The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Esports Development Research Institute was established in Tianhe district, the first of its kind in southern China, and is expected to promote the high-quality development of the esports industry in the Greater Bay Area.

[Photo/Nanfang Plus]

The institute aims to provide intellectual support for the industry via deep study, standards setting, and academic exchanges with think tanks from China and overseas, as well as by offering a platform for research and sharing.

The institute will begin recruiting students in September, according to Tan Aiying, the Party secretary of the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports, where the esports research institute is based.

"The college is exploring appropriate talent training modes to inject impetus into this new form of sports industry,” Tan said.   

Guangzhou has the ambition of becoming the game R&D center in the Greater Bay Area, the capital of esports livestreaming and a world-renown city for the esports industry. It is planning to construct a number of large esports competition venues and roll out supportive policies.

Tianhe district has been making overall plans for the esports industry since 2018. It has unveiled incentives all along the full esports industry chain and is Guangzhou’s first district to have an esports industry association.   

Thanks to developments over the past decade, esports has evolved from a derivative of online games to a rising entertainment and sports industry, said Qiu Jitang, an industry insider. There is a huge demand for relevant talents, he added.