The Olympics Will Host Virtual Sports As Esports Again
After their Olympic Esports Series in 2021, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the hosting of esports in Singapore for the inaugural Olympic Esports Week on June 22-25, 2023.
Players of the world! Are you ready?
Singapore will host the first Olympic Esports Week. #OlympicEsports pic.twitter.com/p50CzE9mlo— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) November 16, 2022
The IOC’s announcement revealed the Olympic Esports Week would be in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Sport Singapore and the Singapore National Olympic Committee (SNOC).
The 4-day long Olympic Esports Week will feature “the best of virtual sports,” which most likely will include virtual baseball, motorsport, cycling, rowing, and sailing — all of which were once featured in 2021’s Olympic Virtual Series.
With the list of possible featured events included in their announcement, the esports community took to Twitter to express their disappointment regarding the chosen “esports” titles.
These arent even actual esports titles… They’re just simulation sports. Do better. https://t.co/MavjLLWLN9
— Tashbunny 🦥 (@_tashbunny) November 17, 2022
Me before reading the article: OMG did they finally..???
Me after reading the article: ……………… Nvm
— MikaFabs (@mikafabs) November 17, 2022
Did u see the esports that will be played?? Not even close to any popular esport ☠️⚰️
— Apolo (@apolo_fps) November 16, 2022
"… competitions in virtual and simulated sports including baseball, motorsport, cycling, rowing and sailing".
Free tip @Olympics: Google "popular esports "
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) November 16, 2022
A better description should be "sports simulators."
— Mon (@H1murashi) November 16, 2022
Nevertheless, IOC President Thomas Bach was positive regarding the announcement.
“The first Olympic Esports Week marks an important milestone in our ambition to support the growth of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement. We believe the exciting new format of our virtual sports competition, with live finals to be staged for the first time, is an opportunity to collaborate further with esports players and to create new opportunities for players and fans alike. It is a perfect opportunity to be partnering with Singapore, which has a history of supporting innovation in the Olympic Movement, hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, so we are looking forward to working together closely,” Bach was quoted in an IOC’s official blog article.
As of now, there are not many details on how to be part of the first Olympic Esports Week and Olympic Esports Series but all will be revealed in early 2023.
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