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eSports under consideration for Paris 2024 Olympics

suedester

suedester

Member
Oct 25, 2017
815
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/41790148

The International Olympic Committee is exploring the possibility of including esports in future Games.

The Olympic governing body said esports "can provide a platform for engagement with the Olympic movement".

However, to be included the content "must not infringe on the Olympic values".

In August, the Paris 2024 bid team said it was keen to discuss the introduction of esports with the IOC, adding: "The youth are interested, let's meet them."
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What do we make of this? I've never been one to follow eSports but it is certainly an interesting proposition and great for gaming in general.
 
DrArchon

DrArchon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,485
Haven't they already said there won't be any violent video games, which leaves out like 90% of of the popular esports games?

What's it gonna be? Just sports games from companies that bought their way in for marketing?
 
MrMephistoX

MrMephistoX

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,754
Seriously? Is watching Madden matches a thing? Sitting through an actual NFL game is boring enough: that's why I only watch when the stakes are high like the Super Bowl. What's left without shooters and fighting games?
 
WoollyTitan

WoollyTitan

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
558
The Maldovarium
I have no real opinions on this... I mean, poker is considered to be a sport now. Granted, it DOES involve demanding facial muscle movement for the ultimate game face...

pokertells.jpg


But if anything, I WOULD like to see it for the reactions alone. eSports have been a ridiculously volatile playground. It seems like when you're training for the olympics, part of that physical training goes into forging a strong mental attitude for competition. Discipline basically. And Hearthstone, and Overwatch, and SCII players.....they're not really into that lol. Add in the fact that it's a global stage watched by tens of millions of people, and the whole thing just turns into a pressure-cooker. Some of them will pop, some of them will erupt. And it'll be GLORIOUS!
 

Rebel1

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,234
I would watch if it had rocket leauge.

It's also an easy to follow game.
 
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Eszik

Eszik

Member
Oct 27, 2017
352
Paris, France
The best candidates would probably be sport games (pretty sure FIFA has a decent e-sports scene). Or maybe Rocket League? Anyway, there's the issue that games are owned by companies, so the Olympics would turn into a huge advertisement for EA Sports, Psyonix or another company (I know there are already sponsors, but it's not like a specific sport is owned by a company)
 
Sölf

Sölf

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,949
Germany
DrArchon said:
Haven't they already said there won't be any violent video games, which leaves out like 90% of of the popular esports games?

What's it gonna be? Just sports games from companies that bought their way in for marketing?
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What would even count as violent nowadays? Simply shooters? Realistic looking shooters (so old stuff like CS 1.6 wouldn't even fall under that)? Would even fighting games fall under this? MOBAs? PvP in MMOs?

I am not really following E-Sports, I do tend to watch some replays from commentators some times, but I am all for more exposure. We would still need a clear definition what would be actually allowed or considered.
 
ASaiyan

ASaiyan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,228
DrArchon said:
Haven't they already said there won't be any violent video games, which leaves out like 90% of of the popular esports games?

What's it gonna be? Just sports games from companies that bought their way in for marketing?
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Yeah. I mean, Rocket League at the Olympics would be cool, but stuff like Overwatch and Melee would also have to be there. And watching people compete in FIFA when there is actual football going on at the same event would be beyond bizarre, lol.
 
GuitarGuruu

GuitarGuruu

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,509
I personally don't feel this should be tied into actual physical "sports", keep it in it's own division.
 
Firefox

Firefox

Member
Oct 27, 2017
194
If it's a game that no publisher has ownership over, sure. But a publisher / one company benefits in the case of all eSports.

For that reason, it does not belong. Only universal sports should be allowed. Not a game owned by Riot / Blizzard etc ..
 
Gummi97

Gummi97

Member
Oct 25, 2017
197
They want the actual Esport games, Fighting games, Overwatch, CS:GO, LoL and Dota2? won't be a possible since those games have violences in.
 
