The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted on July 23, 2024 to greenlight the creation of the Olympic Esports Games to complement the Summer and Winter Games. Saudi Arabia will hold the first games next year.
The IOC has been test-running esports events over the past few years, most notably in Singapore and Mumbai in 2023. It is unclear exactly what esports will be included, but many in the esports community are excited to participate in the Olympics in this new format.
“As a ‘first’ ever Esports Olympic Games, obviously there is still much to consider and plan with the IOC,” said HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee. “But we are committed to hosting a special event that respects and celebrates the Olympic values while boldly seizing the momentum to drive esports forward with the international platform the sport and its athletes deserve.”
“This is truly a new era for the IOC,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “This is further proof of the attractively of the Olympic brand and the values it stands for among young people.”
“I'm extremely happy,” said Skyler Ludlow, co-host of the Daily Universe esports podcast, Knight of the D-Pad. “To this day I feel like video games are extremely misunderstood or not taken seriously. This is a large step towards not only increasing awareness, but helping people realize that video games are legit and something to be taken seriously, not only as a career but even as a hobby. Esports are highly competitive and entertaining, and just like other sports. The Olympics will give the best esports athletes in the world a platform to show everyone just how skilled they are.”
(L) The stage at the Singapore 2024 Olympic Esports Week. Picture from Olympics.com; (R) Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee members accept the Esports Games offer. Picture from Olympics.com
“Personally, I'm most excited to see teams compete against each other as nations,” Ludlow continues. “A lot of wsports (at least the ones I watch) have moved toward having mostly international lineups, so it'll be super interesting to see the best players from different teams compete together, and see which countries are the best at which games.”
“Generally, I think it's awesome that the Olympics will be including esports as a part of the circuit with its own Games,” said Aidan Fort, also of Knights of the D-Pad. “It's really cool that esports will have its own moment to show itself off on an international stage like the usual Olympics. That being said, however, I worry about how it'll be handled and executed. When the Olympics tried to do something esports-themed back in October 2023, the games and events that they chose were laughable, with things like virtual martial arts, archery, and baseball to name a few. Those are not esports.”
“Most of the major esports titles (League of Legends, Counter-Strike, all fighting games, Overwatch, Valorant, etc.) might be seen as 'too violent' for an Olympic-level event, so the games that would be showcased are already going to be hamstrung,” Fort explained. “The short track record that exists from the 2021 Virtual Olympic Series in Japan and the 2023 Esports Week the Olympics tried in Singapore did not leave esports fans very happy with how esports was showcased.”
A number of concerns also stem from how involved Saudi Arabia has been in esports in general. Many see it as a form of “sportswashing” their reputation in human rights over the years. This controversy leaves some fans uneasy.