The Olympic Esports Games 2025 Gets Delayed

The Olympic Esports Games, initially slated for 2025, have been postponed. While the event is still planned, it will now take place sometime between 2026 and 2027, with the precise dates yet to be determined. This postponement, originally scheduled for Saudi Arabia, is due to significant logistical hurdles.

Reasons for the Delay:

Staging an esports tournament of Olympic scale presents immense challenges. The IOC and IESF require additional time to finalize crucial aspects. Key issues include:

• Unconfirmed Details: A definitive game lineup, venues, and specific dates remain unconfirmed.
• Qualification System: Establishing a fair and equitable global qualification system for players is proving complex.
• Publisher Concerns: Reportedly, game publishers expressed concerns about the original tight deadline.

The organizing committees now face the task of selecting appropriate game titles, securing venues, creating a viable qualification process, and ensuring sufficient funding.

The aim of the Olympic Esports Games is to elevate esports to a prominent position alongside established Olympic sports. The delay, if it results in a better-organized, more refined, and truly Olympic-worthy competition, may ultimately prove beneficial.

For further information, visit the official IOC website. You can also check out our other news piece on the new beat 'em up game, School Hero.