Women E-Sports Players in China Face Multiple Barriers

BEIJING, CHINA - In China's booming e-sports industry, where over $3.7 billion was generated in revenue last year and attracted 490 million viewers to sell-out tournaments with lucrative prize pools, women players are struggling to carve out a space for themselves.

Despite the growing popularity of sports entertainment, China remains one of the least gender-friendly regions when it comes to e-sports. More than 90% of the 195 professional e-sports clubs in the country are exclusively for men, leaving few opportunities for women.

Professional e-sports player Liu Anqi, 23, said that her skills were often belittled by male opponents and even some female gamers, as well as trolls on social media. "People wouldn't recognise my skills because I'm a girl," she told AFP after a game with her all-women club RE-girls.

The lack of opportunities extends beyond online abuse, structural inequalities such as a scarcity of recruitment programs for women also deter many from pursuing e-sports careers. Liu Anqi's own experience with a lower-tier club that rejected her for a rookie training program serves as an example.

In addition to facing online harassment and sexism, women gamers are more likely to be subjected to misogynistic accusations and rumors about their supposed reliance on sex to advance their careers.

To progress in e-sports, Liu Qanna, an e-sports player from Killer Angel Girl E-Sports Club (KA) said that women must overcome vicious trolls and gender norms. While her teammates often throw insults back at the abusers, it can be difficult without support.

Moreover, compared to their male counterparts, women players receive less recognition, financial backing and even fewer opportunities for advancement. For instance, last year's "King Pro League Grand Finals" offered a prize pool of $9.6 million to 12 male teams, while the smaller "Women's Open", had a significantly lower $140,000 prize pool.

Despite facing these challenges, many women players find e-sports a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, driven by passion rather than financial gain. The growth in popularity of women-only tournaments is also bringing more women together as friends and rivals.

To bridge the gap between men's and women's e-sports, Liu Anqi and coach Chen Bo believe that big gaming companies must invest more in female players and support policies from authorities are required to create a level playing field.