The COVID-19 lockdown has boosted revenues for e-sports over the years. To allow more people around the world to get in touch with Taiwan's e-sports technology, the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) has aligned with the central government policy to foster the e-sports industry ecosystem. Starting in 2020, it has collaborated with the Sports Administration of the Ministry of Education, and the National Taiwan Sport University to organize the so-called ITSport Game to help domestic IT industry players promote and commercialize their somatosensory interactive products.
In addition to promoting the e-sports ecosystem, the IDB is also committed to supporting the research and development of domestic e-sports industry players. For example, the IDB has subsidized a Taiwan-based company SmartMotion Technology. The company has invented the so-called SmartBoard, which won the silver medal in the prestigious Concours Lépine International Paris 2019. Being selected as a sports event in the ITSport Game, the SmartBoard combines somatosensory interactive technology design with e-sports in mind for the user to use his/her lower limbs and abdominal core muscles when stepping on the board. It uses motion-sensing technology to analyze the user's muscle endurance, control, and balance. With these parameters, it can design more interesting somatosensory games to make this sports event more fun to play. In the meantime, the company has been striving to collaborate with agents and distributors in Japan, Europe, and China with an aim to extend its global reach through partnerships and regional networks.
With the COVID-19 taking e-sports to the next level, personalization, interactivity, virtualization and entertainment will be the four areas of focus for the global e-sports technology industry, according to MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute), one of the leading IT research institutes and a division of the III (Institute for Information Institute) in Taiwan.