BUSINESS / PRESS RELEASE
China claims its first esports gold at 20th Asian Games
China claimed the gold medal in Naraka: Bladepoint at the 20th Asian Games on Thursday, defeating Team Thailand 3-0 in the final at the Aichi Sky Expo in Aichi, Japan.
The victory marked China's first gold medal in esports at this year's Asian Games and a landmark moment for Naraka: Bladepoint, the Chinese-developed action game making its Asian Games debut as the only esports title at the event centered on a distinctly Chinese martial arts theme.
The victory brought a homegrown digital sports product into the spotlight of a major international sporting event, while offering a new way for Chinese martial arts culture to reach audiences overseas.
Holding their nerve
Esports at the 20th Asian Games features 11 medal events, with competition running from September 22 to October 2. Naraka: Bladepoint was among the first esports titles to award its gold medal, with China entering the competition after finishing first in its qualifying group.
The qualifiers attracted teams from 15 Asian countries and regions, with eight advancing to the main competition, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Facing some of the best players in Asia, the Chinese team maintained its composure through the high-pressure final and combined individual skill with coordinated team play to secure the title.
The Chinese delegation was led by coach Weng Bo, with five players – Wang Feng, Wang Tongrong, Xu Kunbin, Sui Xiangyun and Tan Xujie – representing the country.
The five players emerged from a nationwide selection process, with the General Administration of Sport of China releasing the roster of coaches and athletes for the Asian Games esports events in June.
They subsequently underwent intensive training under national-team standards, focusing not only on individual skills but also on tactical coordination, opponent analysis and adapting to the demands of an international multi-sport event.
For the players, competing at the Asian Games carried a different weight from their regular professional tournaments. The familiar environment of online competition was replaced by a live international stage, with spectators, different equipment and the added pressure of representing the country.
Chinese player Tan Xujie said simply having the opportunity to represent China at the Asian Games was already an honor.
“When I was a child, I watched athletes on TV wearing the national team uniform and winning championships, and I felt that it was a great honor. This time, winning the title together with the team made me feel that this opportunity was very precious, and I was especially excited.”
Sui Xiangyun said the gold medal gave the team's more than 40 days of intensive training its best possible reward.
“Winning the championship came from the efforts of our entire team, the coaching staff, and everyone who supported. Of course, all the training we had gone through during this period also paid off.”
That pressure was particularly significant in a game that combines fast reactions with tactical decision-making and teamwork.
Rather than relying solely on individual mechanical skills, Naraka: Bladepoint requires players to constantly assess positioning, timing and their opponents' choices. Mechanics such as the game's signature "Counter" system and grappling-hook movement add another layer of tactical complexity to combat.
For the Chinese players, maintaining concentration and composure throughout the competition was therefore as important as their technical ability.
For a team that had spent more than 40 days training and adapting together, trust became another key element.
“We trusted ourselves and put into practice what we had prepared in training. We had trained for so long precisely for this moment,” Tan said.
Sui echoed that sentiment, saying the long preparation had strengthened the team's trust in one another.
“We trained and built chemistry together for such a long time. I really trust my teammates, I really trust our coaching staff, and I really trust everyone who has been working hard behind the scenes.”
A step toward professionalism
The significance of Naraka: Bladepoint's Asian Games debut extends beyond the result.
As the only esports title at the Games with a distinctly Chinese martial arts theme, it brings a Chinese-developed original intellectual property to the Asian Games stage.
Developed by Chinese game studio 24 Entertainment, Naraka: Bladepoint draws heavily on the aesthetics, movements and spirit of Chinese martial arts while translating them into a modern competitive gaming system.
Its combat system incorporates elements inspired by martial arts, while mechanics such as the Counter and grappling hook give players distinctive ways to attack, defend and reposition themselves.
Bringing the game to the Asian Games has also placed it within a standardized competitive framework alongside other sports and esports disciplines.
The competition is governed by formal rules and a professional officiating system, while the selection, registration and management of athletes and the preparation of the national team have followed established procedures.
For the Chinese esports industry, the process represents another step in the broader development of esports from entertainment into a professional competitive discipline.
The Asian Games platform has also brought esports closer to the structures and standards associated with traditional sports, giving the industry another opportunity to demonstrate its competitive, organizational and professional qualities.
The gold medal could therefore serve as a reference point for the further development of China's esports ecosystem, particularly for titles developed domestically.
