Guangdong province introduced measures in May to promote the high-quality development of the online game industry. Following this, Tianhe district in Guangzhou drafted supportive measures to foster local cultural industry parks and the gaming and esports sectors, which are now open for public consultation.

The draft outlines 19 articles. It focuses on building industrial clusters by upgrading cultural parks and attracting high-quality enterprises. Park operators may receive a one-time reward of up to 200,000 yuan ($14,150) for national-level recognition. Additional incentives are available for incubating new cultural enterprises that achieve annual revenues exceeding 20 million yuan.

To strengthen the gaming and esports industry, the policy encourages enterprises to increase R&D spending and develop quality games. Established game companies that secure provincial project funding can receive matching subsidies of up to 10 percent of the awarded amount. Newly established game enterprises with annual R&D investment reaching 50 million yuan or 100 million yuan are eligible for subsidies of 1 percent or 3 percent, respectively, subject to an annual cap of 10 million yuan per company.

The draft also supports the hosting of national-level esports tournaments and efforts to attract professional clubs. Clubs that win first, second, or third place in national top-tier leagues may receive one-time rewards of up to 300,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan, and 100,000 yuan, respectively. Funding assistance is also provided for the construction of professional esports venues.

A professional esports competitor in action during a tournament. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]