China’s esports scene continues to thrive with impressive growth and expansion. The latest figures revealed at the 2025 China Esports Industry Annual Conference indicate a significant increase in the sector’s revenue. This growth underscores the industry’s resilience and potential as it adapts to new challenges and opportunities.
China’s esports industry recorded a remarkable revenue of ¥29.331bn (~$4.02bn / ~£3.19bn) in 2025, marking a 6.4% increase from the previous year. This data was unveiled on December 4th at the annual conference in Beijing, where Tang Jiajun, a key industry figure, highlighted the sector’s progress in mainstream adoption, cross-industry integration, and international expansion.
Livestreaming Dominates Revenue Share
Livestreaming remains a powerhouse in revenue generation, capturing 80.81% of total income within China’s esports landscape. Other segments such as tournament operations and clubs contributed to the remaining share. The esports audience expanded to over 495 million users, with shooters leading the revenue charts at 28.3%, followed by MOBA and sports titles at 14.1% each.
Mobile esports continued their dominance, accounting for 58.6% of the market, trailed by PC client games at 25.3%. Notably, shooting and MOBA games were prevalent among the top mobile esports titles by revenue.
Offline Events Continue to Expand
The year 2025 saw a surge in offline esports events in China, hosting 142 non-exhibition provincial-level tournaments, an increase of 18 from the previous year. Shanghai, Chengdu, and Chongqing emerged as key host cities. Shanghai led with 19.2% of the events, enhancing the city’s reputation as a major esports hub.
By the end of the year, China boasted 165 active esports clubs, with Shanghai home to the largest concentration. The nation also extended its reach into global esports markets, particularly targeting Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Domestically developed titles drew millions of international viewers, pushing the ecosystem toward a more advanced structure.
As the industry looks ahead, the focus will be on enhancing content, forging ‘esports+’ collaborations, and fostering global cooperation to elevate China’s esports ecosystem further. The China Esports Industry Annual Conference remains pivotal in charting the course for future developments and strategies in this dynamic field.