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Interview with VSPO CEO: How China esports differs from the West

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China has long been in a leading position when it comes to the esports industry, home to many top esports players and a massive fanbase that supports them. However, China’s esports market operates substantially differently from Western markets. What is China’s esports ecosystem like, and how has it been affected by industry troubles that have plagued the West?

In an extended interview with VSPO, a major tournament organiser in China that runs some of the country’s biggest leagues, Esports Insider provides an insight into an ecosystem that is frequently heard about but rarely discussed in Western media.

In the hour-long chat, conducted in Mandarin and translated into English, Dino Ying, CEO of VSPO and Danny Tang, CFO of VSPO, discussed everything from the company’s founding story to the ‘esports winter’ that has left a chill on the shoulders of prominent stakeholders.

The original story

VSPO is an influential actor in the Chinese esports sector. Founded back in 2016 as VSPN, the company’s goal was to offer comprehensive services within esports, spanning production, operation and entertainment. The business primarily consists of three cores: the organisation and operation of esports events, commercialisation, and community management.

Since then the company has worked with top-tier professional esports competitions on game titles Honor of Kings, Peacekeeper Elite (PUBG Mobile in China), CrossFire, League of Legends and many more. VPSO also organised the latest Asian Games (which were postponed to 2023) in Hangzhou, China, which saw esports matches getting medal recognition for the first time.

According to Ying, the formation of VSPO began when he realised there was a strong demand for content and high-level competition in China, but the supply side was lacking. By building esports complexes across multiple cities around the world, the company wanted to bring a range of experiences — from online to offline — to esports fans.

Tang added: “From the very first day of our entrepreneurial journey, we had a clear vision: drive and witness esports become a more influential sport and form of entertainment. Over the past six to seven years, we have gradually seen esports unleash its impact worldwide.”

Assessing the Chinese esports market

Since its creation, the company has seen significant changes in the esports landscape, none more so than the mobile esports ecosystem. According to VSPO’s CFO, the decision to focus on the mobile gaming route has paid off in the Eastern world.

“Our judgment at that time was that mobile phones would definitely become mainstream because as more and more time was spent on mobile gaming, the demand for content and experience would naturally shift to the mobile side,” mentioned Tang.

Alongside the growth of gamers across mobile, PC and console, esports also rose in popularity, becoming part of China’s pop culture extremely quickly. Back in 2019, League of Legends professional player Jian ‘Uzi’ Zi-Hao was voted Weibo Person of the Year, beating all the other Chinese celebrities on the platform. Esports is also featured in several TV series, including ‘Crossfire’ and ‘You are my Glory’.

Paired with the development of technology and the enhancement of online and offline competitions, tournament organisers also started to make major events become ‘fan spectacles’ alongside sporting competitions.

According to Tang, the industry is entering a phase where it is trying to break previous barriers, caused by specific preferences of local markets and game titles. “I believe that in the coming years, the industry will break those barriers, truly achieving global integration”, she said.

Venue of the 2023 KPL Spring Season Finals in Hangzhou, China. Image Credit: VSPO

VSPO’s investment from Savvy Games Group

VSPO came under the spotlight in the Western world when the company received a $265m (~£219m) investment by Saudi Arabian government-owned esports company Savvy Games Group, which intends to accelerate and support VSPO’s global strategy.

The news received some criticism from the esports community due to the country’s human rights record, and Saudi Arabia’s government getting increasingly involved in esports has led to a backlash within sections of the industry. Savvy Games Group has heavily integrated itself into esports over the past few years. The company formed the ESL FACEIT Group, which recently faced a round of layoffs, for $1.5bn (~£1.19bn) in 2022. This also sparked concerns over ‘esportswashing’, a term used to describe how esports is used mask the country’s rights record.

From a business perspective, though, VSPO claims that the two parties are aligned. “When we first interacted with Savvy [Games Group], everyone’s view on esports was consistent,” said Ying. “We both agreed and shared the vision of establishing a recognised and independent event system. Overall, the feeling was good.”

Has China been affected by the Esports Winter?

