World’s first women’s e-sports event to debut at Hong Kong Computer and Communications Festival
Organisers expect number of visitors to beat last year’s record of 800,000 and have rented out about 600 booths to 200 exhibitors for the four-day event
The world’s first women’s e-sports event will take place at the Hong Kong Computer and Communications Festival, which opens on August 25.
The Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry, which is organising the show, has rented out about 600 booths to 200 exhibitors for the four-day event.
The number of visitors is expected to beat last year’s record of 800,000 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
Jacky Cheung Yiu-shing, founding president of the chamber, said the introduction of e-sports competitions for female players would attract more visitors and help promote such activities.
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“Hong Kong’s e-sports industry has been lagging others, but the government has started to show support by holding more activities and approving teams for overseas competitions,” Cheung said.
E-sports, or electronic sports, involves dedicated video gamers from around the world competing in different titles and genres, often in a professional capacity.
It will be the first time for a women’s event to be featured – out of seven gaming competitions – at the festival.
Ryan Chow, chairman of the Hong Kong E-sports Association, said the local industry was still in its infancy and not as developed as elsewhere.
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He added that the participation of women in such activities was quite a recent trend.
An “e-sports street” next to the competition area will feature gaming gear, and visitors may also expect an interactive zone for fans to try their hand at the latest games.
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Cheung said the city e-sports scene is “explosive” this year, with festival sales projected to increase by 5 to 10 per cent compared with previous years.
“I expect China to be the world’s largest e-sports market in two to three years,” he said.
The festival will also feature a cosplay competition for the first time. Participants with the most Facebook likes for their costumes stand to win HK$20,000.
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Logitech, the festival’s appointed e-sports brand, will provide the first 50 visitors each day with a K380 Multi-device Bluetooth Keyboard, which sells at HK$299.
Tickets cost HK$30 per person and those who arrive before 1pm will be entitled to another ticket for free.