RIYADH, July 18 (Xinhua) -- "When AG Esports player Yi Nuo stepped on stage as an international representative during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Esports World Cup, I truly felt that Chinese clubs are gaining recognition on the global stage," said Eddy Chen, Chief Operating Officer of AG Esports' overseas headquarters and President of the Esports Association of Hong Kong, China.
In an interview with Xinhua in Riyadh, Chen said AG has been working on expanding globally for the past two years. The club has invested in or partnered with local teams in several countries and regions and built "international squads" in popular game titles.
Founded in 1999, AG Esports is one of China's most established and influential Esports clubs. According to Chen, the club has so far won 3 Asian Games gold medals, 25 international championships, and 117 domestic titles.
"At this year's Esports World Cup, our domestic and international teams secured slots in nine EWC finals events - the highest among Chinese clubs," he said.
This is Chen's second time at the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, and he said this year's event had seen better scheduling, transport and player facilities.
"The organizers launched a 'Super Fan Program' that integrates cultural experiences, tourism and fan engagement with clubs. It attracted over 2,000 fans worldwide, fully demonstrating Saudi Arabia's strong organizational capabilities," Chen said.
Discussing Hong Kong's Esports development, Chen emphasized that the local government has been increasing support in recent years through athlete subsidies, coach recruitment and training facilities.
Local players have performed strongly on the international stage, with a women's CS team previously ranking second in Asia. "Hong Kong is leveraging its geographical advantages to bid for more major international events," Chen said.
"By the end of this year, a global Counter-Strike 2 championship with over a decade of history will take place at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, expected to draw more than 10,000 spectators," he noted.
China's Esports industry must seize the current "window of opportunity" to go global, as Chinese clubs are already moving faster and on a larger scale than many of their international counterparts, he said.
"While many foreign teams want to enter the Chinese market but face challenges, Chinese teams have a first-move advantage in expanding overseas. Timing is everything - the earlier we move, the stronger our edge," he added.
Chen stressed that going global requires a combination of localization and internationalization - attracting local talent, adapting to regional social media ecosystems, and exporting China's advanced training systems worldwide.
In his view, Chinese game developers already have the technical capability to compete globally, but achieving success overseas requires greater localization beyond simple language translation, including adjustments to character design, costumes and gameplay elements to suit cultural preferences.
As for talent development, Chinese clubs have built world-class training systems. Continued exchange with top international organizations will further enhance competitiveness, Chen said.
By the end of 2024, AG Esports had trained nearly 1,000 professional players, amassed over 350 million social media followers, and generated 60.4 billion annual content views.
"These numbers show that esports is not just competitive gaming - it's also a key platform for cultural exchange and a gateway to the digital economy," Chen said. ■
