The Constructive Process and Cultural Logic of the E-sport Industry: From Digital Games to Competitive Sports

The booming E-sport industry, which has a large economic and user size, constitutes a pillar of Chinese culture and entertainment industry. The development of E-sport is an interwoven process between industry growth and cultural construction. On one hand, E-sport, based on the both developments of information and communication technology (ICTs) and digital games, has been developing itself from public games into a professional sport through negotiation and adjustment. On the other hand, the construction and expansion of this industry is an evolutionary process of professionalization and organization systems through learning from traditional sports in fields like: building city-based clubs, organizing multi-phase contest system, training and selecting professional players. The E-sport chain will develop together with its expanding process of professionalization and organization. Though it originated from digital games, the E-sport is still affected by the tension from games and recreations. To clarify well the relations and differences between E-sport and games, is to govern the E-sport effectively in its rapid development.