At the same time, the inclusion of esports has added a younger and more digital dimension to the Asian Games, creating another channel through which the continental event can connect with younger audiences.
Going global
For Naraka: Bladepoint, the Asian Games stage is also the latest step in an international journey.
Built around a Chinese martial arts-inspired world, the game combines traditional Chinese cultural elements with modern digital competition, creating a form of cultural expression that can be experienced interactively by players around the world.
The game has attracted more than 40 million players globally, reaching audiences in more than 100 countries and regions. Its international competitive ecosystem has also expanded through tournaments covering multiple regions and countries.
Beyond competition, the game has incorporated Chinese cultural elements into its wider content ecosystem.
Projects such as the "Golden Crow" series have involved cooperation with cultural and museum institutions and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, incorporating elements including cultural relics, traditional clothing and ancient weapons into the game's digital world.
For overseas players, such elements can provide an entry point into Chinese culture that is very different from conventional cultural products.
A player may first encounter a Chinese weapon, martial arts movement or visual motif simply as part of a game. Over time, however, that interaction can lead to curiosity about the cultural stories and traditions behind it.
This makes esports different from one-way cultural communication. Games are interactive by nature, allowing audiences not only to watch but also to participate.
International players competing in Naraka: Bladepoint have to understand the game's combat logic and visual language, while its global player community encounters Chinese cultural references through repeated, everyday interaction with the game.
Weng Bo, head coach of the Chinese team, said the Asian Games also provided an opportunity for more players and fans across Asia to encounter a game built around elements of Chinese martial arts.
“There are many countries where people also play this game,” Weng said. “I believe they will definitely be interested in these traditional weapons, such as throwing knives, spears and staffs. I believe that as they play the game, they will also experience the unique appeal of it.”
The Asian Games gives that process a much larger international platform.
With millions of viewers following the continental sporting event, the appearance of a Chinese-developed game on the official program offers another opportunity for Chinese martial arts culture to reach younger audiences across Asia and beyond.
For China's esports industry, the journey is therefore no longer simply about taking a domestic game overseas.
It is also about bringing a Chinese-developed competitive system onto one of Asia's biggest sporting stages.
And for Chinese martial arts culture, Naraka: Bladepoint offers a distinctly modern form of international expression – one in which traditional ideas are not simply displayed but experienced through competition, interaction and play.
The victory marked China's first gold medal in esports at this year's Asian Games and a landmark moment for Naraka: Bladepoint, the Chinese-developed action game making its Asian Games debut as the only esports title at the event centered on a distinctly Chinese martial arts theme.
China claims its first esports gold at 20th Asian Games
The victory brought a homegrown digital sports product into the spotlight of a major international sporting event, while offering a new way for Chinese martial arts culture to reach audiences overseas.
Holding their nerve
Esports at the 20th Asian Games features 11 medal events, with competition running from September 22 to October 2. Naraka: Bladepoint was among the first esports titles to award its gold medal, with China entering the competition after finishing first in its qualifying group.
The qualifiers attracted teams from 15 Asian countries and regions, with eight advancing to the main competition, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Facing some of the best players in Asia, the Chinese team maintained its composure through the high-pressure final and combined individual skill with coordinated team play to secure the title.
The Chinese delegation was led by coach Weng Bo, with five players – Wang Feng, Wang Tongrong, Xu Kunbin, Sui Xiangyun and Tan Xujie – representing the country.
The five players emerged from a nationwide selection process, with the General Administration of Sport of China releasing the roster of coaches and athletes for the Asian Games esports events in June.
They subsequently underwent intensive training under national-team standards, focusing not only on individual skills but also on tactical coordination, opponent analysis and adapting to the demands of an international multi-sport event.
For the players, competing at the Asian Games carried a different weight from their regular professional tournaments. The familiar environment of online competition was replaced by a live international stage, with spectators, different equipment and the added pressure of representing the country.
Chinese player Tan Xujie said simply having the opportunity to represent China at the Asian Games was already an honor.
“When I was a child, I watched athletes on TV wearing the national team uniform and winning championships, and I felt that it was a great honor. This time, winning the title together with the team made me feel that this opportunity was very precious, and I was especially excited.”
Sui Xiangyun said the gold medal gave the team's more than 40 days of intensive training its best possible reward.
“Winning the championship came from the efforts of our entire team, the coaching staff, and everyone who supported. Of course, all the training we had gone through during this period also paid off.”
