Esports are coming up as a topic for the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world. As we previously reported, the Paris 2024 committee is heavily considering adding virtual categories to its typical lineup of track and field athletics, gymnastics, and so on. They expressed some positive interest in adding certain games to it, though we haven’t heard specifics yet.
It turns out that the path won’t be as easy as it might have seemed. In a recent interview, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, expressed some strong qualifiers as to what kind of games could possibly be included: those that don’t promote violence.
“We want to promote non-discrimination, non-violence, and peace among people. This doesn’t match with video games, which are about violence, explosions, and killing. And there we have to draw a clear line,” Bach said. Though he didn’t name any specific titles, the kinds of games he expressed enthusiasm for included sport simulators that mirror real baseball, soccer, basketball, and so on.
Maybe if games like Overwatch (rated Teen by the ESRB) and Call of Duty (rated M) are too much, would fighting games like Street Fighter V and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U not make it in either (certainly more family-friendly than Mortal Kombat)? We still have a few years to find out; esports titles are gaining traction at the 2022 Asian Games in China, becoming a medal event.
“These discussions are going on. It will still take some time because this industry is now shaping itself,” Bach said. “It’s a successful industry, but it is not yet really established in an organizational way.”
Source: South China Morning Post