Esports pioneer Dino Ying talks to TechCrunch about the next phase of VSPN

Following the news that China’s esport heavyweight VSPN( Versus Programming Network) had given rise to close to $100 million in a Series B funding round, led by Tencent Holdings, TechCrunch interviewed founder and CEO Dino Ying via email about his policy for the company.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Shanghai, VSPN was one of the early founder in esports tournament establishment and content creation out of Asia. It has since expanded into other enterprises including offline venue operation.

VSPN began hosting the first large-scale esport event with offline publics in August, although tournaments now operate under strict COVID-1 9 prevention measures.

TechCrunch: VSPN has a large content production ecosystem circumventing its esports pleasure. Can you expand on the detail behind your territory short-form video strategy? Will this involve TikTok?

Ying: VSPN intends to use our world-class video production capabilities and industry insights to create different forms of content. We will give our existing followers and a wider audience a new and colorful esports know. Kuaishou, as our investors and a tactical partner, will support in all lanes as a media platform to help our material contact more consumers. Short-form video is an important part of our future approach and we look forward to working with stages all over the world in this regard.

TC: What is VSPN’s share of the eSports market?

Ying: There is no official estimation of the size of the esports marketplace but VSPN is far the largest esports company in China, with over 1000+ employees and covering every major esports tournament you’ve ever heard of. By many measures, we are the largest esports organization in the world and will continue to expand.

TC: Why do you think Shanghai has become a center for esports?

Ying: As the biggest and perhaps most international metropolitan in China, it has a vibrant and increasingly sophisticated economy. Tech innovation and new manufactures are actively encouraged to grow here.

The Shanghai government has implemented supportive measures and policies to encourage the growth of esports both domestically and internationally. Thanks to these measures Shanghai has become an international hub for the biggest and best tournaments in the world

VSPN events to return home, despite COVID-1 9

TC: How important is research into eSports for VSPN and why?

Ying: It is vital for VSPN. As an esports total mixtures provider aiming to build a sustainable global esports ecosystem, data and R& D allows us to give our supporters a richer know. The research facility will allow us to continually improve as a company and develop the industry.

TC: You are the cofounder and chairman and CEO by entitlement. What is the role of cofounder Ethan Teng?

Ying: Ethan Teng is Co-founder and chairperson of VSPN. Ethan as one of the most important partners of VSPN, with his dedicated esports manufacture know-how, he plays a vital role in contributing and managing the company’s strategic goal fix and epoch to period management.

TC: What is the nature of the strategic relationship with Tencent?

Ying: VSPN is a key partner of Tencent in the esports manufacture. With Tencent’s support, VSPN has built a guiding situation in esports tournament material yield. Since the arrival of esports in China, our deep-rooted industry expertise has also contributed further develop the esports ecosystem to grow and full-grown. Alongside Tencent we will continue to generate new opportunities within the industry.

TC: What built you choose these partners and why? What was the tactical envisage behind these decisions?

Ying: Together with Kuaishou, VSPN aims to establish an esports short-form video ecosystem to diversify existing material, and to build the connections between top aspect inventors and directs. With an substantial portfolio in consumer interests and TMT sectors, both Tiantu Capital and SIG will exercise their industry revelations and expertise to aid VSPN’s strategic development. With our investors, we will empower esports to be the brand-new plays for the next generation.

TC: In addition to the core esports tournament and content yield business, VSPN has labelled esports venues. How important are these other businesses- like the venues- to the core offering of VSPN? What sort of growth do you expect in the next few years?

Ying: Regardless of business lines, VSPN’s core mission is to provide the best eSports knows for our followers. And these experiences include not just online regard know-hows, but also offline ones where fans physically attend. We interpret our offline business as a natural route to provide our services to our followers; it is an important supplement to our overall renders. We expect to grow it per our fans’ and partner’s demands.