Despite its chilling name, the so-called esports winter has been a hot topic in recent times. Following the industry’s downturn and economic struggles, various esports companies have gone through shutdowns, layoffs, consolidations and restructurings.

Whilst there are always going to be outliers, businesses in the esports space have struggled to generate profits. Moreover, the allure of creating short-term business models in exchange for growth is slowly disappearing due to its unsustainability. While this trend is affecting the industry worldwide, Ying claims that the ‘esports winter’ has not impacted his own company.

When asked about his thoughts on the subject, the CEO gave a clear reason as to why he believes the Western world is facing such challenges: a lack of strong competitive performances and the development of higher-quality competition.

The Chinese community is known for its results-focused nature, which correlates with fanbases watching the best competitive content. Ying made an interesting comparison with traditional sports. “In football, there are leagues that are more commercialised than others. The fans worldwide end up watching the most competitive European leagues like the Premier League, whilst the Chinese domestic league doesn’t have such a great following.”

VSPO CEO, Dino Ying. Image Credit: VSPO

This same logic is applied to esports. He explained that since the Western domestic market is not the best from a competitive perspective, it becomes increasingly difficult to commercialise it: “The problem now is that the internet allows users to get easy access to the best content. So, if you do not provide the best content, they won’t watch it.”

According to Ying, a lack of strong competitive results is a major factor behind the worse commercialisation. The accessibility of fans across the globe further amplifies the issue. “Sponsors know you’re not the best in the world, so commercialising is difficult because users can directly watch matches from the best regions such as China and South Korea.”

He revealed that China also suffers from similar issues, depending on which titles it competes in. “Competitive teams from games like League of Legends, Honor of Kings, PUBG, they all can support themselves. Others, instead, struggle. Why? Poor performance,” he added.

Still, Ying did admit that China having lower costs to run competitions is a major factor that has impacted the country’s esports sustainability. For example, he highlighted that one of its largest sponsorship deals for the KPL (King Pro League), the Chinese professional league for Honor of Kings, was worth around $10m (per year). “While it is more than enough to operate in China, it would be unfeasible for a large sports league in the United States,” he added.

Focusing on community

While there are several hurdles to tackle, esports is still growing and more opportunities will arise. Danny Tang is convinced that more changes need to happen in the gaming landscape to reduce the esports winter’s effects — and not just from a business and commercial perspective.

Community is a big part of what makes esports tick, so enlarging the fanbase should, in theory, benefit the scene in the long run. Tang put a particular emphasis on the female audience, which is already close to 50% in China, according to a Chinese 2023 Global Esports Industry Development report.

Encouraging people to be part of this culture and developing a more inclusive community is what allows products to transition from a niche to mainstream status. By doing so, a larger community opens up a lot more room for monetisation, including sponsorship opportunities and the commercialisation of services and products.

Tang is convinced that game companies should find ways to incentivise participation by lowering the barriers to entry, which explains why the mobile and freemium models have been so successful. “All designs are focused on providing joy to players, and esports becomes part of their product content,” Tang explained.

“As long as you provide them with a conducive environment and more ways for beginners to integrate into this environment, they will be willing to interact and watch matches.”

Source: Nico Partners / esportsinsider.com

 

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Discover the ocean’s bounty in Yellow Slotmarine by Twin Win Games

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Popular indie developer challenges players to dive beneath the waves in search of ever-increasing cash prizes in new slot launched via the SwinttStudios programme

How deep do you dare to descend in Yellow Slotmarine by Twin Win Games – the exciting new slot where cash prizes can be accumulated and collected on any base game spin, but three bomb symbols are always lurking to potentially blow players out of the water.

Utilising just three reels and one row of symbols, Yellow Slotmarine introduces a completely new mechanic where every character that lands contributes towards a specific cash pot. After each spin, players can either decide to claim the current value of all cash pots displayed or risk plunging further beneath the waves in search of greater prizes – but doing so comes with a catch!

