Singapore is set to host the first ever Olympics Esports Week, organized by the International Olympic Council (IOC), but competitive gamers are not impressed with the selection of games. Instead of featuring well-established gaming titles, the event will showcase 10 simulated sports such as archery, baseball, chess, and taekwondo. This decision has raised concerns among esports enthusiasts who believe that virtual sports, which are digital recreations of real-world events, are not the same as esports, which are video games played at an elite competitive level.
Esports has been growing in popularity over the past decade, with games like “Counter-Strike” and “DOTA 2” attracting huge audiences and filling stadiums. However, the disappointment surrounding the Olympics Esports Week stems from the fact that none of the selected games are considered to be esports by industry professionals.
Malaysian professional esports coach Khairul Azman Mohamad Sharif expressed his confusion over the choice of sports games instead of top esports games. He believes that sports games, which are already physically contested, should not take the spotlight away from esports.
One saving grace for some fans is that the shooting event will feature the popular game “Fortnite”, albeit in a modified version without its violent “Battle Royale” mode. The IOC is unable to include games with violence that goes against Olympic values. The IOC recognized esports as a sport in 2017 and has been in talks with industry players about its inclusion in future Olympics.
While the IOC has been known to make changes slowly, recent developments such as skateboarding at the Tokyo Games and breakdancing at Paris 2024 show the organization’s willingness to explore new frontiers. Esports will also be featured as a medal sport at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Chester King, Vice-President of the Global Esports Federation and CEO of British Esports, described the choice of games for the Olympics Esports Week as a sensible first approach. He believes that this event in Singapore will be a positive step towards eventually including popular video games in the Olympic roster.
Bryan Tan, a partner at law firm Reed Smith specializing in esports and media, sees the event in Singapore as a testing ground to work out the challenges of bringing esports to the Olympic level.
According to IOC sports director Kit McConnell, the focus on virtual and simulated sports games for the competition series was to support the growth of virtual sports. The selected games had to be inclusive, with no technical barriers to entry, and promote gender equality, which is not yet prevalent in competitive gaming.
The inclusion of popular video game titles at the Olympic level could attract millions of new viewers. However, one major challenge is the complex relationships with publishers, who have significant influence over hosting events.
While there are currently no plans to include esports as medal events at the Olympics, the reception of the Singapore event will be closely monitored. Matthew Woods from esports marketing agency AFK believes that the altered format of the games will play a significant role in the event’s reception and success.
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