The world's top pro-gamers will soon battle it out for gold as the first-ever eSports Olympics is set to be held in Saudi Arabia next year.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) rubber-stamped the new event at its 142nd session on Tuesday (July 23), just days before the Paris Olympics gets underway.
As part of the deal between the IOC and Saudi Arabia, the Gulf nation will host the Olympic eSports Games for 12 years starting from the inaugural event in 2025. Without confirming the frequency of events, the IOC said the competitive gaming tournament will be held “regularly”.
While the exact line-up of games has not been finalised, the IOC has previously prioritised sporting titles that align with its values (think realistic motor-racing sim Gran Turismo and virtual cycling on the Peloton-style Zwift).
Saying that, a modified version of Fortnite made the cut during the Olympics eSports Series last year, which remained separate to the main games, so don’t be surprised if the shooter pops up again.
IOC president Thomas Bach hailed the event as “a new era for the IOC” that sees it “keeping pace with the digital revolution” in a bid to reach younger fans.
However, the choice of host nation is bound to raise eyebrows, especially amid ongoing concerns around Saudi Arabia’s attempt to use sports to whitewash its human rights record.
Any resulting backlash is sure to bring back memories of the controversial World Cup in Qatar in 2022, when the country was called out for its mistreatment of migrant workers and criminalistion of same-sex relationships.
While Western media focused heavily on human rights issues, some in the Arab and Muslim world viewed this criticism as an attempt to undermine the first World Cup to be held in an Arab country.
Nevertheless, the decision to host the Esports Olympics in Saudi is a massive coup for the nation, which is investing heavily in pro-gaming as part of its broader goal to diversify its economy away from oil towards new industries fit for the country’s youthful populace.
Last year, the Saudi government revealed it was staking $38bn (£29.5bn) on its bid to become a hub for gaming.
The jewel in the crown of this mega-blockbuster project is the eSports World Cup – an annual tournament featuring more than 20 games, 500 teams, and a record $60m (£46.5m) in prize money – the inaugural edition of which is currently taking place in the country’s capital, Riyadh.
