Oct 13, 2024 4 min read Gaming Science

Olympic Esports: Benefits, Challenges, and the Future of Competitive Gaming

Could esports have a place in the Olympic Games? We discuss both the benefits and challenges.

Hello friends,

Welcome to Gaming Science episode #71. 🙂

Should esports be included in the Olympic Games? In this episode, we discuss a study that touches on both the benefits and the inherent problems that come with gaming and esports, which should be considered.

💡 Highlights
• As the popularity of gaming and esports grows, there is an ongoing discussion about whether esports should be included in the Olympic Games.
• The inclusion would benefit game publishers and the IOC, mainly for financial reasons, but also the gaming community.
• Problems to be considered include: some games (e.g., Counter-Strike) do not align with Olympic values, there is a lack of governing bodies on the national and international levels, games are owned by companies with the final say, and mental health concerns (e.g., 'gaming disorder').

🎮 Esports in the Olympics

"As the popularity of competitive video gaming grows, there exists an ongoing debate... as to whether... electronic sport (esports), is actually a sport, and if so, should... [be] considered for inclusion in future Olympic Games [1]."

Back in 2018, the Asian Games included esports as a demonstration event, where League of Legends, StarCraft II, Hearthstone, Arena of Valor, Clash Royale, and Pro Evolution Soccer were featured. However, the debate over whether esports qualifies as a sport and should be part of the Olympics has supporters on both sides.

📈 Who would benefit from the Inclusion?

The potential inclusion of esports in the Olympic Games would have implications beyond financial, social, cultural, and political domains. As a consequence, video game companies and game designers may tweak their games to appear more "sporty" by embedding more opportunities to compete in-game.

Another interested party in the potential benefits esports may bring to the table is the IOC (International Olympic Committee). In recent years, the median age of viewers in the US was between 45 and 55 years. This coincided with a 30% drop in American television viewership from 2012 to 2016 for consumers aged 18-34. Including esports could help reach this younger audience and bring them to watch the Olympic Games.

The gaming community itself would also benefit from the inclusion. Similar to other sports, people who play and enjoy video games are likely to watch the best of the best compete. This could also foster more equal inclusion of male and female competitors. However, fewer females compete at the highest level in esports for various reasons (e.g., generally being less competition-driven and preferring casual games).

⚠️ Problems Ahead...

[The first principle of Olympism is:] "A philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles [2]."

While esports could facilitate the development of body, mind, and will, certain titles may not align with these values. For example, First-Person Shooter games reward players for killing opponents, which may clash with Olympic principles. On the other hand, sports simulation games like FIFA, Madden, NBA 2K, or Rocket League are better suited to fit the Olympic values.

Another issue arises from an organizational standpoint. In order for countries to compete in esports, governing bodies at both the national and international levels would be required. Before that, they would need to be formed and recognized. Additionally, each nation would need a group or process that selects and manages esports players and oversees qualifying competitions leading to the Olympic Games.

"[A] logistical challenge centres on the difference between the commercial-driven nature of esports developers versus the value-driven nature of the Olympic Movement [1]."

If esports were included in the Olympics, publishers of the games—rather than the IOC—would reap financial benefits. Moreover, unlike traditional sports, game publishers hold the rights to their games and have the final say on whether their games are included in any competition (unlike sports like Basketball or Football, which no one "owns"). This is arguably the biggest logistical challenge. Lastly, the Olympic Games are typically planned 5-10 years in advance.

The dynamic nature of esports could make this rather challenging. As an example, a game may experience a shift in popularity making it "almost impossible to predict which games may be popular 5-10 years from now [1]."

The health aspect of video games and esports is another concern. In recent years, gaming addiction has gained recognition, with the WHO identifying 'gaming disorder' as a mental health condition. This trend is tied to the financial interests of game publishers, who design their games to be addictive; e.g., episode #53, episode #54, and episode #57), game developers often design games to be addictive, which is a growing concern.

🤔 Some Additional Thoughts...

Including esports in the Olympic Games would greatly benefit the IOC and game publishers, despite the ongoing debate over whether esports qualifies as a sport. However, I argue that the Olympic Games need esports more than esports needs the Olympic Games. In addition, the problems we touched on—such as gaming addiction, the centralization of power over games and tournaments, and the unpredictable nature of esports—are difficult to solve. Because of these issues, I personally lean against esports being added to the Olympic Games.

Read ya'll next week!

Christian 🙂