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[Helios]

http://fortune.com/2018/12/10/olympics-video-games-paris-2024/
This weekend, the International Olympic Committee met for the 7th Olympic Summit, where competitive video gaming was among the topics of discussion. The verdict? It’s still “premature” to discuss including them in the Olympic games.
The IOC “agreed that the Olympic Movement should continue to engage with [the eSports] community.” It also said some titles were “not compatible” with the Olympic values, presumably referring to action and shooter games. Explaining, the IOC drew a contrast between how the eSports “industry is commercially driven” as opposed to the “values-based” aim of other sports, a claim that many might find fault with.
Five new sports will debut in 2020, some of which, like skateboarding, are designed to appeal to younger demographics. That audience will likely be what ultimately convinces the IOC to add eSports to the games at some point. Viewership for events, both online and on TV, has regularly outpaced that of major traditional sports tournaments.

The IOC also has some time to change its mind. No final decisions about the competition in the Paris Olympics will be made until 2020, after Tokyo’s time with the Games is done.

 

[kyussman]

I'm suprised the IOC are even discussing video games tbh.I don't see them as having anything to do with the olympics at all.

 

[Gander]

Is chess part of the Olympics, if not then neither should videogames be.

 

[brap]

Good.

 

[Catphish]

I love video games. Always have, always will.

And they have no business in the Olympics.

 

[NickFire]

How is it premature to say that video games are not Olympic sports and never will be? The IOC needs to man up and act like a grown up and just say NO,

 

[TacosNSalsa]

Tell those that want it to go to South Korea..they'll be treated like stars and there is more money , women and fried chicken there...

 

[Trogdor1123]

Good

 

[hecatomb]

Most people can't even name every sport in the Olympics, or even watch a lot of them. And try explaining a sport were you brush the ice to move a giant punk in the goal, does anyone watch this? And no one watches Singlestick, or Croquet

 

[-MD-]

Video games don't belong in the olympics.

 

[jshackles]

But how dare they betray the spirit of the original Olympians, who matched wits and skill in games of Fortnite until only one champion stood victorious?

 

[G-Bus]

Keep them the fuck out of the Olympics.

Wtf

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

if the point was show Overwatch and fortnite, im glad in that way are not part of the olympics. Maybe later with real games and not trash.

 

[flashfire926]

Awesome news. Gaming doesnt have a place in the Olympics, thats for sure.

 

[dave_d]

I'd point out that video game aren't sports but then again neither is horse dancing and that's in the Olympics.

 

[Pallas]

Agree with most of all of you, keep video games out of the Olympics. It has no place there.

 

[struggler_guts]

Im glad we all agree, despite being game fanatics, that games do not belong in the olympics

 

[CuNi]

Im glad we all agree, despite being game fanatics, that games do not belong in the olympics

I don't agree. In my opinion, the Olympics should reflect the interest of society and evolve with it. We entered a age where esport is as big and sometimes even bigger than older traditional sports so it's only natural to earn its place among other athletes. Who's to say that those that train their whole life to run the best times or swim are more important or worth than someone dedicating the same time to become the best in a video game?

 

[baphomet]

I don't think people here realize they huge amount of Olympic sports. There's 100's of things you've never even heard of, yet they're in there.

 

[Dimorphic]

In my opinion video games have no place in the Olympic Games.

 

[TLZ]

Not this again.

It's not a sport. Nothing about gaming involves any athleticism.

 

[Ryuji Goda]

Obviously

 

[Halo is Back]

Good.

 

[Halo is Back]

Most people can't even name every sport in the Olympics, or even watch a lot of them. And try explaining a sport were you brush the ice to move a giant punk in the goal, does anyone watch this? And no one watches Singlestick, or Croquet

Curling is the shit

 

[Saruhashi]

Outside of the questions regarding what should and should not qualify as a sport, how would they decide which games would actually be played?

Fortnite and Overwatch are basically products and having them in the Olympics would essentially be massive advertisements for those products.

I get that athletes might wear Nike shoes or Adidas shoes or whatever but it's not like Olympic esports would have a Fortnite player competing against an Overwatch player for the gold esports medal, right?

The only way I could see this happening is if the Olympic organizers somehow come up with their own game that a few nations can agree to compete within.

I think there's a big difference between "Olympic E-sports" and "Olympic Overwatch" if you get my meaning.

 

[J-Roderton]

Didn't think that would go through.

 

[L0wMax]

Videogames are not a physical activity. It would be silly to have them grouped in with the others.

