Letters | Hong Kong should help esports athletes achieve their full potential

Readers discuss the development of the esports industry, the overall success of the government’s Covid measures, and how the city is thriving again

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A bird’s eye view of the Xiacheng District Esports Venue for this year’s Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou. Photo: VGG

Published: 11:30am, 13 Jan 2023

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At the Asian Games to be hosted in Hangzhou next year, professional athletes from 45 countries or regions, including Hong Kong, will be able to compete in a number of esports events.

Although esports have become increasingly prominent around the world and have great potential to stimulate growth in areas such as STEAM education and healthcare, support and recognition for this industry remains limited in Hong Kong.

Engaging schoolchildren with esports can cultivate innovative skills in maths and science. FS Academy, for example, provides an arena for young people to learn and apply automotive engineering and design, virtual and augmented reality technologies and so on, through deploying their own remote-controlled cars.

Esports can also help the elderly keep dementia at bay. Intergeneration Foundation, an NGO, recently partnered with Mahjong World, a mobile game, to hold an event promoting brain health and the importance of building a dementia-friendly community.

Given the potential of esports, the development of the industry in Hong Kong requires more support from the government. While Cyberport has built an esports arena with government funding that seats hundreds of audience members, it is rather difficult or costly for esports organisations to book large venues such as the Hong Kong Coliseum and AsiaWorld-Expo. Operators of esports venues are also required to apply for exemption from license requirements under the Amusement Game Centres Ordinance and meet a range of requirements by the Office of the Licensing Authority, Fire Services Department, Buildings Department and so on.