The first edition of the eSports Olympic Games will be held in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has become one of the most important countries in the organization of global esports competitions. This year, for example, the first edition of the Esports World Cup will be organized, with a prize pool of more than 60 million dollars.

“We are a young nation, with more than 23 million gamers,” said Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Saudi Minister of Sports. “Our kingdom has become a global hub for professional esports (…). This is the natural next step for our young athletes, our country and the global esports community.”

While Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports such as football, Formula One, boxing and golf, critics have accused the country of engaging in “sports greenwashing” over its record of human rights violations, while the kingdom denies allegations of abuses.

E-sports, a multi-million dollar industry

According to data from Statista, annual revenue generated worldwide by video game competitions was approximately $2 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to over $10.5 billion by 2032.

That is why the IOC has been studying eSports for several years and has formed a commission dedicated to looking for opportunities. In 2021, it developed the Olympic Virtual Series, a pilot project in esports alongside the Tokyo Games, and has continued in other territories.

Last year, the Olympic Esports Series was held in Singapore, an exhibition competition in which professional and amateur players were invited to participate. Among the games that were part of the tournament were Gran Turismo 7, Just Dance 2023, and Zwift, which is a virtual indoor cycling platform, among others.

The choice of games was widely criticized for being virtual representations of games related to traditional sports; however, the IOC selected them because they promote the competitive spirit and values ​​of sport. So far, the games that will be part of the esports Olympic Games have not been announced.

(With information from Reuters)