For a country that generates one-quarter of total mobile gaming revenue and counts more than 600 million mobile gamers, or roughly a third of the global player base, it`s hardly surprising that China leads mobile esports. Still, the gap between Chinese players’ total earnings and those of the rest of the world is quite shocking.
According to data presented by Betideas.com, Chinese players ranked in the top 100 raked in over $67 million from mobile esports, or eight times more than the rest of the world.
Nearly Nine of the Ten Highest-Earning Mobile Esports Players are from China
Not many countries in the esports world can match China’s paradox. The world’s most controlled gaming market, known for its restrictive gaming laws, especially regarding minors, is also the largest mobile esports powerhouse, generating more revenue and collecting more prize money than any other nation.
China has developed esports, including mobile esports, into a strategic, government-backed industry that drives economic growth, tech development, and tourism. This approach has turned China into an esports category of its own, helping Chinese players to earn more prize money than any other nation in the world. The Esports Earnings data show just how big that gap is.
The latest data show that Chinese players accounted for roughly 89% of the lifetime earnings of the top 100 highest-earning mobile esports players, leaving roughly 11% for the rest of the world combined. In other words, nearly nine of the ten highest-paid mobile esports players of all time are from China. The gap becomes even more striking when shown in USD value.
The Esports Earnings data show that Chinese players alone have raked in roughly $67.3 million in lifetime earnings, or eight times more than the rest of the world. The 14 non-Chinese players, including those from Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Brazil, and the Philippines, have earned just over $8 million so far, accounting for only 10.7% of total earnings among the top 100.
Almost All Chinese Earnings Came from Just Two Titles-PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor
The prize money breakdown by game titles reveals just how concentrated these earnings are. For instance, the top 10 Chinese players alone raked in nearly $17 million combined, while almost all Chinese earnings came from just two titles, PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor. In fact, most Chinese players earned their entire lifetime earnings in a single game.
The data show that Arena of Valor accounts for $45.6 million, or nearly 68% of all Chinese players’ earnings, while PUBG Mobile contributed just over 32% with $21.7 million in total, proving that China’s domestic MOBA ecosystem drives the majority of elite mobile esports income.