As more gamers prefer to play in one place, demand for eSports hotels is on the rise across China, with over 21,000 hotels opening, equipped with bunk beds, 24/7 tech support and state-of-the-art consoles
In Southeast Asian countries with a large number of gamers, such as China and Malaysia, 'gamer hotels' are seeing an increase in sales. Bloomberg has compiled the voices of both users and managers of these hotels.
China Gamers Playing League of Legends, PUBG Drive Demand for Esports Hotels - Bloomberg
Zhu Hao, an office worker in his early 20s who checked into a hotel in Shenzhen with several friends, said he thought, 'Playing games alone is boring,' and that, 'In a hotel, my parents won't nag me or interrupt my game.'
Hao stayed at the Jinnan e-Sports Pan Entertainment Hotel, a Chinese franchise hotel brand. It operates hotels mainly in the Shenzhen metropolitan area and has established itself as the number one 'e-sports hotel brand' in the country.
The hotel features dormitory-style rooms with five bunk beds, a luxurious games room with a huge monitor and comfortable padded chairs, and PCs, which are used for a variety of purposes, including board games, karaoke competitions, and group movie nights, in addition to online games. There are also amenities like manga, snacks, and instant ramen, just like in an internet cafe, and if you get tired of playing, you can take a break with a massage.
This type of specialized accommodation has sprung up all over Asia, including in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, and in China it is said to be mainly used by the younger generation known as the '
Zhang Zijun, who runs a similar lodging facility, said of his guests' preferences, 'They don't really care about the price as long as it's reasonable. What they care about is the size of the bed and whether it's a comfortable environment to play games with friends.' Zijun's guests are mostly male office workers in their early 20s and 30s with a 'gamer's heart,' and he says his hotel has an average occupancy rate of 92%, and is usually fully booked on weekends.
Most guests stay in their rooms playing games into the early hours of the morning, and many extend their stay. One group checked in for one night and ended up staying eight, ordering mountains of food and even seeing the cleaning lady leave with two giant garbage bags, Zijun said.
Bloomberg points out that this is a different trend than in the United States and Europe, where gamers generally play at home. Esports analyst Alexander Champlin says, 'It's more affordable to share resources and play with friends than to invest in your own console. Another advantage is that playing together in a hotel room makes it easier to discuss strategies.'
The Chinese government has imposed strict regulations on the gaming industry, including limiting the amount of time minors can play online games, to combat addiction. However, the government also sees e-sports as a driver of economic growth, and gaming is becoming more and more popular, with President Xi Jinping attending the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in 2023.
The Chinese RPG ' Black Myth: Wukong ,' which was released in August 2024 and sold 10 million copies in just a few days, also had a major impact, boosting hardware sales and bringing profits to e-sports hotels.
'Black Myth: Goku' sold 10 million copies in just 83 hours, the PS5 console was also sold out, and it has already generated an estimated $450 million in revenue, surpassing Elden Ring and Hogwarts Legacy - GIGAZINE
According to a report by Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel agency, China's esports accommodation market is expected to generate revenue of approximately $2.7 billion (approximately 416 billion yen) in 2023 alone.
Shenzhen is home to more than 350 hotels catering to gamers, subsidizes competitive gaming, and is also known as the 'e-sports city' with at least eight e-sports clubs forming teams. A war of businesses aimed at catering to gamers' demand is quietly underway here.
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