What are we discussing when we talk about the Shanghai Major?

On December 15, the finals of the 2024 Counter-Strike Major Championship concluded, with Team Spirit defeating FaZe Clan with a score of 2:1 to claim the championship title.

Counter-Strike is one of the most internationally recognized esports, and since its inception in 2013, the CS Major has been held in many major global cities, including London, Paris, Berlin, Boston, and Rio de Janeiro. This year, it took place in Shanghai, marking the first time the event has been held in Asia.

With this, Shanghai has become the first city in the world to host three of the top international esports events: the 2020 League of Legends World Championship (S10), the 9th DOTA 2 International (TI9), and the 2024 Counter-Strike Major Championship. The significance of Shanghai as the “Global Esports Capital” is undeniable.

The conclusion of the Shanghai Major saw the emergence of the youngest champion in Major history, sparking numerous discussions online. Why are young people so focused on this event? What passions and expectations lie behind the discussions surrounding the Shanghai Major?

What would it be like for a top-tier event to debut in Asia?

The Shanghai Major lasted for 35 days and featured 56 teams, with 54 of them being international teams, bringing nearly 700 overseas players and staff to Shanghai, most of whom were visiting China for the first time.

This was the first time the Major was held in Asia. Huang Xiaoou, the Deputy General Manager of Perfect World Esports, told The Paper that ensuring the international standard of the event was the biggest challenge. “In the past, this event was held in Europe and America, and the game developers, teams, and audiences from both domestic and international backgrounds were all very curious about how the event would unfold in China and whether it would satisfy players and spectators. Especially since we needed to provide support for the players’ living and training arrangements in Shanghai for over a month.”

As a game that originated in 1999, Counter-Strike has a massive audience, with users spanning over 100 countries and regions and more than 40 million monthly active users.

Global attention turned to the Oriental Sports Center in Pudong: What would it be like for Shanghai to host a top-tier event?

Before the semifinals kicked off on December 14, the venue warmed up with two musical pieces, “Hua Lian” and “Eh Hei.” The latter, which blends Zhuang music with the style of Counter-Strike, is the first music box in a Chinese minority language for the game. “Hua Lian,” created in collaboration with Shaanxi Qin Opera, was the first Chinese music box released in the game.

Before the finals on December 15, an elderly jazz band with Shanghai cultural characteristics performed classic songs “Night Comes” and “On the Journey.” The organizers invited Zhou Guanyu, China’s first F1 driver, to participate in a celebrity exhibition match alongside esports players.

On the evening of December 15, the atmosphere at the Oriental Sports Center was electric as the youngest champion in Major history and the youngest MVP of the Major event were crowned in Shanghai. Some media outlets commented on the 17-year-old, stating he “broke through the entire CS scene in Shanghai” and “with his hands in his pockets, he didn’t know what a rival was.”

The Shanghai Major attracted over 70,000 offline spectators, nearly 10,000 of whom were from overseas. In addition to the offline fans, the event also garnered a wide online audience. The online broadcasts reached a global audience in multiple languages, including Chinese, English, and Russian, making it one of the most-watched esports events worldwide, with over 600 million online viewers.

Huang Xiaoou stated, “The spirit of competition and determination to win in esports is similar to traditional sports. Young people compete fairly on the field after long hours of training, especially since esports has entered the Asian Games, leading to more positive and proactive views on esports.”

Moreover, the Shanghai Major broke the convention of holding regional qualifiers online; this time, all qualifiers were held offline in Shanghai. “Previous events might have concluded in two to three weeks, but this time some participants stayed for over a month. Besides the competition, we also organized tours for guests to explore Shanghai, allowing these esports enthusiasts to enjoy the event while learning about and experiencing esports culture, which also boosts Shanghai’s cultural tourism industry,” Huang Xiaoou explained.

During the event, various areas in Shanghai created an immersive atmosphere. For instance, the Wanda Plaza in Wujiaochang hosted a CS city parade, showcased naked-eye 3D videos, and held a mascot parade. Wukang Road established a CS Major-themed post office, displaying customized postal items related to esports and creating dedicated photo areas for esports fans. Additionally, players could take a CS-themed double-decker bus to tour the city.

In Huang Xiaoou’s view, bringing such events to China not only attracts global attention but also showcases the excitement of Chinese esports to the world. Throughout this process, both Chinese players and teams have the opportunity to exchange and learn on a top-tier event platform, promoting the continuous development of Chinese esports.

What has Shanghai done right to host top-tier esports events?

For esports, 2024 is a milestone year. The successful hosting of the Saudi Esports World Cup and the upcoming Esports Olympics signify an increasingly mainstream trend in esports.

Shanghai has long been planning for the esports industry and has introduced several relevant policies in recent years.

In 2017, Shanghai released the “Several Opinions on Accelerating the Innovative Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries in the City” (referred to as the “Cultural and Creative 50”), proposing to accelerate the construction of a global esports capital. In 2018, Shanghai introduced the “20 Policies for Esports,” becoming the first in the country to implement a registration system for esports athletes.

In April 2024, Shanghai esports company VSPO successfully led the establishment of the international standard for esports, ISO 25094-1 (E-sports-Part1: Definitions), under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This standard is the first successful international standard for esports globally and has received support and participation from ten countries, including Germany, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and Malaysia. The industry widely believes that the successful establishment of the ISO 25094-1 international standard is a milestone for promoting the standardization, mainstreaming, and internationalization of the esports field, enhancing industry competitiveness, and fostering technological innovation.

The “Three-Year Action Plan for Supporting the Healthy Development of the Gaming and Esports Industry in Shanghai (2024-2026),” released in July 2024, sets specific goals, including maintaining the lead in the number of registered high-level esports clubs and major esports events in the country by 2026, generating over 8 billion yuan in revenue directly related to events, cultivating several esports-themed industrial parks, and having more than eight A-level and B-level esports venues.

“Stable policy support has clarified the important position of esports in digital consumption and economic growth, providing a solid foundation for the development of the esports industry,” Huang Xiaoou stated.

According to the “2024 Annual Report on China’s Esports Industry” released by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association on December 11, 2024, there will be 124 non-performance esports events involving provincial-level and professional players, with 58% of the events held entirely offline, 32% combining online and offline formats, and 10% held online. Shanghai has become the city with the most esports events this year, accounting for 17.8% of the national total.

The esports industry revenue in Shanghai is expected to reach 6.131 billion yuan in 2024 (excluding esports game revenue), representing a year-on-year growth of 4.3%. As of the end of October, Shanghai has hosted over 2,300 esports events, attracting 2.31 million offline spectators. According to market research, the esports event revenue in Shanghai for 2024 is projected to be 1.115 billion yuan, accounting for 46.9% of the national total, with club revenue at 677 million yuan, representing 41.87% of the national total, continuing to maintain its position as the city hosting the most significant esports events, with the highest number of high-level esports clubs and players, and the most complete industry chain in the country.

The preparation and hosting of large-scale esports events have promoted the concentration of the industry chain in Shanghai. At this juncture, the Major’s arrival in Shanghai further highlights the city’s ambition to become a global esports capital.

In Huang Xiaoou’s view, following the DOTA 2 TI9 and League of Legends S10, the hosting of the CS Major in Shanghai is of great significance. “The increasing number of top-tier events being held in Shanghai signifies that the esports market in Shanghai is becoming more vibrant, bringing it closer to becoming a global esports capital.”