DreamHack Shanghai 2025: A New Milestone in Asian Esports

Introduction to DreamHack Shanghai

For the first time since 1994, DreamHack, one of the world’s most renowned esports and gaming festivals, is set to make its debut in Asia with DreamHack Shanghai 2025. This significant event will be hosted in May at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, China. The event is a collaboration between ESL FACEIT Group, the owners of DreamHack, and Hero Esports, a prominent Chinese esports company formerly known as VSPO.

Event Details and Partnerships

DreamHack Shanghai will be a landmark event, marking the first time DreamHack has been held in China. Hero Esports will operate the event, bringing their expertise in multi-title esports tournaments. The Asian Champions League (ACL), another major event by Hero Esports, will be integrated into DreamHack Shanghai. ACL will feature popular games such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and the mobile game Honor of Kings.

In terms of sponsorships, DreamHack Shanghai has secured several key partnerships. The event will have one exclusive strategic partner contributing ￥500K RMB (approximately $68K USD), two industrial partners each contributing ￥250K RMB (around $34K USD), and six special partners each contributing ￥150K RMB (about $20K USD).

Venue and Promotions

The National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai will serve as the venue for this grand event. To build anticipation, the official DreamHack Weibo account was created on December 30, 2024, and has already started promoting the event.

Impact on the Esports Calendar

DreamHack Shanghai is part of a bustling esports calendar for 2025. Here’s a look at some of the major esports events happening around the same time:

March 2025: Upcoming Esports Events

• Overwatch Champions Series 2025 – Asia Stage 1: This Overwatch 2 tournament will take place in South Korea.
• LTA 2025 Cross-Conference: A League of Legends event in Brazil.
• PUBG Mobile Global Open 2025: Spanning March to April, this PUBG Mobile tournament will be held in Brazil.
• LPL Split 2 2025: The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) Split 2 will run from March to May in China.
• LEC Spring 2025: The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Spring Split will occur from March to May in Germany.
• VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1: The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA Stage 1 will take place in Germany from March to May.
• Capcom Cup 11: The biggest Street Fighter 6 event of the year, happening from March 3rd to March 8th in Japan.
• First Stand 2025: A new League of Legends tournament debuting in South Korea from March 10th to March 16th.
• RLCS 2025 – Birmingham Major: The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Major will be held in the UK from March 27th to March 30th.

May 2025: DreamHack Shanghai and Other Key Events

• DreamHack Shanghai: This event will feature the Asian Champions League (ACL) with games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Honor of Kings.
• BLAST Slam III: A Dota 2 tournament scheduled from May 5th to May 11th.
• PGL Astana 2025: A Counter-Strike 2 event in Kazakhstan from May 10th to May 18th.
• Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2025: A Counter-Strike 2 tournament in the US from May 19th to May 25th.
• ESL Impact League Season 7: A women’s-only Counter-Strike 2 esports competition in the US from May 23rd to May 25th.

June 2025: Mid-Year Esports Highlights

• Call of Duty League 2025: Stage 4 Major: A Call of Duty event with dates to be announced.
• VCT 2025: Masters Toronto: The VALORANT Champions Tour Masters event in Canada from June 7th to June 22nd.
• BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025: A Counter-Strike 2 tournament in the US from June 9th to June 22nd.
• RLCS 2025 – Major 2: The Rocket League Championship Series Major, with dates and location to be announced.
• Mid-Season Invitational 2025: The League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational in Canada from June 27th to July 12th.

July 2025: Summer Esports Festivities

• LPL Split 3 2025: The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) Split 3 in China from July to August.
• LEC Summer 2025: The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Summer Split in EMEA from July to August.
• PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025: The PUBG Mobile World Cup in Saudi Arabia from July to August.
• VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 2: The VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA Stage 2 in Germany from July to August.
• IEM Cologne 2025: A Counter-Strike 2 tournament in Germany from July 23rd to August 3rd.
• Esports World Cup 2025 – Chess: A chess competition as part of the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia from July 31st to August 3rd.

Conclusion

DreamHack Shanghai 2025 is poised to be a pivotal event in the Asian esports scene, bringing together gamers, teams, and enthusiasts from around the world. With its rich lineup of games and strong partnerships, this event is set to leave a lasting impact on the global esports community. As the esports calendar for 2025 unfolds, DreamHack Shanghai stands out as a must-attend event for anyone passionate about gaming and competitive esports.