will govern everything from telecommunication networks to stage lighting. But it was the unveiling of four esports stadiums categories that will be of greatest interest to Shanghai’s gaming community.
The largest arenas will be known as Class A venues. Compare those to the Mercedes-Benz Arena, which is hosting The International later this August. Class A venues will be at least 50,000 square meters and used to host the highest level of esports tournaments.
Then, Class D venues will clock in around 500 square meters. Qualifiers will more likely suit these. The wide range of esports arena categories could also help Shanghai expand its resources for training facilities and public gaming experiences.
Already, many of the city’s shopping malls have shown an interest in the project. New venues would help boost Shanghai’s already strong position in the global gaming scene.
Shanghai and The International Dota 2 event
This August will see Shanghai hosting the ninth installment of The International. Well known as the world’s biggest Dota 2 competition, this tournament has generated plenty of press. After all, its crowdfunded prize pool already stands in excess of $30 million.
The 2019 International will take place in Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena from Aug. 16-25. It will be the first time that the Dota 2 tournament has taken place in Asia. Such was the demand for tickets that The International 2019 sold out in less than a minute.
In a bid to cater to Shanghai’s growing esports community, many pre-existing sporting stadiums have been upgraded for competitive gaming competitions. For example, Tencent recently used the Oriental Sports Centre in January. The building had to upgrade its internet and broadband infrastructure to meet the strict requirements of the Tencent Champion Cup.
In addition to this, Netease is currently building an esports eco-park in the Qingpu district of Shanghai. The tech giant will spend five billion yuan on the project, which will become China’s first professional esports venue available not only to Shanghai’s esports teams.
According to a report from Gamma Data, the revenues generated from esports in Shanghai last year topped $2 billion. This accounted for nearly 20% of the national total. It clearly illustrates why the city is so keen to invest in some very impressive esports arenas.