 

[EssKayZee]

Video games, esports or not, are not real sports. They do not involve any real athleticism. And as another poster said, how can they even standardize the competition. They can include individual esports titles but then they would have to award medals to winners from each title separately at which point, "esports" ceases to exist as a category and individual esports games become their own, separare categories. This would in turn serve as a huge advertisement tool for those titles.

I would say, keep them out of the Olympics. They don't belong there.

 

[L0wMax]

 

[hecatomb]

Curling is the shit

I don't understand why people like it

 

[danielberg]

I mean they would have as much right to be there considering some of the stuff that is actually there.. but when i consider for example the embarrassing act from sonic fox at the vga and imagine what others might do... yeah maybe we are not ready yet.

 

[Mistershine.]

I don't understand why people like it

I don't understand why people like football.

Even calling them eSports is a misnomer in my opinion, but I also don't think snooker or darts are sports either.

 

[hecatomb]

I don't understand why people like football.

Even calling them eSports is a misnomer in my opinion, but I also don't think snooker or darts are sports either.

I mean football makes sense if you are in America, cause Americans love watching people smash into each other, or watch MMA. I mean Curling is just brushing the ice to make a giant puck move.

 

[Azurro]

I don't agree. In my opinion, the Olympics should reflect the interest of society and evolve with it. We entered a age where esport is as big and sometimes even bigger than older traditional sports so it's only natural to earn its place among other athletes. Who's to say that those that train their whole life to run the best times or swim are more important or worth than someone dedicating the same time to become the best in a video game?

Mmmm....ok, I'll bite. There's a small but crucial difference there, those people training at the traditional sports are pushing the limits of the human body. An esports star is a dude looking ridiculous in a sports team shirt, sitting in a Recaro racing seat (lol) that made it there through hours and hours of playing Fortnite, CoD and eating some Doritos and Dew on the way.

It's not really the same, is it?

 

[Helios]

There's a small but crucial difference there, those people training at the traditional sports are pushing the limits of the human body.

 

[Azurro]

Still magnitudes more of physical activity than Cheetos fingers and mountain Dew.

 

[CuNi]

Still magnitudes more of physical activity than Cheetos fingers and mountain Dew.

So pushing human reflexes and logical thinking to the extremes apparently doesn't count, but shooting and horse riding do.. K.

 

[Teslerum]

I don't understand why people like it

In general?
Because it's really, really fun to play together and gets intense as fuck.

 

[Lanrutcon]

I'd be down for some video games in the Olympics.

If darts can get in, then everything is fair game. SL1 Dark Souls 3 All Bosses speedruns please.

 

[ZywyPL]

Good. I just cannot imagine all those immature kids yelling and flaming each other about some stupid video games, while there will be all the other serious competitions going on around with mature athletes that respect each other. The E-Sport community must first and foremost grow up in order to be seriously considered, and it starts with the organizations - there are of course exceptions with high culture like MOBA games, but whenever I see a Halo, CoD, or fighting games competitions, where people are throwing controllers on the floor after a loss or almost getting into fist fights, then no, just no, the organizations must start to severely punish such behaviors, instead of promoting such dramas, until then, keep it away from any serious sports events,

 

[Dada55000]

Yeah, Olympics is desperate and wants money. Views are down, needs new audience. Not as desperate as the esports though. Woof. The validation to have games at the Olympics is an insecurity people seem to have. It comes from this weird place of ignorance, where esports guy recognises the time requirement of training, but has no real concept of the physical demand of sports.

Motorsports wasn't desperate enough to cry about being at the Olympics, and those have more legitimacy than games. How about esports does their own unified inter-national competion. Y'know, celebrating esports? On terms made by those familiar with it? As opposed to denigrating other sports and their athletes?

Nevermind that individual games shouldn't be represented. Imagine having a sport called Coca-Cola at the Olympics. That's what League or Fortnite would be.

So pushing human reflexes and logical thinking to the extremes apparently doesn't count, but shooting and horse riding do.. K.

Horse riding is quite demanding actually, fucks up your back real good. Shooting depending on the type demands reflexes, speed, endurance, and always requires extreme coordinative abilites. I don't know why you mock those sports for physical activity, when the 'impressive' range for eSports, physical and otherwise, is squarely locked above chess, but below darts. The entire spektrum of games falls between those.

"Pushing human reflexes and logical thinking to the extremes" is not some special quality that exists for videogames. It applies to almost every sport.

I'd be down for some video games in the Olympics.

