Olympic Esports to Level the Playing Field
The Olympic Esports Games will be on par with the Winter and Summer Olympics. The IOC has partnered with Saudi Arabia to host the event. The goal is to achieve equal participation of male and female gamers.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently announced a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia to host this standalone event. While the Kingdom faced criticism for its human rights record during the Esports World Cup, Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 Esports, believes that the Olympic esports version will strive for equal participation of male and female gamers.
Dechelotte was approached by the IOC to provide guidance on attracting younger audiences. He sees this as a tremendous opportunity for competitive gaming to reach new people. "For 20 years, esports and gaming have been growing," he says. "It's clear it's not just a trend. We have years of seeing millions of people watching the biggest finals. There's less fear and more excitement for the potential."
The turning point came during the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, where esports events were held alongside traditional sports. "People from the Olympic Committee attended and were like 'OK, now we get it'," Dechelotte reveals. Despite the success of the experiment, the Commonwealth Games Federation announced that esports would not be featured in the 2026 games in Australia. However, plans for a separate event were not disclosed.
Dechelotte supports this decision, as it prevents existing games from becoming even larger. "It would be difficult for any city to host," he explains. "I think it gives more space for a celebration of gaming and esports instead of being one of the additional sports."
While the specific games to be included in the competition have not been announced, Rocket League, League of Legends, EA FC, and Street Fighter were featured in the Asia and Commonwealth Games. There is uncertainty regarding the inclusion of first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike 2, which have massive tournament scenes. Dechelotte expresses doubts about their immediate inclusion, stating, "If you ask me if it's going to happen next year, probably not. I think it's totally possible in the future, finding a balance with the values that the Olympic Committee wants to project."
One significant difference in the Olympic esports games will be players competing under their national flags, a prospect that excites Dechelotte. "Everybody wants to see what a Danish team will do against a Korean team," he says. "I would love to see it too." This opens up the possibility of superstar players from rival teams joining forces to compete for their national sides.
The decision to hold the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia has faced criticism due to the country's stance on LGBT relationships and women's rights. However, Dechelotte shares his positive experiences in Saudi Arabia, where several high-profile esports events have taken place. He assures that the competition will be open to anyone, regardless of gender or sexuality.
While some have raised concerns about the lack of female representation in esports, Dechelotte acknowledges that the industry has failed female players who are currently underrepresented at the highest level. He promises that the Olympic Esports Games will be different, with a commitment to aim for full parity and equal participation from the inaugural event next year. "There's a commitment to aim for full parity. And that would be a game changer, not just for the Olympics, but for esports too," he asserts.
The Olympic Esports Games will be on par with the Winter and Summer Olympics.
The IOC has partnered with Saudi Arabia to host the event.
The goal is to achieve equal participation of male and female gamers.
Source: BBC