Olympic Esports Series 2023 begins

A few hours ago, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced all the details regarding the Olympic Esports Series 2023. This will be a global virtual sports competition created by the IOC in collaboration with each video game developer and the international federations of each country.

Starting March 1, 2023, the Olympic Esports Series 2023 kicks off with the qualifying rounds in a series of games where professional and amateur players worldwide can participate.

Olympic Esports Series

The Olympic Esports Series (OES) is a simulation sports competition created by the IOC in partnership with game developers. As mentioned, the qualifying events begin today, March 1, 2023. At the same time, the competition will culminate from June 22-25 of the same year, when the face-to-face finals will be played at the Suntec Centre in Singapore.

The simulation sports confirmed to be played in this OES 2023 are the following:

• Archery (World Archery Federation, Tic Tac Bow)
• Baseball (World Baseball and Softball Confederation, WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS)
• Chess (International Chess Federation, Chess.com)
• Cycling (UCI, Zwift)
• Dance (World DanceSport Federation, JustDance), Dance (Fédération Mondiale de DanceSport, JustDance)
• Motorsport (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, Gran Turismo)
• Sailing (World Sailing, Virtual Regatta)
• Taekwondo (World Taekwondo, Virtual Taekwondo)
• Tennis (International Tennis Federation, Tennis Clash)

As we can see, each event will have the support of the different federations or relevant bodies of each sport. According to the official press release, the OES “will further support the development of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement.”

Great expectations for the OES 2023 tournament

The format to be used in this IOC virtual competition is based exclusively on the success of the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021. This event was played before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and had the participation of more than 250,000 professional and amateur players from more than 100 countries.

Moreover, the IOC hopes that this edition of the Olympic Esports Series will continue to be fundamental for collaboration with the gaming and esports communities and thus create new opportunities for players and fans.

David Lappartient, Chair of the IOC Esports Liaison Group, said:

“The Olympic Movement brings people together in peaceful competition. The Olympic Esports Series 2023 continues that, aiming to create more playing spaces for players and fans of elite competition. We look forward to witnessing some of the world best compete globally and exploring shared opportunities and lessons together – across health and wellness, training, and innovation.”

Roy Teo, Co-Chair of the 2023 eSports Olympic Week 2023 Local Organizing Committee, said:

“Hosting the first edition of Olympic Esports Week is an exciting milestone to celebrate. Singapore hosted the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, and we look forward to continuing to build a strong Olympic legacy with Olympic Esports Week 2023. Technology and innovation have been increasingly incorporated into our sporting initiatives and events to create more opportunities for people to move and be active regardless of age, gender, and ability. Active virtual sport is a key factor that can further drive these goals, and we look forward to offering activities and programs for everyone to enjoy.”

Olympic eSports Week 2023

This four-day festival will showcase the best of simulation sports. It will include technology showcases, some friendly games, tables with experts, and the OES 2023 finals.

Mark Chay of the Olympic Esports Week Organizing Committee said:

“Singapore has successfully hosted major esports and sports events over the years. Olympic Esports Week 2023 will showcase the best of both, as attendees can see and enjoy the benefits of combining physical and virtual sports. Hosting Olympic Esports Week 2023 boosts our local esports ecosystem and reinforces Singapore’s status as an ideal destination for virtual sports.”

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