If players are unlucky enough to encounter three bomb symbols in a single spin, the value of all cash pots will be reset, and the titular submarine will be forced to return to the surface and refuel before its next adventure into the unknown. In this way, players must constantly balance the risk and reward of each new dive they embark on and pick the perfect moment to cash out their prize.

For the bravest captains out there, the slot does include a couple of incentives that will encourage them to push their luck as far as it will go. Firstly, alongside the skipper, first mate and chef symbols, players will also encounter a wild anchor. When this special icon lands, it will automatically boost all cash pots to the next level.

On top of that, there’s also an additional bonus prize that can only be unlocked when all three cash pots have reached the maximum level of seven. With this offering a massive 555x the bet in addition to the cash pot prizes that have already been collected, players can potentially return to the surface with a jackpot win of 2,360x their stake – a massive return if they can hold their nerve!

David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “We’ve always been impressed by Twin Win Games’ flair for innovation – and their drive to consistently try something new has really come to the fore in Yellow Slotmarine. Featuring a unique mechanic where players must balance risk and reward to ensure they take the maximum from every dive, the game offers an exciting new twist on the classic slot format and we’re sure it’ll be a popular addition to all operators’ line-ups.”

The post Discover the ocean’s bounty in Yellow Slotmarine by Twin Win Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Booming Games get festive with Holly Jolly Bonanza 2

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The seasonal slots are starting early

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and Booming Games are getting in the spirit early with the November arrival of their fresh, festive game, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2.

‘Tis the season for snowy slots, and just like Santa Claus himself, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2 delivers in style. This sparkling sequel is a sure-fire Christmas classic, a 5×6 game with cascading reels, introducing new features to the festive game.

Free Spins are triggered with four or more scatters anywhere in view. Landing 3 or more scatters in FS will award the player with Extra Free Spins.

Droppin’ around the Christmas tree are the Cascading Gift and Mystery Gift symbols. Cascading gifts can turn up to 20 symbols in a cascade, and Mystery gifts will reveal up to 16 symbols of the same kind.

And the shining star on top of the tree? The Multiplier Gift. It really is the gift that keeps on giving, dropping multipliers of up to 100x on the reels. These multipliers can stack and persist throughout the entire FS round!

As with all of the provider’s titles, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2 has been certified for launch in core regulated markets, including the UK, Sweden and all Malta jurisdictions.

Nemanja ŽivićDirector of Games at Booming Games, said: “The festive season is here, and so is our brand new game, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2. A seasonal slot stacked with features and Christmas wins. And best of all? You don’t even have to wait ‘til Christmas Day to open it. Happy Holidays!”

The post Booming Games get festive with Holly Jolly Bonanza 2 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Make every pixel personal: Opera GX facelift lets you match your browser to your setup down to the smallest detail

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Key Takeaways:

  • Opera GX rolls out its most immersive update since its 2019 debut
  • A refreshed design language and expanded modding universe takes Opera GX to a new level
  • Unlocks deeper personalization options to tailor every detail to your style

Opera [NASDAQ: OPRA] has unveiled a major facelift for Opera GX – a browser for gamers, featuring a bold new design language, an expanded modding universe, and numerous quality-of-life enhancements. With this update, Opera GX gives users complete freedom to personalize every detail, letting you shape your browser to perfectly match your style.

“Five years ago, when we launched Opera GX, people thought we were out of our minds, even though it quickly found a devoted audience,” said Maciej Kocemba, Product Director of Opera GX. “Today, Opera GX stands out as anything but a basic browser, with over 30 million users and a highly engaged community shaping its evolution. This update gives users even more ways to make the browser their own—down to the very last pixel. It’s all about empowering users with unmatched control and customization”.

New look for Opera GX

Opera GX brings a fresher, more immersive feel, adding new depth to every interaction. The highlight of this update is “Underwave,” a design approach that gives the browser a sleek, game-inspired look, making users feel right at home. With added dimension and a dynamic new feel, navigating Opera GX is now more intuitive than ever. Built on elements gamers know and love, the updated design enhances usability without missing a beat—keeping things simple, familiar, and effortless.