Wink784

Wink784

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,208
Awesome. Make it so. Olympics is about competition at the highest level. Why not for videogames? (Rhetorical question)
Would be interesting to actually have countries sports institutions organizing national teams just like in other sports.
It doesn't seem very feasible atm, but it's definitely good that it's being considered.
 
OgTheEnigma

OgTheEnigma

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,803
Liverpool
Maybe Rocket League could work. Very few other esports games would be watchable or make sense for viewers who aren't already familiar with the game. Although honestly I believe chess deserves to be added long before any esport.
 
Rellyrell28

Rellyrell28

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
29,076
Gummi97 said:
They want the actual Esport games, Fighting games, Overwatch, CS:GO, LoL and Dota2? won't be a possible since those games have violences in.
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Street Fighter V would most likely slide through seeing as it was already on ESPN twice. Also Smash would work as well.

As for my opinion on the matter I'm for it but if they don't have it I'm fine with it as long as poker isn't there either.
 

Rudolph

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
671
Colorado by way of Louisiana
The competition that sports face from esports is the big reason they have to consider it. There's a large enough percentage of the youth thats growing up to be fans of CLG and C9 instead of the Cavs or the Warriors.
 
GrObi

GrObi

Member
Oct 27, 2017
18
Wink784 said:
Awesome. Make it so. Olympics is about competition at the highest level. Why not for videogames? (Rhetorical question)
Would be interesting to actually have countries sports institutions organizing national teams just like in other sports.
It doesn't seem very feasible atm, but it's definitely good that it's being considered.
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I would rather watch 100 hours of water polo than one minute of a moba match.
 
MidiPour

MidiPour

Member
Oct 27, 2017
393
Texas
As someone who doesn't watch sports outside of the World Cup every couple of years, who enjoys watching professional League of Legends, I'd definitely toon in to the Olympics if esports were considered into it.
 
Kripton

Kripton

Member
Oct 27, 2017
36
Portugal
It would be kinda weird seeing eSports after a marathon for example.

I think it should be taken seriously but in order to do that it should remain in its own category for its own sake
 
s_mirage

s_mirage

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,782
Birmingham, UK
Not in favour. Oh, and a couple of considerations: are there national bodies that could organise the teams, and would professional players even be prepared to play with a prize pool of $0.00?
 
LoyalPhoenix

LoyalPhoenix

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,766
if it happens its fine with me although i doubt ill watch because its gonna be super child friendly and PC which means no LoL, Dota 2, COD, Halo, PUBG etc.
Honestly im more curious to see what game they choose and what the reaction is to not only having esports but the game chosen.

Imagine turning on tv and having CSGO on the official channel showcasing the Olympics, would be a glorious day on Twitter.
 

Owarifin

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
1,741
I'd rather actual paint ball be in rather than CS.
And I love csgo...

Would love to see countries sending in their best squads vs each other.
 
LoyalPhoenix

LoyalPhoenix

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,766
s_mirage said:
Not in favour. Oh, and a couple of considerations: are there national bodies that could organise the teams, and would professional players even be prepared to play with a prize pool of $0.00?
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Pretty sure if a player gets to represent there country and possibly win Olympic GOLD they will take the $0 and be one of the only people in all of esports to have earned such an achievement.
 
ranmafan

ranmafan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
313
Could it really happen? Anything's possible, especially with the IOC's reversal on adding sports, where in the past they were removing them from Olympic Games now they are adding them like crazy. (Although some of those sports added have very limited numbers of athletes and teams as the ioc still want to keep the athlete numbers at a certain point) Just look at all the new sports added into The Tokyo Olympics. And surely Paris will add some, and maybe even remove one or two to replace them with new ones.

But while it has a shot I suspect it won't be easy. They are going to need a world governing body. It seems to me right now there are tons of them but not one main esports one. They will have to deal with Olympic rules and ideals, will have to come up with a program that will satisfy the Olympic movement on all fronts including gender equality and more. They will have to decide on a group of games that everyone can agree to, and I think that's going to be a tough thing to settle on. Not to mention the fact that they will be competing against many other sports who have been spending decades trying their hardest to get in. Just look at squash, it's been trying to get in for ages and continues to be turned down, and still plans to aggressively try to get in.