If darts can get in, then everything is fair game. SL1 Dark Souls 3 All Bosses speedruns please.

Darts ain't in yet. Hopefully it won't be. Like esports.

 

[LordKite]

The only reason I really agree with this ruling is that I think adding gaming to the Olympics would be tricky as hell, legacy and story wise. You'd need to pick games that have had a lot of history while having a future as well. Competitive Battle Royale seems like a fad and has a new game every few years so it wouldnt work imo. Overwatch is too new and too advertiser focused, so it wouldnt work. You'd have to stick to the old standbys of eSports, Starcraft, League/DOTA, and Counterstrike. I'd say the FGC should get something too. They have the history and refinement, as well as obvious legs to keep going for years and create that multi-olympic storyline.

Also, to all the people talking about the physical requirements and dew and doritos hahaa, you guys really don't know what you're talking about. You have to keep your body and mind clean and in shape to play at the highest level of these games, and players are playing so fast and accurate that not only does it blow people's minds, but they can also injure themselves and do long term harm to their body in the form of joint and nerve issues, carpal tunnel at 20, these types of things. Sure, its not the peak of physical activity, but if you think anyone can do it, you are having a laugh.

 

[Kenpachii]

It needs to be a game without violence in it that first off all. So i would assume dota / counterstrike / fighting games are out of the question.

It most likely will become a sport game like fifa and frankly how many people will care about a fifa tournament for gaming.

Seems to be pointless to me.

 

[LordKite]

It needs to be a game without violence in it that first off all. So i would assume dota / counterstrike / fighting games are out of the question.

It most likely will become a sport game like fifa and frankly how many people will care about a fifa tournament for gaming.

Seems to be pointless to me.

I think fighting games wouldn't be too bad of a fit seeing as boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling are all at the Olympics or have been. But the less violence the better I imagine.

 

[Dada55000]

Also, to all the people talking about the physical requirements and dew and doritos hahaa, you guys really don't know what you're talking about. You have to keep your body and mind clean and in shape to play at the highest level of these games, and players are playing so fast and accurate that not only does it blow people's minds, but they can also injure themselves and do long term harm to their body in the form of joint and nerve issues, carpal tunnel at 20, these types of things. Sure, its not the peak of physical activity, but if you think anyone can do it, you are having a laugh.

You just described something woefully unimpressive. People have to wash up and concentrate? Peak performance looks impressive? Repetitive task results in physical degradation? Those apply not only to every other competitive thing in existance, but also factory work.

Nobody is saying anyone can do it. People are saying however that it's absurd to mock even the lowliest of Olympic sports, when games demand far less than even them. It reeks of ignorance and arrogance.

 

[RedVIper]

Olympics should be to celebrate physical prowess not a bunch of nerds showing off their APM.

 

[Dunki]

I think people underestimate how much teams actually train and how hard they train. YES E-sports should become olympic because our society is changing and it is still a sport just like Chess or Curling.

I think it does not happen because the people who are deciding this are old and out of touch with the Real world. It would also bring them tons of money and new viewership. Honestly It is fucking stupid not to allow it.

 

[Fbh]

Did they watch the game awards? lol

Anyway, I'm ok with this. Videogames don't belong in the Olympics. They can make their own event

 

[LordKite]

You just described something woefully unimpressive. People have to wash up and concentrate? Peak performance looks impressive? Repetitive task results in physical degradation? Those apply not only to every other competitive thing in existance, but also factory work.

Nobody is saying anyone can do it. People are saying however that it's absurd to mock even the lowliest of Olympic sports, when games demand far less than even them. It reeks of ignorance and arrogance.

Wash up and concentrate isn't even the half of it, the peak players are excercising their bodies and minds, even if the physical regimen isnt to the same level as some of the other sports. As someone who has competed in fencing (albeit not at even the national stage), i can still appreciate the speed and skill of these people, both physical and mental.

I think its incredibly disrespectful to the effort and dedication of the professional players to reduce it all to hurr durr muh dew and doritos and sitting around when people do put in the effort physically to stay in balance and improve themselves to improve their game, and I dont think its disrespectful to current athletes to add their discipline into the olympics as there are obvious mental and physical parts to the competition.

Do I think the Olympics needs to add eSports? Nah, not really. Do I think eSports needs the Olympics? No, not in the slightest. But I don't think mixing the two would be as ridiculous as some seem to.

 

[Makariel]

I don't quite understand what game they would propose to have at the Olymics? Will someone who is good at FIFA be able to get a gold medal, just like the worlds best footballers?