That pressure was particularly significant in a game that combines fast reactions with tactical decision-making and teamwork.
Rather than relying solely on individual mechanical skills, Naraka: Bladepoint requires players to constantly assess positioning, timing and their opponents' choices. Mechanics such as the game's signature "Counter" system and grappling-hook movement add another layer of tactical complexity to combat.
For the Chinese players, maintaining concentration and composure throughout the competition was therefore as important as their technical ability.
For a team that had spent more than 40 days training and adapting together, trust became another key element.
“We trusted ourselves and put into practice what we had prepared in training. We had trained for so long precisely for this moment,” Tan said.
Sui echoed that sentiment, saying the long preparation had strengthened the team's trust in one another.
“We trained and built chemistry together for such a long time. I really trust my teammates, I really trust our coaching staff, and I really trust everyone who has been working hard behind the scenes.”
A step toward professionalism
The significance of Naraka: Bladepoint's Asian Games debut extends beyond the result.
As the only esports title at the Games with a distinctly Chinese martial arts theme, it brings a Chinese-developed original intellectual property to the Asian Games stage.
Developed by Chinese game studio 24 Entertainment, Naraka: Bladepoint draws heavily on the aesthetics, movements and spirit of Chinese martial arts while translating them into a modern competitive gaming system.
Its combat system incorporates elements inspired by martial arts, while mechanics such as the Counter and grappling hook give players distinctive ways to attack, defend and reposition themselves.
Bringing the game to the Asian Games has also placed it within a standardized competitive framework alongside other sports and esports disciplines.
The competition is governed by formal rules and a professional officiating system, while the selection, registration and management of athletes and the preparation of the national team have followed established procedures.
For the Chinese esports industry, the process represents another step in the broader development of esports from entertainment into a professional competitive discipline.
The Asian Games platform has also brought esports closer to the structures and standards associated with traditional sports, giving the industry another opportunity to demonstrate its competitive, organizational and professional qualities.
The gold medal could therefore serve as a reference point for the further development of China's esports ecosystem, particularly for titles developed domestically.
At the same time, the inclusion of esports has added a younger and more digital dimension to the Asian Games, creating another channel through which the continental event can connect with younger audiences.
Going global
For Naraka: Bladepoint, the Asian Games stage is also the latest step in an international journey.
Built around a Chinese martial arts-inspired world, the game combines traditional Chinese cultural elements with modern digital competition, creating a form of cultural expression that can be experienced interactively by players around the world.
The game has attracted more than 40 million players globally, reaching audiences in more than 100 countries and regions. Its international competitive ecosystem has also expanded through tournaments covering multiple regions and countries.
Beyond competition, the game has incorporated Chinese cultural elements into its wider content ecosystem.
Projects such as the "Golden Crow" series have involved cooperation with cultural and museum institutions and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, incorporating elements including cultural relics, traditional clothing and ancient weapons into the game's digital world.
For overseas players, such elements can provide an entry point into Chinese culture that is very different from conventional cultural products.
A player may first encounter a Chinese weapon, martial arts movement or visual motif simply as part of a game. Over time, however, that interaction can lead to curiosity about the cultural stories and traditions behind it.
This makes esports different from one-way cultural communication. Games are interactive by nature, allowing audiences not only to watch but also to participate.
International players competing in Naraka: Bladepoint have to understand the game's combat logic and visual language, while its global player community encounters Chinese cultural references through repeated, everyday interaction with the game.
Weng Bo, head coach of the Chinese team, said the Asian Games also provided an opportunity for more players and fans across Asia to encounter a game built around elements of Chinese martial arts.
“There are many countries where people also play this game,” Weng said. “I believe they will definitely be interested in these traditional weapons, such as throwing knives, spears and staffs. I believe that as they play the game, they will also experience the unique appeal of it.”
The Asian Games gives that process a much larger international platform.
With millions of viewers following the continental sporting event, the appearance of a Chinese-developed game on the official program offers another opportunity for Chinese martial arts culture to reach younger audiences across Asia and beyond.
For China's esports industry, the journey is therefore no longer simply about taking a domestic game overseas.
It is also about bringing a Chinese-developed competitive system onto one of Asia's biggest sporting stages.
And for Chinese martial arts culture, Naraka: Bladepoint offers a distinctly modern form of international expression – one in which traditional ideas are not simply displayed but experienced through competition, interaction and play.
