Unsung heroes of Hangzhou Asian Games

There was an odd thing about the Asian Games that just concluded in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. Despite the extensive coverage of the games over the last two weeks in mainstream media, the event that garnered the most attention from fans received surprisingly little coverage, both in China and internationally.

If ticket demand is an indication of popularity, e-sports should win hands down. The clamour for e-sports event tickets at the 4,000-seat Hangzhou E-sports Centre was so great that authorities had to implement a lottery system.

Over 5 million people tried their luck in the lottery draw, even though some of the tickets were priced as high as 1,000 yuan (over 11,000 rupees). Yet it didn’t get media coverage that other events got.

For the uninitiated, e-sports consist of electronic games that you usually see youngsters play on their computers and mobile phones. Some popular games are now transformed into large-scale spectacles, with fans filling arenas to watch the action unfold on massive screens, while thousands more follow the events online.

Teams in this realm undergo rigorous physical and mental training, employ coaches, and dedicate countless hours to secure victory in tournaments, which often come with lucrative cash prizes.

Countries like China and South Korea are leaders in the global gaming sector, with some gaming stars becoming celebrities with an army of fans. Just like cricket in India, e-sports is now seen as a window to reach millions of youngsters worldwide.

The e-sports sector in India too is growing fast and is predicted to be a market worth 868 million US dollars in 2023. Already, the country has an estimated 450 million gamers, with most playing on their mobile phones.

India  has its fair share of stars too, with Mumbai-based Jonathan Amaral being a professional esports player with a following of 4.5 million YouTube followers. His earnings can touch a whopping 1 crore rupees in some months, according to the Indian Express.

In China, the sector is expected to net around 49 billion US dollars in 2023, with the number of gamers crossing 550 million.

India recognised gaming as a sport in December 2022, but the hair-splitting involved in this is confusing as authorities try to separate it from games with gambling streaks, like online rummy. Still the gaming sector is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.

Still, for followers of traditional sports like athletics and football, watching groups of youngsters hunched over their mobile phones surrounded by screaming fans would be a startling sight.

However, judging by the passionate response from fans during the Asian Games, e-sports is emerging as a rising star in international sports events.

China swept most of the medals in the category, while Indian teams, which competed for four of the seven medals, returned empty-handed.

But one thing common in the state of gaming in both countries is the ambivalent attitude of the governments and confusing rules that help only to stymie its growth.

Gaming was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games and included as a medal event this time with seven games chosen as competitions: Dota 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends, and Street Fighter V, Arena of Valor, PUBG Mobile, and Dream Three Kingdoms 2.

But India could participate only in the first four, as the last three are either banned by the government or not available for download in India.

While regulatory knots choke the sector, the existence of several bodies claiming to represent gamers and the lack of proper facilities hampers the growth of the sector further.

But some clarity seems to be emerging now with the Esports Federation of India getting the nod from the Indian Olympic Association. Still, it has not spread evenly, and the Kerala Olympic Association secretary-general, S. Rajeev, says there is no e-sports organisation affiliated with them in the state.

If you think Indian gamers have it bad, spare a thought for the gaming community in China.

That country has over 550 million active gamers, and some of its tech giants like Tencent, NetEase, and Bilibili generate billions of dollars as leading game creators globally. Yet, the Xi Jinping administration is cracking down on them.

Beijing actively encourages a “catch them young” approach in sports like gymnastics, and reports speak of even toddlers put through painful routines to find future stars. But when it comes to e-sports, they put harsh limitations on youngsters.

After a clampdown on the release of new games last year, recently China implemented a new rule that says those under 18 can play e-games only for three hours a week, that too during weekends or public holidays.

Online game sites have now added security checks like facial recognition to prevent youngsters from breaking these rules.

Beijing cites growing concern that games affect the physical and mental health of children as a reason for its measures.

While this goes on one side, cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai are continuing with plans to develop their cities as gaming hubs of Asia and the world, pumping in millions of dollars into such projects.

