On November 8, the 2025 Honor of Kings Professional League (KPL) Grand Finals took place at the Bird's Nest (the National Stadium), where 62,196 spectators gathered, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a single esports event. This premier event not only delivered an exhilarating "Holy Dragon Cup" showdown but also ignited a wave of consumer enthusiasm throughout the city.

An hour before beginning, the consumer area outside the venue was packed with activity. A hundred-meter-long queue formed in front of the  KPL-exclusive store, where 150-yuan Polaroid cameras and 200-yuan postcard sets sparked a buying frenzy. The limited-edition commemorative badges and pins, priced at 88 yuan and 69 yuan, respectively, had already sold out.

The day before the finals, crowds flooded the "iN Cross-Dimensional Gravity Field" (iN 跨次元引力场) at Sun Park. As part of the Honor of Kings anniversary city celebrations, a winding queue formed outside the KPL Dream Team pop-up store. Products such as ice cream mystery boxes, plush pillows, phone grips, and candied hawthorn keychains were in high demand and quickly sold out.

The event's popularity also boosted business in the surrounding commercial districts. On the night of the finals, nearly 150 stores in shopping malls such as POLPAS and Xinchen Li extended their regular operating hours. Cardboard stands of players were displayed in the atrium of POLPAS, while the Huaxia International Film Center set up a massive curved screen viewing area, attracting hundreds of fans who couldn't get tickets. On the first floor, Goose Island Taproom launched a limited-edition beer and extended its hours until 1:00 in the morning. Additionally, ticket holders for the finals could enjoy discounts of up to 12 percent at over 30 merchants in the Ya'ao commercial district.

From the old Workers' Stadium and Wukesong to the new Workers' Stadium and the Bird's Nest, the evolution of event venues reflects not only the maturity of operational capabilities but also profound changes in the industry. Driven by both policy support and the enthusiasm of players, esports consumption is now transitioning from a niche interest to an integral part of daily life for the general public.

(Source: Beijing Fabu)