League of Legends to the Olympics?
It’s a question as old as the scene itself, should esports be in the Olympics? It’s a question anyone with half a brain already knows the answer to, of course. There may still be guys on Twitter with bulky sunglasses arguing about if video games are even sports or not. Do yourself a favor and block him as the rest of us have. Yes, esports are sports and yes, they should be in the Olympics. As reported by Dexerto, it seems that Riot is in talks with Olympic leadership to bring esports to the stage. And if any game would be the first to appear at the Olympics, League of Legends is the front runner.
The stage is set for esports to leap into the Olympic games. Just a few years ago at the 2018 Asian Games, League of Legends, were showcased as demonstrated sports. Next year, at the 2022 Asian Games League of Legends and several other games take it a step further and will be medal events. Other games include Valve’s DOTA2 and Capcom’s Street Fighter V.
Why the hesitation?
Despite the quick growth in the Asian Games for esports, there is still a long way to go. The International Olympic Committee hasn’t been blind to the growth and demand of the esports scene. But there are plenty of concerns they have over the idea of showcasing them on the biggest international stage of competition. In the past topics such as the depiction of violence have been brought up. As well as the fact that unlike Soccer or Basketball, which you can just walk outside and play all on your own. Esports belong to companies, they aren’t something that just anyone can do whenever they want.
Regardless, according to Global Head of League of Legends Esports Naz Aletaha, talks with the IOC and Riot seem to be moving in a positive direction. Given how popular esports have been and their unprecedented growth, it’s only a matter of time before they find their way to the Olympic stage. As anyone who has been following the trends of esports as a whole can tell you, it doesn’t need the Olympics to be successful, but if the IOC wants to bring in more eyes from the younger generation, well esports is one way to do that.
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