For female esports players in China, mastering the game is just the first hurdle to carving out a space for themselves in the male-dominated field.
To compete, casually but especially professionally, they must also overcome vicious trolls, gender norms, familial expectations and limited opportunities.
China has become one of the world's largest markets for esports. Its teams participate in the top tier of international competitions, despite state media once dubbing video games "spiritual opium."
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.