Esports and competitive gaming have exploded over the years and organizations like the International Olympic Committee are starting to take notice. As the Asian Games opens the floodgates and heralds eight esports titles as medals at the upcoming September 2022 Asian Games (to be held in 2023 due to COVID-19), it seems the International Olympic Committee also wants give it a try, announcing an esports series. However, while the Asian Games featured some of the well-known legacy esports titles as medal games, the Olympic Esports lineup is strange on its own. Let’s see what we mean in this detailed guide to the 2023 Olympic Esports Series games.
Esports Olympic Series Games (2023)
The Olympic Committee recently announced the “2023 Olympic Esports Series”, a virtual and simulated global sports competition in collaboration with the international federations and the respective game publishers. The Olympic Esports Series is open to all, with players competing in qualifying rounds. The shortlisted finalists will compete at the Suntec Center in Singapore from June 22 to June 25, 2023.
In an attempt to maintain the integrity of the Olympics, the committee chose nine titles for the Esports series, all of which are digital counterparts to physical sports. This includes mobile games for tennis and archery, as well as virtual games for taekwondo and cycling, among others. The full list of 2023 Olympic Esports Series games is as follows:
Arc Tic Tac (Archery)
Tic Tac Bow is a mix of the classic game of tic-tac-toe and archery in one game. This mobile game pits two players against each other, where the goal is simple. You have to shoot arrows on 3×3 archery board, score points. The first player to complete an entire row (much like in Tic Tac Toe) successfully wins the game.
Tic Tac Bow offers everything you see in a free game: in-game coin purchases, random loot, daily login bonus, and more. It is only available on Android at the moment and will be coming to iOS very soon. This game is organized by the World Archery Federation. They are the international federation for the Olympic sport of archery.
Try it (Android, Free)
WBSC eBASEBALL: The Most Powerful (Baseball)
WBSC eBaseball sees players play pretty much an entire baseball game in a virtual setting. This game is currently available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. WBSC eBaseball features adorable player models, various game modes, and easy pick-up and play mechanics for everyone to enjoy. Moreover, the game allows you to create your own team, have the chance to hit, throw and compete against friends offline or against global players online.
WBSC eBASEBALL: Power Pros esports is organized by the World Baseball & Softball Confederation, the world governing body for baseball, softball and baseball5. It will be interesting to see how many players take their controllers to participate in the Olympic Esports Series game.
Try it ($0.99, Nintendo Switch)
Chess.com (Chess)
Chess has always been one of the most popular sports titles in the world, and it’s no surprise that the mind game will feature in the Olympics esports lineup in 2023. Chess.Com is a platform web shape that pits players against each other in a game of chess.
It has leaderboards, tutorials, a ranking system, and an overwhelming community of passionate chess players. Over the years, this platform has grown in popularity thanks to popular chess streamers. The International Chess Federation, the game’s governing body, will organize the esports matches.
Try it (free)
Zwift (Cycling)
Zwift is a mix of digital and physical configurations. The digital app offers popular cycling routes around the world that you can browse with other people. Along with this, you also need physical cycling kits, which simulate the cycling experience at home.
Zwift cycling is already a popular game played competitively in many parts of the world, and it will now be part of the 2023 Olympic Esports Series. The Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body for cycling events worldwide , will oversee the event.
Check it out (visit)
JustDance (Dance)
JustDance is well known for its annual reveals during the E3 video game event at Ubisoft’s storefronts. The dance game sees players imitate various dance moves using motion controls through an app on their phones or consoles, and it marks them. The game places players in choreographies based on popular songs from around the world.
The esports rounds of this game will be organized by the World DanceSport Federation, a governing body responsible for dancesport and para dancesport.
Try it (free)
Gran Turismo (motorsport)
Another well-established title that has had a very concise presence in esports over the year, Gran Turismo is a simulation racing game created by Japanese developer Polyphony Digital for PlayStation. Gran Turismo offers simulation features, realistic gameplay and an assortment of cars to offer.
Now, the Olympic Committee hasn’t mentioned which edition of Gran Turismo is being considered for esports games. We assume they will choose the latest Gran Turismo 7 as the event title. However, the games will be organized by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the organization responsible for automobile use worldwide. Also known as the FIA, they oversee sports such as F1 and more.
Try it ($69.99)
Virtual regatta (sailing)
This game is a online sailing racing simulator, which started out as a browser-based title but quickly morphed into a mobile app game over the years. Virtual Regatta offers real-time weather conditions, near-realistic control and a community of passionate gamers. The objective is to navigate from point A to point B using real navigation tools.
The esports aspects of the game are overseen by World Sailing, a body for the sport of sailing, officially recognized by the Olympics.
Try it (Android and iOS, Free)
Virtual Taekwondo (Taekwondo)
Virtual taekwondo sees players install sensors on their legs and compete against digital taekwondo players. Sensors detect every movement and attack, noting them accordingly. Refract Technologies, a company made up of former Ubisoft and EA developers, is the brains behind this game. Virtual taekwondo turns a contact-heavy combat sport into a safer, non-contact affair. World Taekwondo, the combat sport’s governing body, will organize and supervise the matches of this virtual game at the Olympic Esports Series 2023.
Tennis Clash (Tennis)
The latest title in the lineup is a popular mobile game called Tennis Clash. In the game, players lock horns against each other in tennis matches. To read the title, you have to slide your finger to the point where you want to hit the ball. It follows the rules of tennis and features a cartoonish aesthetic. Of course, since it is a free-to-play game, in-game monetization is something players should expect from it.
The International Tennis Federation, the governing body for tennis matches worldwide, will oversee esports matches for play during the 2023 Olympics Esports Series.
Try it (Android and iOS, Free)
The scheduling of the 2023 Olympic Esports Series games raises questions
At a time when competitive online games are available in abundance, the range of games introduced by the Olympics for their esports series is disappointing.
At a time when games like Counter-Strike, DOTA2, Street Fighter 5, and League of Legends, among others, have established themselves at the forefront of competitive esports titles, it raises questions about the basis on which these titles have been decided for the Esports series. You could say that these games were chosen to mimic the actual sports featured in the Olympics and for accessibility. At the same time, popular esports titles not only make phenomenal events on stage, but they already have a strong presence of professional gamers. Well, it raises even more questions when the Asian Games, a similar global event, has a better lineup of esports titles compared to the Olympic pick.
The selection of games here seems disconnected, seemingly selected by Olympic authorities and governing bodies without much thought and research into the esports scene around the world. Hopefully, the Esports by the Olympics series opens up more possibilities for true esports titles to take center stage in the future. What do you think of the programming of the Olympics Esports Series games for 2023? Tell us in the comments section below.