NetEase to invest millions into an esports arena

In June 2019, the Shanghai government announced that it wanted to make the city an esports capital in three to five years, increasing support for the competitive gaming sector.

NetEase, a Chinese publisher, plans to invest more than 5 billion yen ($725 million) in the construction of an esports park in Shanghai. The planning and construction of the first stage of the facility have already begun, according to Technode.

The park will include what the developer names, "the first large professional esports stadium in China", that is going to be located in the west Shanghai's Qingpu district. Several facilities will be organized in the park to assist game development, team building and talent training.

As the company currently owns  Shanghai Dragons, a team in the Overwatch League, NetEase tries to challenge China's esports giant Tencent, which owns two leagues in the esports sector — League of Legends Pro League and the Honor of Kings Mobile World Cup.

In line with its city rules, the Shanghai government is encouraging companies to invest in several esports stadiums designed to host major tournaments.

Shanghai has world-class location advantages in terms of incentive policies, upstream and downstream industries, infrastructure, and purchasing power and habits of local residents,

said NetEase Games CEO Ding Yingfeng.