Summary
Saudi Arabia will be holding the inaugural OlympiceSportsGames in 2025. Gaming has come a long way from what it once was in many areas, and it seems like that includes the types of audiences it is typically considered for, as well. 20 years ago,eSportsmay not have been considered this important. The landscape of these events and the scope of gaming have transformed though, making something like Olympic eSports more feasible.
Many gamers are aware of the way eSports took off in the 2010s. As the internet and gaming have become more integrated within mainstream culture, the ability to attribute the legitimacy eSports may have deserved for some time has grown. Streaming appears to have influenced these chances.Twitch launchedin 2011, and since then, that platform has paved the way when it comes to defining the way that companies and advertisers treat gaming events. Prior, a gaming competition may have been a niche local event, but now, fighting game tournaments and competitiveFortniteevents can gather millions of watchers.
Theinaugural Olympic eSports Gamescompetition is set for 2025 in Saudi Arabia after a trial Olympic eSports Series took place in 2023, notably featuringFortnite.The International Olympic Committee has spent a long time on the decision to officially consider eSports. It appears that the attention and revenue the gaming scene has drawn in the last few years have played a part in convincing the IOC to let gaming have its own spot. Rumors suggest thatgames such asLeague of Legends,Street Fighter, and Rocket Leaguemay be among the games chosen for competition.
Saudi Arabia to Hold Inaugural Olympic ESports Games
Before the eSports Series in 2023, eSports was part of the 2007 Asian Indoor Games, and a decade later during an Olympic Summit,professional eSportswas given serious consideration. By 2022, the Olympic eSports Series was solidified, leading up to the inaugural competition that will take place in 2025. The IOC is keen on pulling in younger audiences, which is part of why, from here on out, Olympic eSports Games will be regularly held.
Saudi Arabia counts over 23 million gamers in its population, which is a large enough audience by itself to want to host these competitions. Worldwide, the gains may be beyond imagination. The ICO notes that its financial model for eSports will be separate from the way Olympic Games are. The stated reason for this is to “address the specific nature ofeSports games,” which could include the costs that it may take to run all the technology for an Olympic level gaming event, in addition to things like setting up streams and venues. Although gamers will have to wait to see what the 2025 event looks like, the past couple of trial runs may indicate a trustworthy track record for these kinds of events.
