This Battle Royale made it into the 2023 Olympic Esports series – with a little twist.
Esports at the Olympics: The IOC (International Olympics Committee) officially announced in March the successor to the first Olympics Virtual Series 2021: The 2023 Olympic Esports Series.
The Olympic Esports Series is scheduled to air in Singapore from June 22-25, with amateur esports players allowed to participate alongside professional esports players. The qualification phase started on March 1 and will run until May 15 inclusive.
But if you look at the list of included games, maybe it would have been better to stick with the old title…
Is this esport or can it go away?
The IOC already announced the following list of nine disciplines so far:
🎮 The #OlympicEsportsSeries games lineup:
🏹 Archery
⚾️ Baseball
♟️ Chess
🚴 Cycling
🕺 Dance
🏎️ Motor sport
⛵️ Sailing
🎾 Tennis
🥋 Taekwondo— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) March 1, 2023
.. and directly earned a shitstorm from the scene for it.
These aren't established esports, with the exception of Gran Tourismo and to some extent, Just Dance.
Esports IFs are typically made up of business people who aren't involved in the gaming side of things and this shows. Maybe don't call it esports, but a virtual event.
— Frankie Ward (@FrankieWard) March 1, 2023
Another banger of a decision by random consultants with absolutely 0 insights to what Esports is. I thought IESF was living in their own private bubble of 20 people but this takes the prize
– Casper Due (@casdueh) March 1, 2023
the classics https://t.co/4VifxTEF5X pic.twitter.com/m2Hpkj4CMx
– Jack J (@JackJGaming) March 1, 2023
Even Rowan Crothers, winner of the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, wasn’t shy about commenting:
I’m a Paralympic champion and the fastest swimmer with disability in the world. But I’ll never be good enough to be an Olympic swimmer.
In esports, I can compete at the highest level, with & against able-bodied players.
But this isn’t esports. This is virtual traditional sport. https://t.co/d37ndBWtBA
– Rowan Crothers OAM 🧲🧠 (@magnetbrain) March 1, 2023
Even though the list of featured disciplines seems rather sobering at first glance for the majority of Esport fans looking in vain for big titles like CS:GO, League of Legends, FIFA etc. – there is now a small glimmer of hope.
Fortnite X Olympic Esports Series 2023
Epic Games recently announced that Fortnite will now officially be part of the International Shooting Sport Federation as the only shooter represented at the 2023 Olympic Esports Series – coupled with a teeny tiny twist.
Instead of the classic Battle Royale mode, a special creative island will be created and will be based on traditional shooting. So pure shooter instead of Battle Royale.
While it is possible to apply for the other nine disciplines, 12 players:inside the FNCS Global Championship will be invited for the Olympic Fortnite competition. Who that will be has not yet been determined.
Olympics.com is where you can get your hands on some pretty cheap tickets to the Olympic Esports Games. If you can’t make it to Singapore yourself, you can also follow the 2023 Olympic Esports Series online at (olympics.com).
Admittedly – the game selection that the IOC decided on there seems rather strange. Nevertheless, we wish all participants good luck, success and most of all fun!