The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Singapore is due to host the world’s first Olympic Esports Week in 2023. The Esports Week will start on the 22nd of June and end on the 25th. Following this news, the global gaming community has taken to social media to share their joy and excitement as top gamers are finally about to get a chance to witness the prestigious Olympic Games.
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Following this, in an exciting leap forward for the growing convergence of sport and Esports, the Global Esports Federation has also recently signed a strategic partnership with the European Olympic Committees. The event is set to be coordinated under the guidance of the IOC, in partnership with the SNOC (Singapore National Olympic Committee).
Esports set to be a part of Olympics 2023
The four-day-long event is set to witness an exciting exhibition of the latest tech, panel discussions, and education sessions, apart from hosting matches. The Olympic Esports Week is set to explore the hybrid physical and stimulated sports as a part of the Olympic roster. It will also host the in-person live finals of the Olympic Esports series.
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 Olympic Esports series is built on the foundations of last year’s Olympic Virtual series, which attracted the participation of over 250,000 contestants from around 100 different countries. The simulated sports rumored to be a part of the event include “baseball, motorsport, cycling, rowing, and sailing.”
Gaming community shows their excitement over social media
The Esports community has taken to social media to express their sentiments after the IOC broke the news. While some people have applauded the move and tweeted, “This is amazing,” others have criticized the choice of titles to be included in the event. One comment read, “a better description should be sports simulators.”
Regardless, the reception of the news is mostly positive. In addition, Esports fanatics are excited to see the official entry of gaming in the Olympics. “I would die for a chance to represent Canada in the casting chair,” said one fan.
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The Global Esports Federation has signed a strategic partnership with the European Olympic Committees.
This marks an exciting leap forward for esports and is in line with the growing convergence of sport and esports.https://t.co/MCpwEU9oVm pic.twitter.com/S2Qm4lLSBp
— AESA (@aesa_info) November 18, 2022
The Olympic Sports Week undoubtedly marks a pivotal milestone in the growth of the gaming industry. Competitive virtual sports were all set to be inducted into the Olympic movement according to IOC president Thomas Bach. Back in a 2018 interview, he outright asked a rhetorical question to the world, “Could Esports one day be a part of the Olympic Games?”
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In conclusion, the declaration of collaboration between the IOC and SNOC fortifies the idea that the realm of Esports is destined to witness Olympic glory. Gamers can now gear up for the first-ever in-person simulated sports tournament at the 2023 Olympic Esports Week.