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IOC unanimously votes to create Olympic Esports Games

The first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2025.
Donovan Erskine
Donovan Erskine
SEGA
8

As the Summer Olympics get ready to kick off in Paris, France, this week, a new entry in the Olympic Games has been added to next year’s calendar. The International Olympics Committee has unanimously voted to create the Esports Olympic Games, which will have its inaugural event in Saudi Arabia next year.

The IOC shared the results of its Olympic Esports Games vote in a press release today. The group has partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia for a 12-year deal. As part of this deal, the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2025. IOC President Thomas Bach provided a statement after the decision.

Members of the IOC and NOC shake hands after the Esports Olympic Games vote.

Source: IOC/Greg Martin

This is truly a new era for the IOC. With the confirmation by the IOC Session of the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, we are keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution. The esports community, represented in our Esports Commission, has enthusiastically engaged with this initiative. This is further proof of the attractivity of the Olympic brand and the values it stands for among young people. The NOC of Saudi Arabia will bring great – if not unique – experience in the field of esports to this project. This partnership is based on the Olympic Charter and the Olympic values.

It’s currently unclear what games will be featured at the Olympic Esports Games, though it’s unlikely we’ll see titles that depict graphic violence. For future updates, bookmark our new topic page for the OIympic Esports Games.

News Editor
News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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