Esports is finally making its official debut at the Olympics! The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the inaugural Olympic Esports Games will be hosted in Saudi Arabia in 2025. This historic decision follows the IOC Executive Board’s previous recommendation and will be officially delivered at the future IOC Session before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Esports Takes a Historic Leap with the Inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2025
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has signed a 12-year agreement with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to organize the Olympic Esports Games. According to the official announcement, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said, “The world is invited to join us in 2025 and celebrate this moment together.”
This initiative has the potential to significantly boost Indian esports, which is currently on the rise. Following a bronze medal triumph in DOTA 2 at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and five titles at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, India’s esports ecosystem is on track for further growth.
The IOC debuted its first esports pilot, the Olympic Virtual Series, in 2021, followed by the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore in June 2023. This event brought together over 130 players from all over the world to compete in ten mixed-gender categories, garnering over 500,000 unique participants and six million views, with 75% of the audience aged 13 to 34.
With the official announcement made, the focus now shifts to logistics. The host city, venue, event timing, game selection, and player qualification process are all details to be determined in the coming months.
While the titles for the Olympic Esports Games have yet to be released, the inclusion of games across many platforms is likely to boost India’s gaming industry. This could lead to an increase in PC and console gaming, extending India’s primarily mobile gaming sector, as players compete to represent their country at the largest international multi-sport event.
Furthermore, the IOC will create a dedicated structure for the Olympic Esports Games, apart from the existing Olympic Games model, to meet the particular characteristics of esports financing and organization.
This monumental acknowledgement promises a new age of growth, credibility, and worldwide collaboration in competitive gaming, making the future of esports look brighter than ever before.
Here is what Indian gaming industry figures has to say about the event:
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and MD of NODWIN Gaming:
NODWIN Gaming is thrilled that esports has earned its place in the Olympics with its own standalone event, akin to the Summer, Winter, and Paralympics. This recognition allows countries to develop independent esports programs. Together with our partners in the GEF and the EWC, NODWIN Gaming is eager to build esports in our core growth markets, seizing this opportunity for hope and glory.
Roby John, CEO and Co-founder at SuperGaming:
The IOC's embrace of the Olympic Esports Games honors the dedication and skill of millions of gamers worldwide. It goes beyond just competition; it elevates esports to a global platform, encouraging international collaboration and potentially ushering in a new generation of athletes. This initiative truly is a landmark moment for esports, bringing it the global recognition it has long earned. The inclusion of esports in the Olympic movement demonstrates its growing influence and cements its place in the future of sports.
Vishal Parekh, COO, CyberPowerPC India:
We are absolutely elated by the announcement of the Olympic Esports Games which is being hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This marks a monumental step for the industry and all its stakeholders. The Indian esports sector is on an upward trajectory and this will further empower it. Esports being integrated under the banner of the pinnacle of sports events in the world will bring further legitimacy to this form of sport and encourage a new generation of esports talent to rise from the country. We’re excited and look forward to extending our support to the esports community of India so they make a mark at the global event!
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