[TABjornbrandr]

It seems like a novel idea, eSports (Starcraft 2 in particular) at the Olympic Games. After reading an article that Day9 tweeted about recently, I gave some thought to the idea.

Here's the most important part of the topic for those that don't want to go through the whole article:

Originally Posted by Forbes Article on Olympic eSports

What’s required to pass that hurdle for eSports to become an Olympic sport and how soon could that happen?

There are three hurdles to jump to make eSports an Olympic sport. Firstly, an International Federation must be formed and govern the sport. Many industry advocates have been campaigning for this for some time, and it is likely a formality which will eventuate as eSports matures. Secondly, participation numbers must meet IOC requirements, and if we aren’t there already, we will be soon. The biggest hurdle is convincing the IOC’s Olympic Program Commission to recommend the sport’s inclusion. This will be a political battle that will have to overcome the same prejudices and misrepresentations cited by the general public about competitive gaming today.

In the past, exhibition events were used as a sort of trial for sports popular in the host country or those having received wider acceptance. This path has been closed by the IOC, however the Beijing Organizing Committee received special permission to organize a wushu tournament, so it may still be possible.

The IOC has already voted on the inclusion of rugby and golf in the 2016 Summer Games, so 2020 will be the earliest we could see eSports in the Olympics.

Personally, I think it's going to be a massive challenge to even get close to Starcraft being an Olympic sport. I'm also undecided as to whether or not it belongs in the games altogether.
Naturally, there would be a huge public backlash if the proposal started to get some serious momentum. There would be claims of promoting apathy and glorifying inactive lifestyles - the whole situation could potentially be counter-effective.

The other point I would be a little hazy on is whether competitive gamers want Starcraft to be an Olympic sport. After all, the article is an interview a man who straight-away admits that he's never been a competitive gamer. Perhaps some of our residents pros could shed some light on their opinions.



TL;DR - Starcraft as an Olympic sport is an interesting suggestion. I personally am neither for nor against it due to the reasons listed above.

[Eddie]

I think one of the main problems is that most games have a very short lifespan. Even if Starcraft 2 is really competitive through the next two expansions, and a few years after, it's not a long time in Olympic terms. 12 years/3 Olympics.

Quick Comments

NOM:

this

[Shieldz]

wow if starcraft can become a olympic sport that would be amazing pretty sure korea will win a free gold medal tho :P

[ToRozliam]

i believe every year a country gets to pick a sport they want in the olympics so if north korea gets the olympics anytime soon they will deff put it in ahah

Quick Comments

	mGGAequitas:	awkward
	breadfan:	I don't think north korea are going to get the olympics for a long long time
	Neblime:	It seems unlikely to me many or any north koreans have internet acces. Get that geography right.

[TABjornbrandr]

Originally Posted by ToRozliam

i believe every year a country gets to pick a sport they want in the olympics so if north korea gets the olympics anytime soon they will deff put it in ahah

1) North Korea will never win a bid for the Olympics in the near future
2) You mean South Korea

Quick Comments

AsylumofSouls:

Exactly what I was going to say :D

[Cyanide]

Seems like a massive undertaking for it to actually happen. And to be honest, I don't think it can ever happen.

Olympics motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius

Maybe I'm old school, but I like to think of the Olympics as a display of athleticism. And the Olympics is NOT the place for eSports.

I'm explicitly referring to the physical nature of the Olympics.
Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Now you can flame me and tell me how physically demanding Starcraft, or any other competitive game is.

Quick Comments

Snx.Mufasa:

Agreed.

[Dox]

We already have plenty of global championships that cater towards the proper demographic. Aiming for the Olympics would be numerous steps backward!

[yongming]

esports will nvr be in the olympics. not at least until go and chess is in it.

Quick Comments

Nemo:

Exactly

[Flamga]

The level that is required for esports is that of an olympic standard, and as cool as it would be to see something like this, the way our games work compared to the others is just too different.

Anyway we already have the GSL, NASL, DreamHack and such, I dont see why, maybe as a one off thing :P

[Baldie]

Personally I see it only benefiting by potentially getting the industry more promotion to a different market segment. The actual production and competitive level of current esport competitions are equal if not bigger (based on the more regularity of them) and so I only see it as a marketing tool.

[ComCoddyL]

Although an interesting topic, worldwide championships and the olympics is very different. Like said before we already got Esports to do things like GSL and Dreamhack. And in my opinion video games (despite how impressive, competitive and expansive the game and its community is) don't fit the olympics.

