Current Status and Future Prospects of Introducing eSports into International Competitions

The Current State of eSports in the International Sports Arena

International sports events, such as the Olympics, represent the pinnacle of achievement for athletes and provide the most significant opportunity for their respective sports to capture global attention.
In recent years, the importance of eSports, which has established its position as a competitive field alongside the advancement of digital technology, has been increasing annually.
Particularly in the international competitive scene, various eSports organizations are making concerted efforts to have eSports adopted as an official event in various international sports competitions, and they are steadily achieving results.
If eSports were to be included as an official event in international competitions, it would significantly contribute to the recognition of eSports as a sport and its widespread popularity, similar to other major sports.

Efforts Toward Making eSports an Official Olympic Event

The International eSports Federation (IeSF) has long aimed for eSports to be adopted as an official event in the Olympics and continues its efforts toward this goal.
According to a statement made to the media in April 2018 by Leopold Chung, the Acting Secretary General of the IeSF, nothing has been decided yet regarding the inclusion of eSports as an official event in the 2024 Olympics. He mentioned that procedures to obtain consent from various stakeholders, particularly the International Olympic Committee (IOC), are necessary. Meanwhile, the IeSF is in discussions with the city of Paris to gain support for holding eSports competitions as a cultural or demonstration event at the 2024 Olympics.

The IOC also appears to show a certain level of interest in involving eSports in the Olympics.
In July 2018, the IOC and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) held their first forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the future involvement of eSports with the Olympics.
It was reported that many stakeholders, including the President of the IOC, attended the forum, where eSports athletes demonstrated eSports activities.

However, at the 7th Olympic Summit held in December 2018, a statement was made that discussions on making eSports an official event were “premature.”
The reasons cited include that some eSports games do not align with the values of the Olympics and that the eSports industry is fragmented due to competition among commercial operators.
On the other hand, the statement acknowledged the value of games that virtualize traditional sports, and the IOC encouraged each international sports federation to explore and utilize the potential benefits of such games.

Progress in System Development in Japan

The Japanese eSports community is certainly not being left behind in the global efforts to make eSports an official Olympic event. On the contrary, Japan is actively advancing its system development to establish a significant position in the Asian region. A notable example of this is the establishment of the Japan eSports Union (JeSU) in February 2018, which was formed by the integration of multiple eSports organizations. This initiative can be seen as part of the efforts towards making eSports an official Olympic event in the future.

According to the Olympic Charter, only one sports federation in a country can be recognized by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) as the national sports federation authorized to send representatives to compete in official Olympic events (Rules 27, 28, By-law 1.2).

Previously, the coexistence of multiple sports organizations made it difficult to receive recognition from the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC, Japan’s NOC) as the national sports federation, which could result in the inability to send representatives to the Olympics. The establishment of JeSU through the integration of various eSports organizations can be seen as an effort to address the challenges posed by the requirements set forth in the Olympic Charter.

Specific Achievements at the Asian Games

In these efforts, notable progress has been observed in the Asian region.
Prior to other international competitions, it was announced in April 2017 that eSports would be included as an official event at the Asian Games starting from the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
Additionally, at the 2018 Jakarta Games, six titles—”League of Legends,” “StarCraft II,” “Winning Eleven 2018,” “Arena of Valor,” “Hearthstone,” and “Clash Royale”—were featured as demonstration events.

Japan advanced to the main competition in Jakarta for “Hearthstone” and “Winning Eleven 2018,” and further secured a gold medal in “Winning Eleven 2018.”
This success in Asia holds significant importance for the entire eSports community.
The inclusion in the Asian Games not only sets a crucial precedent for adoption in other international competitions like the Olympics but also has substantial implications for accumulating expertise in event management and athlete development.
Particularly, the high level of competition in the Asian region is globally recognized, and it is expected to play a vital role in the future development of eSports.

Challenges for Future Development

While there have been significant achievements, there are persistent objections to adopting eSports as an official event in large-scale international competitions, particularly the Olympics. These objections stem from the fact that eSports, unlike many other sports, do not involve significant physical activity, and concerns about the negative impact of gaming addiction on young people. To further promote the official recognition of eSports, it is crucial to enhance its status as a “sport” by ensuring that eSports are featured in major competitions worldwide, capturing public interest, increasing awareness, and achieving significant success.

On the other hand, if technical issues, operational confusion, or scandals due to a lack of governance awareness occur in the management of eSports tournaments, it could severely damage the image of eSports. Addressing these challenges, along with tackling technical issues unique to eSports, is essential. For instance, ensuring stable communication environments for online tournaments, preventing cheating, and managing players’ health are new challenges that differ from traditional sports. Additionally, careful consideration is necessary when selecting competition titles, including the rights related to the games and maintaining competitive balance. It is evident that such scandals or troubles could hinder the promotion of eSports and efforts to include them as official events in international competitions. Therefore, organizations and players involved in the official recognition of eSports must strive for healthy and fair tournament and organizational management based on accurate knowledge, alongside promoting the spread of eSports.