Esports lovers now have something new to look forward to in the global space. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently announced its plans to create and organize an Olympic Esports Games.
There have been several initiatives based on similar plans, but all have yet to be achieved. However, the latest announcement seems definitive as it was reached at the 141st Mumbai, India, IOC meeting. This session was attended by Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister.
Esports Olympic Games Plans
Among the attendees was the IOC president, Thomas Bach, who made the announcement. He indicated that a new IOC Esports Commission is responsible for evaluating the Olympic Esports Games and its creation.
According to Mr. Bach, over 500 million gamers are interested in Esports. The age factor (under 34) also comes into play in this consideration. Consequently, the I initiative is worth pursuing to incorporate the younger generation.
We are in a digital world, and there is no better way to think of a future if you cannot adopt the new way of thinking. Empowering the younger mindset is a way of guaranteeing the future of Esports, said Mr. Bach. Such developments can make it easier for gamblers to find GGBet eSports and make profitable wagers hassle-free.
Strict Adherence to IOC Values
Even as the Esports Olympic Games adoption is still in the initial phase, there is a need to reinforce and adopt IOC values. There is no possibility of crossing the boundaries or violating the enforced principles, regardless of the Esports title.
This remark presumably results from what happened during Fortnite’s International Shooting Sport Federation Island Series. The publisher was forced to conform with the IOC values fully, added Mr. Bach.
While commenting on values, Mr. Bach noted that they cannot be overemphasized. This remains the core principle even as the IOC hopes to have an active community in the Esports without violating any of the body’s values.
The inaugural Olympic Esports Series was played in June, with nine contested titles. There was a big difference compared to conventional traditional Esports titles. An example is the incorporation of virtual Taekwondo and Regatta into the tournament.
Mr. Bach praised the event and considered it a success. The event had approximately 500,000 participants and six million views. This is a promising start for an inaugural event with the possibility of witnessing much more in future events.
One thing that boosted participation in this tournament was the addition of the Fortnite special mode two months after the announcement.
Olympic Esports Games and Its Future
The committee in charge is still researching and hopefully can develop a format to help with this new inclusion. The Olympic Virtual Series is a predecessor of the IOC’s Olympic Esports.
One of the biggest endorsements of IOC’s Olympic Esports initiative is the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF). This publisher highlighted several existing titles that were incorporated into the 2022 Asian Games.
AESF has partnered with other publishers to spearhead various mobile shooting games. The inclusion features the renamed Peace Elite Asian Games Version (PUBG) and the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version. Both titles are in compliance with the Olympic principles.
Other Esports titles adopting this new initiative include Dota 2 and League of Legends (Asian Versions) in 2022 and 2018, respectively. A notable event can be recounted in the League of Legends series held in South Korea. This event featured Lee Faker Sang-hyeok, an exemplary event during the 2022 series.
Despite the success recorded, Mr. Bach noted that there have been a few challenges with the adoption of AI. For him, more can be done to better the Olympic Games, even with the urge to incorporate a compelling fusion of tradition. Bach suggests technology (AI) should be embraced to accelerate the Olympic Agenda.
Some AI-based developments include developing individualized training plans for participants, coaching, refereeing, scheduling competitive titles, and fan viewership and experiences.
