Shanghai Esports Association’s latest report, released July 30th, paints a vibrant picture of China’s booming esports industry. The “2024 China Esports Industry Career Development Report” highlights esports as a burgeoning sector fueled by policy support, surging user growth, and expanding job opportunities. The report suggests that esports, with its blend of full-time and flexible employment models, is emerging as a key driver of the digital economy, holding significant career potential for young professionals.
China boasts a massive esports user base, currently at 490 million – nearly 35% of the national population. This figure jumps to over 57% when considering the young and middle-aged demographic. The growing influence of professional esports competitions is a key catalyst, driving viewership numbers sky-high. The League of Legends S14 finals, for example, drew over 43.3 million domestic viewers in 2024, dwarfing the viewership of a typical English Premier League match by a factor of four. This surge in popularity is creating rapid demand for positions like streamers and social media managers. The report also identifies the creation of niche roles like esports instructors and lecturers.
Beyond traditional employment, esports is generating a significant number of flexible income opportunities. Industry observers note that millions of esports enthusiasts are leveraging online platforms to generate revenue. These platforms, especially, provide avenues for part-time coaching, content creation, and community management. The report pinpoints esports instructors as a prime example, with a strong concentration of these freelancers located in second, third-tier cities, and even smaller locales. These millions of esports platform users based in smaller cities of China generate over 10 billion yuan (USD $1.38 billion) in annual revenue.
The “Report” shines a spotlight on a key area that demands further development: standardization within the industry, particularly regarding professional certification of esports instructors. While the number of certified esports instructors continues to grow (exceeding 10,000 by early 2025, since the start of certification initiatives in 2023), the industry is calling for clear standards and guidelines to elevate the overall quality for esports instruction.
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