Chinese team wins PUBG Global Invitational (and earns congratulations from state media)
The Chinese government seems to be warming to esports
Team OMG, comprised of four starters and two substitutes from age 21 to 28 and a 29-year-old coordinator, took home US$400,000 after they came out on top in the First Person Perspective (FPP) mode.
OMG_lionkk clinched the MVP title by racking up a total of 34 kills. For that, he was awarded an extra US$20,000.
PUBG is slowly figuring out how to become a successful esport
Esports has been a fast growing industry in China. In the first quarter of 2018, the industry was valued at over US$9.4 billion.
But most importantly, it has been getting huge support straight from the top within the government -- and not just with verbal acknowledgments or congratulations.
While League of Legends, StarCraft 2 and Hearthstone are official sports, PUBG will also be included as a demonstration sport.
To put that into context: This is a little like the US government organizing an official esports tournament.
It is no accident that Team OMG took home the trophy. The team was the winner of the PUBG China Pro Invitational earlier this year, with each player earning more than US$14,000 from that tournament.
Over 100 million people watch esports victory in China
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For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.