This kind of uncertainty is reflected in the coverage of the Asian Games also. Despite such huge viewership, the coverage of the e-sports events was limited, and video platforms operated by companies like Tencent Holdings and Huya were told to stream only the semifinals and finals.

Some moments of China winning the gold in Honor of Kings events were broadcast by the state-run CCTV, and Bloomberg reported that some in the gaming industry see it as a sign of encouragement.

The hopes of such a relaxed approach towards the gaming industry should be encouraging to other tech firms also, as they too stand to benefit from e-sports growth.

Several Chinese startups like AR smart eyewear maker Rokid and Deep Robotics, which has deployed robot dogs in underground electric supply facilities, were hoping that their involvement at Hangzhou game venues would bring more business globally. Moreover, with game makers already bringing artificial intelligence into their fold, a host of AI companies will be hoping to gain from that move.

Mega sporting events are trying to woo younger spectators into stadiums, and that is why the International Olympic Committee is adding events like break dancing as a medal event in the Olympics.

The Asian Games have shown the undoubted popularity of e-sports among youngsters, and it will be difficult to ignore this segment. But it is not going to be an easy shoo-in as the socio-economic impact of online games will continue to present difficulties.

As MIT Technology Review’s China report says, the impact of e-sports can be seen differently by the gaming community and the general public. It is “either a teenage gamer’s dream or their parents’ worst nightmare, depending on who you ask,” says the report.

What is clear is that the Guangzhou Games have shown the market potential of e-sports, and it will be difficult to ignore it.

Out of this world fine for littering

Littering is an offense wherever it occurs. This is what the US TV provider Dish has learned. In a first-of-its-kind case, the company has been fined 150,000 US dollars for leaving debris in space. The company which launched EchoStar-7 satellite in 2002 was obligated to remove it after its operational life, and move it 350 kilometers up to avoid endangering other satellites. The company has now informed the Federal Communications Commission that the satellite only has enough fuel to travel 122 kilometers, which led to the fine, reports MIT Technology Review. 

The penalty amount is not substantial, but it sends a signal to satellite launchers to exercise caution. This will benefit space tech firms that focus on debris removal. India's ISRO is among the agencies aiming to provide such services. Recently, ISRO held a workshop to solicit ideas from the student community regarding this matter. Devadath RS, a mechanical engineering student from TKM Engineering College, was among the top ten candidates screened by ISRO.

Kerala startup cracks a tough nut

We are always glad when startups tackle problems that is around them than aiming for global market. Nava Design and Innovation was such a firm that caught our eye as it was working for the last six years to develop a robot that can help with toddy tapping and revive the now-extinct Neera market. Founder and CEO Charles Vijay has announced that it has raised an undisclosed amount as funding from two angel investors and looking to market his innovation across the country and other coconut growing nations, reports Malayala Manorama.

Startup by teens impress Open AI chief

A startup founded by two Indian-origin teenagers has garnered the attention of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has invested in their one-year-old firm called Induced AI. The co-founders of the startup, 18-year-old Aryan Sharma and 19-year-old Ayush Pathak, explain that their idea is to create 'AI workers that function as an extension of your team to complete tasks and projects.' Their innovative approach, using previously unexplored methods, has impressed not only Altman but also other heavyweights like Nat Friedman (former CEO of GitHub) and Daniel Gross (formerly associated with Y Combinator and Pioneer). They have collectively contributed to the company's recent funding round, which raised 2.3 million US dollars.

Getting a taste of human beings

Researchers at Penn State University have come up with an electronic tongue that can tell the difference between sweet and salty tastes. These “artificial tastebuds” are made up of tiny, graphene-based electronic sensors, named 'chemitransistors.' Now, they claim this tongue isn't just for robot culinary adventures – they want to understand how our taste buds influence our eating choices, both out of necessity and desire. Who knows, maybe one day AI will start ordering pizza with pineapple all on its own!