With Paris 2024 just around the corner, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has announced their decision regarding the Olympic eSports Games proposal put forward in June 2024. Saudi Arabia has been declared to be the official hosts for the inaugural edition.

This also becomes part of a partenrship between the IOC and the Saudi NOC for the next 12 years. The games will be held regularly starting from 2025.

Following the official announcement and the decision which will be taken by the IOC Session on the eve of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the logsitics work will begin or the inaugural edition of the Olympic Esports Games.

Other details like the specific timing of the event, the titles to be included, the qualification process for the players are still to be determined and published. IMHO, there is no summer nor winter aspect; I expect it to be held indoors requiring plenty of tech to broadcast it worldwide.

As for which video games would be considered, l’Equipe (translated link) has uncovered IOC’s interest in approaching the publishers of Rocket League, Street Fighter, and even League of Legends.

According to the IOC, any International Federations already engaged in an e-version of their sport that is considered for inclusion in the Olympic Esports Games will be the IOC’s first go-to partners. This will also hold for the National Olympic Committees that already include esports in their activities.

With the eSports World Cup is already underway in Saudi Arabia, the announcement of the first-ever Olympic Esports Games comes as an exciting surprise to gamers around the world. It’s already laying the infrasturcture and foundation for eSports to be one of the main drivers of the country’s modernising vision towards 2030.