Why isn't Singapore or Hong Kong the world capital of esports?
As pro-gamers broadcast their button-mashing to audiences of millions around the world, ESports have become one of the most passionate global sports among young audiences.
Console games have been joined by mobile apps; the rise of esports has taken a bedroom pastime into the live arena.
Professional gamers follow a track similar to professional golfers, entering several tournaments a year and collecting prize money, said Brian Balsbaugh, founder of the eSports Management Group, an agency that serves pro gamers.
The league also gives out two "Excellence in eSports" scholarships, said Ms. Zhang, who has since graduated.
Morgan Romine, a former captain of the all-female team Frag Dolls, now works full time as an eSports liaison for Red 5 Studios, a video game maker based in California.
The Plott brothers are popular eSports broadcasters, providing live commentary during matches.
Perhaps time's usual career-ending effects on athletes do not apply to all eSports.
Many companies are placing sizeable bets on the future of eSports, and game publishers are looking to take more control.
Despite the size of the prize, many of the finalists say – via short films played on stage before the matches begin – that, if they win, they intend to spend some of the money on investing in eSports in their home countries to encourage younger players to take up the game.
Ortiz joined Evil Geniuses, a California eSports organisation owned by Amazon, in 2010.
