The Esports Olympic Games – When Will It Begin?
Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee’s president, first announced plans for a new pro video gaming tournament called the Olympic Esports Games back in October 2023 at the 141st IOC Esports Commission session.
Here is a closer look at everything we know so far about the Olympic Esports Games, from the potential dates to the types of games that will likely be played at the event.
Everything we know so far about the Olympic Esports Games event
Although very few details have yet been made available for the inaugural Olympic Esports Games event, we know it will be a multi-gaming event similar to the successful Olympic Esports Week gaming event held in June 2023.
The aim will be to combine digital/virtual sporting activities with physical activities, and only a carefully selected number of proven-performing video game titles will feature in the competitions. However, the titles must align with the Olympic values.
If everything goes according to plan, IOC chiefs hope to run the tournament at some point, either in late 2025 or no later than 2026. At the time of writing, no dates have been set in stone.
More reliable information about where and when the tournament will take place will become available nearer the time.
The best place to check will be on reputable gaming blogs like those found on eSports information websites such as ESPN Esports, eSports Insider, and Twitch, to name a few trusted sources.. You will also find plenty of insights on recognised iGaming sites such as 32Red Hungary, along with new game formats that marry together sports and gaming. For instance, the developer Evolution has made waves in the eSports world thanks to the creation of Football Studio Dice, which recreates the excitement of football with engaging dice shakes and a chance for players to turn the game around, mirroring the spirit of a real football match. Innovative gaming formats like this is what keeps the worlds of sports, gaming, and eSports so dynamic.
What happened at the 2023 Olympic Esports Week?
The 2023 Olympic Esports event featured ten main events and six exhibition events, the latter of which featured more traditional video game titles. A total of 131 participants from 57 nations participated in the three-day event that ran from June 22 to 25.
The competition’s main events were at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the medal winners were as follows:
- Event format/game: Motorsport (Gran Turismo). Gold medal: France. Silver medal: Great Britain. Bronze medal: Chile
- Event format/game: Shooting (Fortnite). Gold medal: Australia. Silver medal: United States. Bronze medal: Latvia
- Event format/game: Tennis (Tennis Clash). Gold medal: France. Silver medal: China. Bronze medal: Great Britain
- Event format/game: Archery (Tic Tac Bow). Gold medal: United States. Silver medal: United States. Bronze medal: Japan
- Event format/game: Dance (Just Dance). Gold medal: France. Silver medal: United States. Bronze medal: Italy
- Event format/game: Chess (Chess.com). Gold medal: Serbia. Silver medal: Individual neutral athlete. Bronze medal: Vietnam
- Event format/game: Baseball (WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros). Gold medal: Japan. Silver medal: Japan. Bronze medal: Chinese Taipei
- Event format/game: Taekwondo (Virtual Taekwondo). Gold medal: Singapore. Silver medal: Singapore. Bronze medal: China
- Event format/game: Sailing (Virtual Regatta). Gold medal: France. Silver medal: France. Bronze medal: France
- Event format/game: Cycling (Zwift). Gold medal: Team Fuego (mixed nationalities). Silver medal: Team Epic (mixed nationalities). Bronze medal: Team Lava (mixed nationalities)
The six exhibition events that aligned with the Olympic values were Rocket League, NBA 2k23, Street Fighter 6, Virtual Table Tennis, and Arena Games Triathlon.
Final note
More details about the upcoming Olympic Esports Games will most likely filter through over the coming months as more official information about the schedule becomes available.
Some of the other major upcoming Esports events you may want to add to your diary are the Masters Madrid from March 14 – 23, where pro gamers will battle it out playing Valorant, and the Copenhagen Major from March 17 – 31, which involves Counter-Strike 2.
There’s also the CDL Major 2 (Call of Duty), the League of Legends (LO) Mid-Season Invitational, the RCLS Major 1, the Blast Spring Final, the VCT Masters Shanghai, and the CDL Major 3, to name just a few hotly anticipated new events.