Esports in China: April 2023

Esports in China: April 2023

Top stories included the announcement by Beijing Olympic Games director Zhang Yimou that he would helm an online drama about the League of Legends Pro League, the Chinese governments approval of Moontons Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and the signing of numerous partnerships between British company Durex and Chinas League of Legends esports.

Iconic Zhang Yimou, a Chinese filmmaker, will direct the LPL web drama.

At a press conference, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou said that he would be directing his first online drama, "League of Legends." The dramas primary focus, according to the Chinese review aggregation website Douban, will centre on the life of a professional LPL esports player.

 

One of Chinas top directors in the last 20 years has been identified as Zhang Yimou. His films received five Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and three Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Additionally, he served as the general director of the ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022 and 2008 as well. 

China approves Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as a game.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), a famous esports game that was released in 2016 by Chinese game publisher Moonton, finally gained permission from Chinas National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) along with 85 other titles, seven years after the games initial release.

 

For Moonton and its parent organisation ByteDance, its a significant turning point. As two of the biggest Chinese internet companies, ByteDance and MLBB have long been acknowledged as rivals to Tencent and Honour of Kings in the international market. 

 

For the LPL, Chinas main League of Legends league, as well as the Mid-Season Invitational (MIS) and League of Legends World Championship (Worlds), British condom manufacturer Durex said it has struck many collaborations with TJ Sports. 

 

In the current MSI 2023 in London, Durex has already received attention from the Chinese LPL teams Bilibili Gaming (BLG) and Jing Dong Gaming (JDG). The winner of Durexs social media contest involving LPL casters on Weibo would receive an invitation to the MSI grand final in London. In MSI London, the Mailman Group anticipates greater cooperation between the Durex and Chinese LPL teams.