Chinese cultural elements to feature in e-sports events at Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games

With e-sports set to make its first appearance as a medal event in the Asian Games at Hangzhou 2022, Chinese cultural elements will be included in the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Tencent Games has confirmed.

Under the guidance of the Hangzhou 2022 organizing committee and local authorities, the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version will incorporate in the game design scenic spots, landscapes and cultural relics in the host city of Hangzhou, as well as other elements of the Asian Games, according to Zhang Yijia, general manager of Tencent's Timi Esports Center.

"We hope through e-sports, more and more people in Asia, and the world, can experience the glamor of Hangzhou," Zhang said.

The inaugural Road to the Asian Games tournament, organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF), will be held as qualifiers in the lead up to Hangzhou 2022.

Eight e-sports medal games at Hangzhou, namely FIFA online 4, PUBG Mobile Asian Games version, Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, HearthStone and Street Fighter V, will be competed in at the Road to Asian Games 2022 tournament, after which Asian rankings of each event will be decided.

As Tencent Games vice president Hou Miao introduced during the Road to Asian Games 2022, the Chinese technology giant will help organizers present visual landscape of 45 Asian countries and regions including Fuji Mountain of Japan and Twin Towers of Malaysia.

"Whether in number of spectators, or the scale of events held, or any other aspect, Asian e-sports takes the lead worldwide," said OCA director Asian Games and Sports Department Haider A H E Farman in his video addressing to the SPARK Global E-sports Leaders Conference here on Tuesday.

"We are delighted to see that e-sports will make its debut as an official medal sport at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. It will take e-sports to a whole new level in the Asian continent, and inject new energy into the entire Asian Games event."

The OCA announced earlier this month that the postponed 19th Asian Games will be held from September 23 to October 8, 2023.