Preparations underway for Olympic Esports Games

MANILA, Philippines — Last July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its 12-year partnership with the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee to host the Olympic Esports Games in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the inaugural Games set to take place in 2025.

In an interview with the media during the M6 Summit in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, International Esports Federation (IESF) general secretary Boban Totovski shared what has been going on in preparation for the upcoming Games in 2025.

"The situation in esports, there are two federations on the global scale, which is IESF and then there is GEF (Global Esports Federation). So the IOC decided instead of choosing or selecting, letting IESF and GEF unite first, a project that both federations are working on, and then there will be one unified entity to collaborate with. There has been a creation of something called the Esports Leadership Group, where there are representatives from two organizations. The processes are ongoing, but it's going on and hopefully in 2025 we will see a united front and a united wave,” shared Totovski.

Totovksi added that events in the upcoming Olympic Esports Games have been divided into three categories: six simulated games, six virtual games (virtual versions of traditional sports) and six traditional esports titles.

The Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), the local esports body, is also on standby for more information on the Olympic Esports Games.

"We're still waiting for the final details. Kahit kami medyo bulag, but we're doing our best to prepare because kunwari, magkaroon ng ML:BB,‘di ba? Eh ‘di laban na ‘yun. That's why, at the back-end side, we are preparing for the worst-case scenario,” said PESO executive director Marlon Marcelo.

One of the aspects that PESO is currently working on is communicating with lawmakers in revising the law to reward esports athletes when they succeed in international competitions.

Marcelo adds, "On the back-end side, we're also coordinating with some of our legislators like Cong. Mike Dy because if manalo tayo ng medal kasi, esports has not yet been inside the law doon sa mga incentives. So, we are one tier lower. Gusto namin i-revise na yung sports act na masama yung esports, mga ganong benefits."

For the country's national esports team, Sibol, general manager Leo "Jab" Escutin is confident of the team's chances in the coming Games in all three categories.

"Very optimistic ako doon sa Olympic Esports Games. I believe that the Filipino talent is very good at deciphering games and where we can take advantage of certain mechanics, ‘di ba? Meron na akong isang buong malaking coaching staff, facilities where we can actually train. Kasi we have really big plans, especially for the Olympics. This is the first time that we can have a really good opportunity to be part of history again. Buzzword yung Olympics ngayon with that kind of traction, and I think we will have everything we need to be successful next year,” shared Escutin.