The first Chinese esports event ever nominated for the "Internet's highest honor"

SHANGHAI, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hero Esports today announced that the Honor of Kings King Pro League (KPL) 2025 Grand Finals Opening Ceremony has been nominated for Best Use of Immersive in the Video & Film: Performance & Craft category at the 30th Annual Webby Awards.

Presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and widely regarded as the "Internet's highest honor," the Webby Awards are the gold standard for excellence in digital content. Nearly 13,000 entries were submitted this year, with nominees spanning global icons and industry leaders including Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet, Apple, Netflix, OpenAI, and Google. The KPL 2025 Grand Finals Opening Ceremony marks the first time a Chinese esports event has been nominated for a Webby Award — a milestone for the industry.

A Record-Breaking Night at the Bird's Nest

The KPL 2025 Grand Finals, hosted by Tencent and organized by Hero Esports on November 8, 2025, made history before the first match was even played. With 62,196 fans in attendance — tickets sold out online in just 12 seconds — the event set a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at an esports match.

The venue itself added another layer of significance. As the only arena in the world to have hosted opening and closing ceremonies for both the Summer and Winter Olympics, the Bird's Nest carries a weight of history few venues can match. Spanning 204,000 sqm in site area and 258,000 sqm in floor area, it gave Hero Esports a canvas of extraordinary scale. A 3,663.75 sqm LED floor screen, seamlessly integrated with the venue's lighting system, transformed the space into a fully immersive environment — enveloping every one of the 62,196 fans from every angle.

Tradition Meets Technology

The opening ceremony set the tone for the night: 124 dancers performed alongside celebrated Chinese vocalist Han Hong, while an AR-rendered golden loong dragon soared across the towering LED displays in a breathtaking fusion of ancient mythology and cutting-edge technology. Award-winning singer Zhou Shen then brought the house down with a show-stopping half-time performance.

Industry Recognition

"Nominees like the KPL 2025 Grand Finals Opening Ceremony are raising the bar for creativity and innovation on the Internet," said Nick Borenstein, General Manager of The Webby Awards. "At the 30th Annual Webby Awards, this recognition feels especially meaningful. It's no small feat to stand out among nearly 13,000 entries, and this year's work reflects the energy, originality, and ambition shaping the Internet right now."

Vote Now — Until April 16

As a nominee, Hero Esports is eligible to win the Webby People's Voice Award, determined entirely by public vote. Fans around the world can cast their vote for the KPL 2025 Grand Finals Opening Ceremony now through April 16, 2026:

Vote here Search for: Honor of Kings Pro League Opening Ceremony 2025

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and honored at a star-studded ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City — where each winner will deliver one of the Webby Awards' iconic 5-Word Speeches.

About Hero Esports

Founded in 2016, Hero Esports is Asia's largest esports company, producing more than 7,000 matches annually for an online fanbase of over 800 million. Headquartered in Shanghai with more than 1,100 employees, Hero Esports operates across 12 global office locations and eight world-class esports arenas. The company offers a comprehensive suite of esports services — spanning tournament organization, marketing solutions, and community development — making it a one-stop partner for esports excellence worldwide.