Shifting battlegrounds

League of Legends still dominates the MOBA market for personal computers, but King of Glory is blazing a trail on mobile platforms as Chinese developers position themselves at the forefront of gaming's latest revolution.

New developments in mobile technology mean e-sports decades-long dependence on the PC is waning, and China is leading the way in this shift.

"In the time of the PC game, countries like South Korea and the United States were taking the lead, and China was merely a follower," explained Zhang.

"For mobile e-sports, however, we are so proud that China is at the vanguard.

"We went to Korea and held discussions with their e-sports organizers and game developers. They were surprised by our methods of developing mobile e-sports.

"We are taking the lead in the operation and development of mobile e-sports globally."

Compared to PCs, mobile devices make it so much easier to engage in multiplayer competition and watch live e-sports events.

"A single MOBA game on a PC would normally take 40-50 minutes, but on the mobile end the number could be shortened to 15-20, which is more convenient for users," said Zhang.

E-sports clubs also have much to gain from China's mobile boom.

"We are entering a golden era of e-sports in China, and mobile e-sports is a very promising new branch of the business," said Zhu Bo, the founder of QGhappy.

As well as the obvious portability advantage, Zhu believes that the simpler logic of games on mobile platforms means they can attract larger user numbers than PC versions.

"According to our data for China's e-sports market in 2017, the market scale of mobile e-sports accounts for 53.74 percent, surpassing the PC end," said Zhu.

Although the KPL is thriving, there are still fears that the short shelf life of mobile games might be the Achilles heel of the league.

KPL president Zhang, however, is bullish about the league's longevity and King of Glory's continuing popularity.

"Ten years ago, we thought the life span of PC games would not be long enough, but the problem is overblown," he said.

"For MOBA games, the competitive nature can sustainably attract fans.

"People will invest their love and loyalty into different clubs and players, just like you see in professional soccer and basketball leagues."