Esports has grown into a billion-dollar industry, and amid the growth of games like League of Legends, Dota 2, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, the International Olympic Committee’s executive board has proposed to make the “Olympic Esports Games.”
IOC President Thomas Bach said the IOC is “really very excited” by the response of the esports community following a study he commissioned last year to determine if this kind of venture would work.
“With the creation of Olympic Esports Games, the IOC is taking a major step forward and is keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution,” Bach said in a statement. “We are very excited how enthusiastically the esports community represented in our Esports Commission has engaged with this initiative. This is further proof of the attractivity of the Olympic brand and the values it stands for.”
The council is slated to vote on the proposal during this year’s summer games in Paris. Already, the IOC said it is in “advanced discussions” and has a possible host for the Esports Games, with a formal announcement set to be made soon.
Esports have been on the rise; in a given year, $250,000 can be distributed from tournaments, and in 2022, the esports industry was valued at $1.4 billion — something expected to grow to $1.86 billion by 2025. Previously, League of Legends sold-out Madison Square Garden during its two-night run. The IOC also piloted an Olympic Virtual series in the past with the Esports Liaison Group, and during the 2023 Olympic Esports Week in Singapore, more than six million viewers tuned-in.
