The popularity of the game has also spawned lucrative hosting and commentating jobs. The earnings of esports hosts and commentators are closely linked to their fan base.
Wanna get popular? A thorough understanding of the game, talking styles and even good looks are crucial.
Once one ticks all the right boxes, he or she can be as popular as Liu Zhenyan or Chen Juan.
Chen Juan, known as "AMS", is a commentator specialized in DOTA2.
After the tournaments, the commentators will also work as hosts on live-streaming platforms, earning extra money.
"In 2014, I got the chance to be an esports host and commentator right after I finished my undergraduate study. With the industry booming, now I can make more money than my college classmates", said the 25-year-old Chen Juan.
For Liu, esports ignited her inner passion, and that's the reason why she chose to be a commentator instead of finding a job in the media field, which she studied in college.
"High incomes always come along with high risks. And in all industries, the top talent will be able to earn fat salaries. And I just want to stick to the stuffs I am really into," Liu said.
Although the earnings are closely guarded, it is estimated that top hosts can learn millions of yuan in salaries alone.
Unlike a few years ago, when there were only a few professional events with small prizes, now the esports industry offers dozens of domestic and foreign tournaments with handsome rewards.
In 2011, total prize money for esports competitions worldwide was just under $10 million, according to a report from online news portal sohu.com. By the end of 2015, it had skyrocketed to $64.5 million, a 551 percent surge from four years ago.
Attracted by the fat rewards, esports lovers, including even middle school students, are yearning for a career in the industry. However, only few gaming players can reach the top of the pyramid in this field.
Chen Zhihao cautions young aspirants against focusing solely on becoming professional players, saying "the success depends on both talent and good luck sometimes".
Wang Xu, chief analyst at GDC, said: "Today, professional esports players' incomes are polarized, and most players are at the bottom. Since the age suitable for playing esports is quite young, the players are getting younger, of which most are not well-educated and usually lack life experiences."
Wang believes qualified esports professionals will be the key to the industry's future development.
"Just like many other fields, esports needs talent," Wang added.
"According to open internet data, the industry now needs 260,000 more professionals, including data analysts, competition operators, teachers for esports education and training, professional managers and content producers."
That's not all.
Xiao Hong, CEO of Perfect World Co Ltd, a leading Chinese movie and gaming conglomerate, says the industry is now in its early setup stages, which still need time to be more mature.
"Esports need regulations. There is still a long road to make the sports standardized," he added.
