In recent years, eSports has become an indispensable part of the international sports scene. Large-scale tournaments, attracting millions of fans, with prize money up to millions of dollars, are highlighting the power of this industry. However, the question is: “Will eSports become an Olympic sport?” Let’s find the answer to this question with SUPERPH in the article!
The Development Process of eSports
Esports has had an impressive development journey since its inception. Initially, Esports were just small competitions between local gamers. But with the explosion of information technology and the internet, Esports quickly expanded in scale and influence.
In 2000, the World Cyber Games (WCG) tournament was born and is considered one of the first Esports events with global influence. Since then, a series of major tournaments Intel Extreme Masters (IEM), The International (Dota 2), and League of Legends World Championship (LoL) solidified the position of esports in the hearts of fans.
As of 2023, the global revenue of this industry has surpassed 1 billion USD, with millions of people watching the tournaments on online platforms.
Characteristics of an Olympic Sport
To understand whether esports will become an Olympic sport, we look at the basic criteria that a sport has to be recognized at the Olympic Games.
Global influence: A sport is popular worldwide, with players and spectators from many different countries.
Competitiveness: The sport is highly competitive, with clear rules and a basis for evaluating the performance of athletes.
Sportsmanship and dedication: This is the core element of the Olympics, where athletes compete not only for the prize but also for national pride, unity.
When considering these factors, esports meets some of the criteria. Esports has a global impact, with millions of players and spectators from various countries. Esports is also very competitive, with professional tournaments featuring the world’s top teams.
Will eSports Become an Olympic Sport?
The growing popularity and influence of eSports have led many to ask: Can eSports become an Olympic sport in the future? Let’s analyze this issue in the section below:
Technical and Skill Aspects
Esports requires players to have quick reflexes, tactical thinking, and good team coordination. In many games, gamers perform hundreds of operations in a minute to control the match and achieve the goal. These are skills that are not inferior to any traditional sport in terms of tactics and concentration.
However, the biggest difference between eSports and traditional sports is the physical element involved. The Olympics have always emphasized sports that require physical training and body strength.
This has led to debates about whether a sport that relies heavily on thinking skills and computer manipulation can be considered a “real” sport.
Entertainment and audience engagement
One of the reasons why the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is considering including Esports in the Olympics is its popularity. In the digital age, Esports attracts a large number of young audiences, something that traditional sports sometimes find difficult to compete with.
With millions of fans, major Esports tournaments such as the League of Legends World Championship or The International are just as attractive as major sports tournaments such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games.
In addition, with the development of media technology and online broadcasting platforms, Esports can easily reach a global audience without the need for stadiums or complex facilities. This could be a big advantage in including Esports in the Olympics.
