Last year, International Olympics Committee (IOC) confirmed its inaugural Olympic Esports week that will take place in Singapore between 22 and 25 June 2023. The announcement marked the entry of Esports in the Olympics which will further provide a platform to competitive gamers. The Olympic Esports week will showcase the best of virtual sports- hybrid and physical and simulated sports with a 4-day festival including exhibiting the latest technologies, panel discussions, education sessions, and show matches.
The IOC has announced an Olympic Esports lineup that looks strange in itself. The Olympic esports series 2023 is open to everyone, with players taking part in qualification rounds. The shortlisted finalists will face each other at the Suntec Centre in Singapore from June 22 to June 25, 2023.
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To maintain the integrity of the Olympic Games, the committee has chosen 9 titles for the esports series, all of which are digital counterparts of the physical sport. This includes mobile games for tennis and archery, along with virtual games for taekwondo and cycling among others. The complete list of Olympic Esports Series 2023 Games is as follows-
1. Tennis Clash (Tennis)
A popular mobile game called Tennis Clash has been included in the lineup. In the game, players lock horns in matches of tennis. To play the title, one needs to swipe your finger toward the point where one wants to hit the ball. It follows the ruleset of tennis and features a cartoon aesthetic. It is a free game, in-game monetization is something players should expect. It can be played on android as well as ios devices.
International Tennis Federation, the governing body for tennis matches worldwide, will oversee the esports matches for the game during the Olympics Esports series 2023.
2. Virtual Regatta (Sailing)
It is an online sailing race simulator, that started as a browser-based title but turned into a mobile app game over the years. The game boasts of real-time weather conditions, near-realistic control, and a wide community of players. The goal of the game is to sail from point A to point B using real-world tools.
Virtual Regatta will be overseen by the World Sailing, a body for the sport of sailing, officially recognized by the Olympics. It can be played for free on android as well as ios devices.
3. Gran Turismo (Motor Sport)
Gran Turismo is a well-established title that is a simulation racing game made by Japanese developer Polyphony Digital for PlayStation. It features simulation features, and realistic gameplay, and offers an assortment of cars.
It is expected that the latest Gran Turismo 7 edition will be picked for the esports series. The games will be curated by the Federation Internationale de la Automobile, the organization responsible for motor car usage around the world. Also known as FIA, they oversee sports such as F1 and more. It is a paid game that has to be bought for 69.99 USD.
4. Virtual Taekwondo (Taekwondo)
Virtual Taekwondo sees players fitting sensors on their legs and duking it against digital taekwondo players. The sensors detect each movement and attack, scoring them accordingly. Refract technologies are the brain behind this game. It turns a contact-heavy combat sport into a safer, contactless affair.
World Taekwondo, the governing body for the combat sport will curate and oversee the matches for this virtual game at the Olympics Esports series 2023. It can be played for free on android as well as ios devices.
5. JustDance (Dance)
JustDance is known for its yearly reveals during the E3 video game event at Ubisoft’s showcases. The dance game sees players mimic various dance moves using motion controls through an app on their phones or consoles and score them. The game puts players in choreographies based on popular songs around the world.
The rounds will be curated by the World Dance Sport Federation, which is the governing body for both DanceSport and Para DanceSport. It is free to play.
6. Tic Tac Bow (Archery)
Tic Tac Bow is a combination of the classic game of tic tac toe and archery into one. It pits two players against each other, and you need to shoot arrows at a 3×3 archery board, scoring points. The first one to complete a whole row successfully wins the game.
It is a free-to-play game that comes with in-game coin purchases, random drops, a daily log-in bonus, and more. It is currently available on Android and will be judged by the World Archery Federation for the Olympics.
7. Chess.com (Chess)
Chess is one of the most popular board games in the world. It is no surprise that Chess has been included in the sports tournament. Chess.com is a web-based platform that pits players against each other in a game of chess.
The game has leaderboards, tutorials, a ranking system, and a community of players. The International Chess Federation will be the governing body for the game in Esport matches. It is free to play.
8. Zwift (Cycling)
Zwift is a mix of digital and physical setups. The digital app features popular cycling tracks from around the world that one can cycle through with other players. One also needs cycling kits, that simulate the cycling experience at home.
It will now be a part of the Esport series and Union Cycliste Internationale will govern the game around the world for the event.
9. WBSC EBaseball: Power Pros (Baseball)
WBSC EBaseball will see players getting to play a whole game of baseball in a virtual setting. It is currently available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. It has adorable player models, game modes, easy pickup and play mechanics, and more. You can make your own team, and get a chance to bat, pitch, and field to compete against friends offline or against global players online.
It will be curated by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the world governing body for the game of baseball, softball, and baseball5.
So, what do you think about these 9 games being included in the Esport series 2023? Let us know in the comments section below.