But the IOC knows it needs to engage with younger audiences, which is why you are seeing more sports added being engaging to them. Will it happen in Paris 2024, I doubt it. Seems way too soon and too many issues to settle to get in. Look how long it took to get baseball and softball back in and rugby added. Those sports have huge governing bodies and support around the world and it still took a lot of effort. Especially getting baseball and sodtball back since many in the IOC didn't believe it deserved it cause of their status as a sport worldwide. Will they view esports the same way? But LA28, that maybe a better option if the esports world takes it seriously and can convince a lot of these individuals, which will be tough, that they deserve a spot it an already crowded platform that is hard to add things into already.
 
Kayotix

Kayotix

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,312
Lol, this seems like a joke....

I can't Imagine a random streamer being compared to some of the best Olympic athletes in the world.
 

Deleted member 2809

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
25,478
Kayotix said:
Lol, this seems like a joke....

I can't Imagine a random streamer being compared to some of the best Olympic athletes in the world.
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Sounds like you have no idea how much dedication and skill it takes to be even a top100 player on a top game.
Meanwhile curling has been in the olympics since 1924.
 
mas8705

mas8705

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,497
It is a nice thought for eSports to be considered. Honestly though, there really isn't any reason for this to happen due to the constant changing nature of games and how there is really no "definitive" eSport out there. Not to mention that if something were to happen, you'd have alot of people getting pissed off because, "My game wasn't picked to be at the Olympics!"
 

Polk

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
4,258
s_mirage said:
Not in favour. Oh, and a couple of considerations: are there national bodies that could organise the teams, and would professional players even be prepared to play with a prize pool of $0.00?
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Many Olympic federations give prizes for winners of gold/silver/bronze medal though.
 
Natels

Natels

Member
Oct 26, 2017
860
Skateboarding is going to be an Olympic sport in 2020. The X-Games already have eSports... I guess this is happening sooner or later.

But if non-violent video games are not allowed I don't see the point.
 
Repose

Repose

Member
Oct 25, 2017
146
Having national teams competing in eSports sounds cool, but it'd be probably an odd fit for the Olympics.
 

Deleted member 2809

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
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Repose said:
Having national teams competing in eSports sounds cool, but it'd be probably an odd fit for the Olympics.
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If it were national teams China would actually probably just destroy everything dota in hah, best teams are often 5 guys from different countries, but China is so big that they make top team with 5 chinese players (sometimes one outsider like Philippines or Australia)
 
Gummi97

Gummi97

Member
Oct 25, 2017
197
Kayotix said:
Lol, this seems like a joke....

I can't Imagine a random streamer being compared to some of the best Olympic athletes in the world.
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You compared a random Gamer streamer to an athletes, two different things, it aren't related at all. Professional Esport player is different then regular gamer i do find.
 
Aaronrules380

Aaronrules380

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
22,513
Many years ago I predicted esports would one day become mainstream and I was laughed at. Now it's looking increasingly like I was right all along
 
GrObi

GrObi

Member
Oct 27, 2017
18
Wink784 said:
Hey, I don't judge your water polo obsession, ok? Extend the same courtesy to moba fans ;)
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Haha, ok. But honestly, I don't get the moba fascination.
LoL, Dota 2 and so on. Looks like gaming hell for me.
I will forever be puzzled, why so many people love this kind of games. Whatever, enjoy the show and your game.
 
Wink784

Wink784

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,208
GrObi said:
Whatever, enjoy the show and your game.
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Mobas are pretty much the last e-sport I'd watch. For me it goes fighting games, Starcraft, FPS and then MOBA. That being said, it's generally less about the game being played and more about the possible back and forths between players/teams over a couple of matches or rounds.
 
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