According to the latest report from Gamma Data, China's e-sports industry generated actual sales revenue of 13.115 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, marking a 2.78% increase compared to the same period last year.

Within the total revenue, live streaming continued to dominate, accounting for 80.43%. Revenue from tournaments, clubs, and other sources combined made up 19.57%, showing no significant change from the previous year, indicating a stable revenue structure.

E-Sports User Base Reaches 495 Million with Slight Growth

As of June 2026, China's e-sports user base stood at 495 million, up 0.55% year-on-year. This slight uptick suggests that user numbers have stabilized in recent years.

Shooting, MOBA, and Sports Games Top the List

Among major game genres in China's e-sports products, shooting games held the largest share at 29%. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games and sports games each accounted for 14%, tying for second place.

Mobile Games Dominate E-Sports Platforms

From a platform perspective, 58% of products operated on mobile, 25% on client-based systems, 13% on both mobile and client, and 4% on web platforms.

Shooting Games Lead in Both Mobile and Client E-Sports

In the first half of 2026, the top 10 mobile e-sports games by revenue were dominated by shooting and MOBA titles, with four shooting games and two MOBA games. Among the top 10 client-based e-sports games by popularity, shooting games accounted for six titles.

Increase in Tournaments Held via 'Online + Offline' Formats

From January to June 2026, China hosted 91 provincial-level or above, non-exhibition e-sports tournaments involving professional players, an increase of 19 events year-on-year. The growth was primarily driven by the launch of new e-sports product leagues and promotional tournaments organized by local governments. Of these, 25% were held entirely offline, 54% used a combination of online and offline formats, and 21% were fully online. Amid current economic conditions, rising costs of offline events and exploration of new tournament models have pushed e-sports tournaments toward online formats, leading to a notable decline in fully offline events and an increase in hybrid formats.

Shanghai Leads in Number of Hosted Tournaments Nationwide

In the first half of 2026, the concentration of offline e-sports tournament host cities shifted significantly. Shanghai maintained its lead, accounting for 23.9% of events. Wuhan and Guangzhou saw notable increases from low bases last year, reaching 10.2% and 8% respectively. This indicates that local governments are leveraging clear industrial plans, combined with their industrial bases, talent pools, and urban capabilities, to gain a competitive edge in the e-sports industry layout.

Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen Each Have 10 or More Clubs

As of June 2026, China had a total of 164 e-sports clubs. Shanghai ranked first with 38 clubs. Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu saw growth, with 13, 13, and 8 clubs respectively.

Majority of Clubs Participate in Single-Tournament Events

In terms of participation, 57.9% of e-sports clubs competed in only one type of tournament, 18.6% in two types, 6.2% in three types, and 8.3% in four types.

Overseas Tournament Influence Expands Further

In the first half of 2026, China's e-sports industry continued to expand into overseas markets. Beyond traditional strongholds in East and Southeast Asia, there was notable expansion into the Americas. The global influence of China's self-developed e-sports product tournaments grew, with peak single-match viewership for top events exceeding 5.68 million, setting a new record for overseas single-match viewership for Chinese e-sports tournaments.

Overall, in the first half of 2026, China's e-sports industry saw steady development in market revenue, policy support, public participation, university involvement, international influence, and technology applications. The industry's normalization, mainstreaming, and internationalization continued to progress. As the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's e-sports sector is set to build on high-quality products, supported by policy backing, improved public perception, and contemporary demand. By leveraging high-quality, systematic tournaments, it aims to boost the digital economy, stimulate consumer spending, support urban cultural tourism, drive innovation, and enhance global leadership, creating a healthier, more sustainable, and globally competitive e-sports ecosystem, thus positioning the industry as a new driver of the digital economy and a new space for cultural dissemination.