There’s no doubt about it: the future of eSports will be played out in Asia. One week after the official debut of eSports at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou (26 September to 8 October), the International eSports Federation (IESF) has gone one better by announcing the signing of a cooperation agreement with Qingdao. Located in the province of Shandong in eastern China, this city of nearly 10 million inhabitants is set to become the nerve centre for the development of eSports in Asia. Under the terms of the agreement between the two parties, the IESF will set up its Asia-Pacific office in Qingdao. The body is also committed to promoting the organisation of events and helping to attract companies and research centres in the sector. Finally, there are plans to create a high-level training centre for e-sports players in the near future.
