by Fan Yicheng

The rise of international esports events in Shanghai is generating wider economic activity, with large tournaments drawing tens of thousands of visitors and contributing to the city's retail, travel, and hospitality sectors.

From May 16 to 18, the 2025 Hero Esports Asia Championship League (Hero ACL), one of Asia's largest multi-title esports competitions, was held at three major venues: Oriental Sports Center, Jing'an Sports Center, and the National Exhibition and Convention Center. Organized by Hero Esports, the event brought together more than 1,200 teams and 10,000 players across nine games, with a prize pool of 15 million yuan.

For the first time in China, Hero ACL partnered with DreamHack, a long-running global digital festival known for LAN parties, console gaming, cosplay, and live music. Organizers said the series of events drew nearly 50,000 on-site attendees and more than 140 million online views.

Japanese attendee Asada Yuma, a longtime fan of fighting games, said he booked his flight after hearing that Street Fighter 6 would be featured at DreamHack Shanghai. "Flights to Shanghai are affordable now, and visa-free entry makes things easy," he told Jiemian News.

Hero Esports co-founder and Hero ACL president Xie Fan said the event was a step toward more consumer-facing formats. "Esports events in China are mature, so we need to think about what more we can offer fans who travel for competitions," he said.

DreamHack Shanghai was tailored for a broader audience, with fewer technical segments and more activities like console games, card games, cosplay shows, and musical performances. Hero Esports, based in Shanghai, has previously organized events including the Honor of Kings Pro League, Hangzhou Asian Games esports events, and Olympic Esports Week.

Shanghai’s approach reflects a larger strategy of linking culture, tourism, commerce, and sports. According to the city’s 2024 Sports Event Impact Assessment Report, Shanghai hosted 178 international and domestic sports events last year, including 56 international ones. These generated a direct economic impact of 11.38 billion yuan, with a broader effect of 30.99 billion yuan—almost double the 2019 figures.

While esports accounted for just 3.9% of these events, their impact is growing. The Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, for example, attracted 90,000 in-person attendees—88% from outside the city and 8,700 from overseas—alongside 2.3 billion online views and an estimated 370 million yuan in related consumption.

This year’s Hero ACL included partnerships across commercial districts in Pudong and Jing'an. Ticket holders could access discounts on food, merchandise, and parking, while malls like L+mall and Xintiandi hosted live match broadcasts as "second site" viewing areas.

"Unlike traditional sports, esports generates limited revenue from ticket sales. What matters is the crowd it brings," said Wu Fangyi, deputy director of the Jing'an District Culture and Tourism Bureau. She noted that events at Jing'an Sports Center often lead to double-digit sales increases in surrounding malls.

Fans like Gao Yanqi from Jinan planned multi-day visits. "We came for Counter-Strike 2, and the ticket-linked discounts are helpful," he said.

Infrastructure and hospitality support came from state-owned groups Jiushi and Jinjiang International. Jiushi offered venue and promotional coordination, while Jinjiang provided about 2,000 hotel rooms and esports-themed travel packages. The company also launched a Saudi Arabia esports tourism promotion tied to the Hero ACL.

Hero ACL-related nightlife centered on INS Park, a hospitality complex founded by Hero Esports CEO Ying Shuling. The venue hosts regular esports events and aims to blend gaming, music, and social activities. Partner Liu Fankai said INS Park would continue to develop esports-themed nightlife and explore tie-ins with global esports IPs.

Shanghai Esports Association secretary-general Zhu Qinqin said the city is using esports to drive blended consumption through cross-sector coordination. "Gaming IPs can be integrated with urban landmarks to create themed travel, merchandise, and interactive experiences," he said.

He added that esports events like Hero ACL help solidify Shanghai’s standing as a global esports hub and offer new opportunities to expand its consumer economy.