Members of China's Bilibili Gaming (BLG) esports team celebrate with the champion's trophy after winning the 2026 League of Legends World Championship Grand Final in New York on November 14, 2026. Photo: VCG

The victory of China's Bilibili Gaming (BLG) over South Korean powerhouse Gen.G in the League of Legends 2026 World Championship, which concluded earlier on Sunday Beijing time, has sparked widespread discussion across social media. The Chinese esports club claimed the first international title in its history, demonstrating the competitiveness of Chinese esports teams on the global stage. Many industry insiders say the triumph at one of the world's top esports events has helped challenge longstanding stereotypes of esports as a "distraction from more worthwhile pursuits" or even a "waste of time." With Chinese teams continuing to achieve success, public perceptions of the industry are gradually changing.

BLG's road to the title was, in many ways, a battle to prove its doubters wrong. Before the tournament, much of the global esports community had little faith in the competitiveness of China's League of Legends teams, and BLG itself had an underwhelming group-stage performance. But after advancing to the knockout stage, the team first defeated South Korea's T1, a powerhouse that had maintained an unbeaten record against Chinese teams for 13 years. Then, despite falling behind early in the final, BLG fought back to overcome Gen.G, the top seed from the South Korean league and one of the tournament favorites. In doing so, it helped dispel the long-standing perception that Chinese teams were unable to overcome their South Korean rivals.

A documentary released by the club after the victory offered a glimpse into what it took to reach the top. It showed players enduring years of repetitive, demanding training during their academy days, as well as the difficult periods when the team struggled and few believed in its prospects. Clips from the documentary quickly spread across social media. BLG's determination to push through setbacks and prove its critics wrong has struck a chord with young people, many of whom share a desire to challenge prejudice and let their achievements speak for themselves.

For a long time, the ideals of solidarity, hard work and bringing honor to the country were most commonly associated with traditional sports, factory floors, laboratories and fields across the country. But as the digital economy has grown rapidly, a new generation of young Chinese has come of age in fields largely unfamiliar to their parents, including esports, e-commerce, livestreaming, trendy Chinese cultural products and AI. Once dismissed by some as "distractions" or "pursuits" that offered little real value, these fields have gradually developed into fully fledged industries, creating new spaces for young people to pursue their ambitions and make their mark. This is particularly evident in AI, where many of the leading figures are young people. Together, these developments are giving an increasingly complete and vivid picture of China's younger generation.

There is no need to measure young people's new pursuits against outdated standards. Hard work and determination do not follow a fixed script. The arenas may change, but the Chinese spirit of refusing to back down and daring to take on challenges remains the same. This willingness to venture into new fields, take risks and strive for success is a vivid reflection of a Chinese society that continues to move forward. There is every reason to believe that more young Chinese from diverse fields will achieve remarkable success on the global stage in the years ahead.