TC: Mobile esports, specially the KPL and PUBG MOBILE( or Peacekeeper Elite in China ), have attracted more and more female audiences. What is the future of eSports among women/ girls? Ying: Mobile gaming has really cured provide eSports’ reach to female both participants and audiences. Rightfully so, we investigate a future of eSports where female players take a more prominent role than they have done. Not merely on stage as competitors, but also off theatre as followers and more importantly backstage as top quality producers and decision-makers in the industry. The affect of having more female followers, athletes and professionals is agitating and will be hugely beneficial to the wider industry.

TC: What is the future of esports in Augmented Reality?

Ying: We belief eSports in its full kind will ogle and feel a lot different from what we’ve seen still further in athletics and recreation. The possible of integrating real world gaming and virtual contenders is fascinating. VSPN is only beginning to test the boundaries of new information technologies such as AR, VR. The rise of these technologies will help us create fresher suffers, and the possibilities are endless.

VSPN headquarters

TC: Please tell us more about your personal history?

Ying: Firstly, thank you for having me- it is a real pleasure to speak to TechCrunch and be able to announce our fundraise to the world. I have been working in the gaming and esports manufacture all my life and I’m stimulated about the future. With the team at VSPN we are proud to be explorers in the esports industry.

I live between Beijing and Shanghai, but I deplete a lot of my go tripping to other Chinese cities like Xi’an, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen where we have esports arenas and business interests. Usually I wander internationally to some of our overseas operations and tournaments, so I look forward to that when roam becomes easier.

I am a fan of traditional athletics more and an avid football devotee. I follow some of the European tournaments- whenever I can, I go to matches to enjoy the milieu; I went to Stamford Bridge early this year and enjoy it, but participating the AC vs Inter Derby live is hard to beat…

TC: Why did you get into this business and how?

Ying: Predominantly because I am a HUGE gaming fan! I’ve been playing computer game since I was a teenager and experience playing all types. Earlier this year I toy COD Warzone as soon as it came out and often toy PUBG Mobile; I’m excessively lucky to be included in an industry which I’ve enjoyed since I was very young. It’s a great way to connect with friends and I am proud to have worked in sport increase and publishing for my whole job. 5 years ago, esports seemed like the obvious next step because of the competitive component. We watched the beginnings of a trend and founded VSPN with a world-class team to move that possible a reality.

VSPN is very proud to be leading the world in a relatively new industry. We foresee esports will continue to grow exponentially and will be an incredibly important part of the entertainment industry in years to come. To produce a Chinese companionship with a world-wide future is really exciting.

TC: What causes you as a businessman?

Ying: Bringing new forms of entertainment to millions of people various regions of the world and building a world-wide business.

TC: Who stimulates you most in the business world?

There are so many fanciful merchants in China who are doing some certainly inventive things at the moment. For example, the live-streaming industry has become big in 2020 due to the pandemic and has offered inventors a brand-new space to sell commodities and be participating in brand-new audiences.

If I must be given to epithet one “it wouldve been” Mark Ren( COO at Tencent Holdings)- he is an exceptional businessman. The acces he has helped create sustainable ecosystems in the amusement room and captured vogues is something every merchant should aspire to. This is something VSPN succeeds hard-bitten at and we are very proud to be such close partners of Tencent.

TC: What is your opinion of Silicon Valley?

Ying: It’s an astounding neighbourhood and has shown the world how engineering can improve lives all over the world. For many years it has led the world countries as a centre for creativity and innovation and continues to be an inspiration to inventors around the world. In China, we have lots of Silicon Valleys!

TC: Is there anything else you’d like to say to TechCrunch books?

Ying: This has been a challenging year for many businesses and the esports industry has had to adapt, but I believe the world has seen how large-hearted esports is and how it can bring communities and cultures together. As service industries develops there are still bigger and bigger online and offline tournaments across the world, especially with 5G and mobile gaming becoming even more popular. We look forward to being at the forefront of esports for challengers all over the world and hopefully some of your readers will enjoy watching our original content and tournaments.

Finally, with personalities and big brands envisioning live streaming and informal gaming as a new road to be involved in a wider audience, the future for VSPN is very, very bright.