Esports: Is it time to discuss an ‘Esports Olympic?’
Since the 18th Asian Games in 2018, Esports has seen a sharp rise in popularity in Asia and recognition as a ‘proper’ sport worthy of inclusion in international sports events. In the latest edition of the Asian Games in 2022, there were seven medal events and two demonstration events, a substantial number for such a new addition to the roster. With this trend to continue in the 2026 edition, it is now a great time to discuss: is Esports worthy of a place in the Olympics?
Esports in the Asian Games
In 2018, Esports were included as ‘demonstration events’, i.e., competitions that were there solely for testing purposes and excluded from the official medal count. It was included due to cooperation between Chinese AliSports and the Olympic Council of Asia in recognition of the region’s love of video games. It is officially included for the 2022 edition and sees seven medal-eligible titles.
There have been 476 Esports athletes from 30 Asian nations who have competed in the Esports tournament at the Asian Games. Thailand tops the list with 32 athletes representing the Kingdom, whereas Kuwait and Singapore have sent only one athlete each.
Most successful Esports nations
As of 2023, here are the most successful nations in terms of Asian Games medals in the Esports category.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | China | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | South Korea | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Thailand | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Malaysia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Hong Kong
Mongolia |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Unsurprisingly, China takes the top spot with 4 out of 7 possible gold medals from Arena of Valor, DOTA 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, and Peacekeeper Elite. They are followed by South Korea with 2 from League of Legends and Street Fighter V, then by Thailand with the sole gold medal from EA Sports FC Online.
For those who missed the opportunity to make it count in 2022, place your bets now for the countless Esports tournaments or the 2026 Asian Games Esports events at M88 Link.
Esports and the Olympics: Is it possible?
While Esports is not recognized as a proper sport to earn it a spot in humanity’s premier sports competition just yet, efforts have been made, and materialized, to push for an Olympic spot or an Olympic-style event. The most successful attempt so far is the announcement of the Olympic Esports Week that was held in Singapore in June 2023.
2023 Olympic Esports Week
The Esports Week is the closest thing the world has to an Olympic Esports tournament. Held from June 23-25, 2023, by the International Olympic Committee and the Singapore National Olympic Council, the 2023 Olympic Esports Week saw 131 athletes contesting in 10 events, including the well-known racing game Gran Turismo and the VR dancing game Just Dance.
Despite its positive reception, the choice of game titles left many pondering and confused. Apart from Gran Turismo and Just Dance, the event saw no other recognizable games. Fortnite, unarguably famous for its Battle Royale mode, featured a target shooting mode instead, enraging many fans who had expected to see the world’s top athletes contesting for victory.
Possibility of its inclusion in the 2024 Games
The creation of Esports week does not necessarily increase the odds of its inclusion in the Olympics itself, mainly due to drastically different audience demographics and the nature of the Olympics that focus on the sport itself and would much prefer sport simulation games rather than first-person shooting games. Still, it is a long way to go before the world views Esports in the same way they view ‘proper’ sports, and one should not be too optimistic about the inclusion of Esports.