[x5_Potter]

I think we can all agree that even if eSports did get into the Olympics, Channel 9 wouldn't show it... ;D

[breadfan]

Originally Posted by x5.Potthead

I think we can all agree that even if eSports did get into the Olympics, Channel 9 wouldn't show it... ;D

That's not true. We'd get to see 3 minutes of the game. 15 minutes in. Then back to swimming.

[JiNxXx]

Originally Posted by breadfan

That's not true. We'd get to see 3 minutes of the game. 15 minutes in. Then back to swimming.

don't forget those horses and the commentary that comes with those pictures of horses.

"did you know that I am a morning show host, talking about horses, here's me doing a impression of my favorite noise that a horse makes while swimming against Stephanie Rice..." - random channel 9 moron.

Quick Comments

x5_Potter:

And the boring as batshit equestrian commentator...

[Kepler]

I don't really think Esports should be in the Olympics to be honest. The games involved don't have as long as lifetime as other sports do, mostly due to how the video game industry works. To me the olympics is much more about more Athletic/Physical sports than more cerebral things like Chess and such.

I also don't want to see it as I don't want Esports to be associated with the corrupt bullshit that is the Olympics these days.

[Shieldz]

yeah this will be hard but if it happened it would be amazing but then its like a dream more than sth that can actually happen

[dippa]

the day people start winning gold medals for starcraft is the day that darts should be played at the olympics.

and with these physiques, how can you possibly disagree?

yeah, i can see ALL the female track and field stars wanting a piece of that.

[YourFather]

i would love esports to be in. Not only sc2, but other games too like bf3 etc etc... it will be my dream coming true

[Nemo]

I think Olympics are made for more athletic sports that requires a full body training.

I am already not sold on Rhythmic gymnastics or diving really belonging to the Olympics but you can't argue that they are top athletes.

What I would definitely suppress are all riffle shootings. Keeping only shooting with bows.

They are removing windsurfing. They are not going to add e-sport for sure for a long time.

[FS.Kezz]

As many have said above, the Olympics is for athletic sports, and while we label the competitive phenomenon "eSports", the professionals are called 'professional gamers', not 'professional eSport athletes'. Maybe in a hundred years or so, when eSports is a world-wide accepted and celebrated culture by most demographics, we will see something like this. However the professional gaming industry isn't going to need to rely on an event like the Olympics to make that cultural break and become truly recognised by everyone as a positive thing.

[BearPack]

I could see the kespa players slaying as much vagina as possible in the olympic village.

[Shinkz]

In the event eSports ever does make it into the Olympics, the game will be the most popular and most watched. So very likely to be 'League of Legends'.

Not to mention this game is constantly updated and has a long term sustainable revenue basis to keep the game constantly new and refreshed to a standard that gamers demand.

My personal opinion is that it shouldn't be in the Olympics, sure it would be cool and all but it doesn't fit into "Summer" or "Winter" Olympics, also I consider the Olympics as more of a physical battle.

[Typhoon]

It wouldnt be right for a video game to be an Olympic sport. It kind of defeats the purpose of the Olympics.

[FaDeBadger]

No, I would be extremely disappointed if it became an Olympic sport. It doesn't fit, the same way chess or poker or countless other non-active "sports" don't fit. eSports should remain their own thing.

[TCPKiaSu]

umadbro?! jks aside tho... I think it is a horrible idea as I like to think of the Olympics as a competition about physical demanding sports

[Daboo]

I dont like the idea...even though we do have sports like shooting which are not really physical in nature, for some reason it does not fit there.

Besides that as someone mentioned, we dont even have chess or go in there which are the longest surviving mental games, and one of the grand old game of esports is ...10 years?

[ShinyA]

I feel like if it were possible then Chess would have been added long, long ago.

[Zealo]

last i checked chess still is trying pretty hard to be included, several top players have quit because the chess tournaments are requiring regular drug tests (an Olympic requirement).

at the moment there is nothing close to a world body existing for competitive SC2 (unless blizzard wants to take on this role?) i think it would be a good thing for a world body to form to deal with things like contract disputes, disputes between tournaments and players, enforcing punishments on players/teams etc...

but at the olympics? no. whenever people bring up 'is eSports real sports?' crap, my answer is "yes, in the same way motor sports is." formula 1 won't be at the 2020 olympics, and neither will SC2.

[Rockstar]

It would be more beneficial for everyone involved if you started a cyberlympics offshoot which covered multiple gaming genres etc. You would however need to meet the criteria for the olympics to do that anyway. You would need a governing body, most likely multiple governing bodies in multiple countries. You would need high participation numbers for each game etc. You would also need a pretty deep pocket to bankroll it.