We will begin the introduction by looking at esports as a technology for work and play in East Asia. Esports is a good example of how the concepts of work and play are rapidly changing in the region. It also problematises the boundary between work and play, a central question addressed in this volume.

Video gaming has been seen as a leisure activity for children and young people since the 1980s (Kline and de Peuter, 2002). Video gaming was and still is considered juvenile entertainment that will lose its appeal when gamers become working adults (Nichols, 2014). Esports has challenged this assumption in at least two ways: First, gamers are no longer amateurs but professionals trained by the government and industry. They no longer play with friends but compete with each other in organised teams on the international stage. In this sense, esports professionals share similarities with professional athletes: They represent their teams and countries to show off technical skills and sporting spirit. Second, significant investment goes into organising the teams and lobbying for official recognition from sports organisations such as the Olympics. Playing video games is no longer just a pastime undertaken in a private space, but a public spectacle that ignites a sense of community and national belonging. In the Asian context, this technology for work and play has created new meanings of digital work in a state-planned economy.

A recent example that illustrates how esports challenges some assumptions about gaming is the case of it being a demonstration sport in the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesia. It may not be a surprise that Asia is the pioneer in recognising video gaming as a sport because the region is also a trailblazer in esports game development. Various esports organisations in Asia are setting up gaming rules and training teams for regional and international competition.

However, what is meant by Asia as a ‘region’? Scholars have pondered this question. For example, Iwabuchi (2002) believes that Japan had long perceived itself as inferior to the West. Prior to World War II, Japan aimed to emulate the West while seeking domination of its neighbours.