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China might be one of the best countries for women in esports
Mobile games like Arena of Valor and tournament wins by Chinese teams like Invictus Gaming in League of Legends are drawing more women towards esports in China
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
This was the moment Siqi “Nara” Chen had been waiting for. When Invictus Gaming raised the Summoner’s Cup as the first Chinese team to win the League of Legends World Tournament, Chen felt her life was complete, having played the game herself since 2012.
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“I was really lucky to be a fangirl there witnessing it,” said Chen, now 25, who previously competed as a professional player before becoming a tournament host.
Chen is part of a growing cohort of women gamers in the world’s most populous country. Once a rare sight, it’s no longer uncommon to see women players sitting in internet cafes or arcades. Women already make up a significant portion of the gamer market, making up 46% of gamers in 2017, according to data from Newzoo.
In an industry largely dominated by male players, China stands out for its gender balance in esports. The high penetration of mobile games and the increasing number of world championships won by Chinese teams, albeit all-male teams so far, is helping bring more women gamers into the fold.
Of China’s fans who have been following esports for at least four years, 30% are women, according to a Nielsen survey. China is second only to South Korea, where 32% of fans are women.
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Although nearly a fifth of China’s esports fans started tuning in between 1998 and 2008, half of China’s female fans have only been following esports since 2017, according to Penguin Intelligence.
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