IOC Considers the Idea of Hosting Olympic Games in Esports, Says President Thomas Bach

President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has announced that they are exploring the possibility of incorporating esports into the Olympic Games. He revealed that he has already tasked the relevant IOC committee with studying this matter, particularly in light of the enormous global popularity of esports. According to Bach, the potential audience for esports reaches 3 billion people worldwide, with 500 million of them showing a specific interest in esports rather than just traditional video games. Notably, a significant portion of this audience is under the age of 34, making esports especially appealing to the younger generation.

The IOC began actively engaging with esports in 2018, and in 2021, they organized their inaugural tournament, the Olympic Virtual Series.

In 2023, the IOC is hosting competitions in several esports disciplines, including chess (Chess.com), car racing (Gran Turismo), tennis (Tennis Clash), and baseball (WBSC eBASEBALL: Power Pros). The Olympic esports series has attracted over 500,000 participants, including qualification tournaments, and garnered more than 6 million live broadcasts. Impressively, 75% of the viewership came from the youth demographic aged between 13 and 34.

Bach emphasized, "The younger generation possesses a completely different mindset. They live a digital life, and we must not disregard their opinions if we don't want to jeopardize our own future."