NEW DELHI: The Olympic Esports Series (OES) is a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with game publishers and international federations. The inaugural edition took place in Singapore in 2023, and a second edition is planned for 2024.
The OES features games connected to traditional Olympic sports, including archery, tennis, baseball, chess, cycling, and taekwondo.
Titles such as Tic Tac Bow and WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS are part of the OES, allowing players to compete in archery and baseball in a virtual format.
Although esports won’t grace the official Olympic stage in 2024, the OES provides an exciting alternative for gaming enthusiasts. The IOC is also exploring the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, with a FICCI-EY report projecting esports tournament participation to reach 2.5 million participants across various titles, up from 1.79 million in 2023.
Esports in India is gaining mainstream recognition due to increasing viewership, investment, and a growing player base. With advocacy from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, esports has been officially recognized as a ‘multi-sport’ event by the Indian government.
Industry experts envision esports competing in the Olympic Esports Games shortly. The popularity of mobile gaming, driven by widespread smartphone usage, has significantly contributed to the industry’s growth.
Despite being a mobile-first nation, there’s a noticeable surge in interest in PC gaming, especially for esports events. Positive trends indicate that participation in esports tournaments is projected to increase, and airtime for esports broadcasts is set to rise.
India’s esports scene is on the rise, and its ambitions extend to the global stage. Recent data from video game developer Valve highlights that Asia, including India, is one of the fastest-growing regions for Steam users, with a more than 150% increase in new users from 2019 to 2024.