To fully immerse yourself in the Underwave experience, try one of the two new hero mods: Underwave Mod or Tech Mod. Each mod amplifies the refreshed design with its own unique colors, music, and sound effects.

Change every single detail to match your setup, your mood or what you’re playing

Opera GX now lets you control every detail of your browser, with more customization options than ever before. From blending seamlessly with your wallpaper to adjusting the layout and transparency of interface elements, this update gives you the freedom to shape GX to perfectly match your style and setup. Dive into the full list of features below to discover how every aspect—from interface adjustments to immersive visual effects—can be tailored to create a browsing experience that’s uniquely yours.

All of these settings integrate seamlessly with Mods from the GX store, allowing you to add even more layers to your personal style. For those into modding, the latest UI features let you design your own Mods, making Opera GX more immersive and customizable than ever.

Expanded modding universe

Mods have always defined Opera GX, and with over 8,000 community-created mods and 250 million+ downloads, the modding community just keeps growing. For those new to Opera GX, mods let you completely transform the way the browser looks, sounds and behaves—from unique live wallpapers and themes to custom keyboard sounds and shaders with real-time GPU effects.

This latest update expands the modding universe even further, offering new customization options to make Opera GX truly your own. You can now personalize everything from splash screens to fonts, sidebar and desktop icons, and screenshot stickers. And with the ability to save mods as presets, switching between setups is faster than ever. Check the table below for the full list of new modding features and start exploring new ways to layer your style into every aspect of GX.

Enhanced Dark Mode and Blue Light Reduction

For long sessions or late-night browsing, Opera GX’s MidnightFX shader is a must-have, reducing blue light exposure and adjusting page contrast for a gentler, eye-friendly experience. Paired with Forced Dark Mode, which applies dark mode to all web pages, these features make Opera GX ideal for low-light environments.

AI-powered upscaling for images and video

Opera GX brings unmatched visual quality enhancements to streaming and browsing with AI-powered upscaling for images and video. This advanced shader-based technology enhances clarity and detail, creating a more immersive viewing experience. For users with NVIDIA RTX graphics cards, the upscaling feature delivers even crisper detail while optimizing bandwidth, ensuring smoother performance.

Powerful UI Engine for Smooth Performance

Opera GX isn’t just about style—it’s built for peak performance. Powered by the new Multithreaded Compositor UI engine, the browser stays fast and responsive, even with multiple Mods and customizations running. This engine ensures that animations, shaders, and Mods perform seamlessly, giving you smooth interactions and powerful control.

With these updates, Opera GX continues its mission to make personalization effortless and enjoyable. Break free with Opera GX and explore a world of new customization options, enhanced features, and performance upgrades that redefine what a browser can be.

List of updates in Opera GX:

Update

Details

Multithreaded Compositor

New UI engine

  • Smoother and more responsive UI
  • Better use of computer resources
  • Ability to display more complex animations

Underwave

New design language

  • New font with over 1,200 handcrafted glyphs
  • Overhaul of all browser components
  • New UI design
  • Enhanced depth of the screen
  • New font compatibility with Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek alphabets
  • New hero Mods

New UI customization options

Start page customization:

  • Interface
  • Opacity
  • Blur
  • Elements Background
  • Vignette
  • Focus mode

New Opera GX Mods

Official Mods – updated to take advantage of new capabilities.

  • Splash Screens
  • Fonts
  • Speed dial effects
  • Icons
  • Stickers compatible with iMessages and WhatsApp

Revamped Mods management system:

  • GX Mods have now quick menu from the GX taskbar (to turn on/off all Mods categories)
  • Easy way to customize browser
  • Presets – store and switch between configurations with one click

Quality of life improvements

  • Control the contrast of the UI with “Focus Mode”
  • New “MidnightFX” shader with blue light reduction
  • New GX Corner with content highlight
  • Easy identification of tabs that are running video calls
  • Tab tooltips that show page information as well as other tabs opened from the same domain

 

Download Opera GX today by visiting operagx.gg/Download.

The post Make every pixel personal: Opera GX facelift lets you match your browser to your setup down to the smallest detail appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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