Olympics Adds ‘Just Dance’, ‘Chess’ Esports In Recognition Of Virtual Games

The International Olympics Committee (IOC) is introducing a new set of games into its Olympics Esports Series held in Singapore from 22 to 25 June.

The lineup includes titles such as Just Dance and online chess from Chess.com. Others included, such as Archery, baseball, sailing, Taekwondo, and tennis, are meant to replicate real-life sporting events. Racing game Gran Turismo and Zwift—a stationary cycling simulator—will make a reappearance for this year’s series as well. 

In 2021, the IOC held the Olympic Virtual Series as part of the build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Games. The tournament hosted baseball, rowing, sailing, and motorsports matches, and saw the participation of 250,000 athletes from 100 countries. The mounting interest in esports to be included in the IOC has pushed the committee to take a stronger stance on virtual events. 

In a statement to the Evening Standard, Vincent Pereira, head of virtual sport and gaming at the IOC, mentioned that it is trying to “make the bridge between the sports and gaming space,” and encourages people to strike a balance between both.

However, while placing games that emulate real-life sports is a good way of making that connection, as Engadget points out, other titles such as League of Legends, Super Smash Boss., Minecraft, Fortnite, and the Counter-Strike franchise are mainstays in the esports world and hold leagues of fans that flock and support different tournaments. By tapping into these other games, the IOC could also unlock a new audience with no previous interest in the Olympics.

[via Engadget and International Olympics Committee, cover image via International Olympics Comittee]