Are you looking forward to the 2023 Esports Olympics? Have you ever imagined watching the world's top players on TV or online pitting themselves against each other in traditional esports games like CS:GO, LOL, Dota 2, and more? Have you ever imagined yourself cheering on your favorite team or player on the spot?
If so, then I have bad news for you: the 2023 Esports Olympics may not be what you think.
On March 1, the IOC officially announced the 2023 Olympic Esports Series, with nine events confirmed for the competition, including archery, baseball, chess, cycling, dance, motor racing, sailing, taekwondo and tennis, with qualifiers already underway and official matches scheduled for June 22-25 in Singapore.
These selected games are really unpopular, let's take a look at a few of them you know.
Archery: Tic Tac Bow
Draw your bow, aim, and shoot arrows on your phone!
This archery simulation game requires a phone or tablet to shoot at the target, which sounds reasonably interesting, but the problem is that the game does not have any reviews or introductions at all.
I searched the Google Play Store and found only a mini-game with the same name but different content. Comments say that the game also comes with a microtransaction system, emm...
It is a game developed by Singaporean studio Refract Technologies and published by Project 99. Combining archery with the classic children's game Tic-Tac Toe, the game started with just 150 downloads and has risen to 5000+ after being selected for the esports Olympics. It is also affiliated with the IOC-recognized World Archery Federation, and I discovered that the founder of Refract Technologies is an active member of the global esports federation. No wonder......
(Boy, did you lose this golden bow or a silver bow?) ）
Ride: Zwift
Redefine riding on spinning!
This is a bicycle simulation software that allows players to experience different locations and routes in the virtual world by connecting a smart bike in their home or gym.
It sounds tech-savvy, but the problem is that this software isn't cheap. It is said that it costs about 15 US dollars (about 100 yuan) a month. And the players also need to purchase professional equipment to use it. I wonder how many people are willing to pay to play a bike-only software.
Sailing boat:
On IOS and Android phones, Yang Fan set sail!
Another simulation software. You can sail different types and sizes in the virtual ocean and experience the charm and difficulty of sailing. You'll have to adjust your canvas and steering wheel to the direction and force of the wind, avoid obstacles and opponents, and reach the finish line as quickly as possible. This game requires skill and intelligence, as well as a little adventure.
DANCE: JUST DANCE
Ubisoft is French, and France is the host of the next Olympics. (whisper)
In Just Dance, you can follow the dancers on the screen imitating their movements and feel the charm of the music. Whether you're a novice dancer or a master dancer, you'll find the difficulty and style that suits you in this game.
However, the Olympic Committee tells you that the game is actually a competitive game.
I don't know why, but this game, which didn't require any real dance skills, was favored by the Olympic Committee, because you just have to follow the prompts on the screen.
In the Olympic spirit, we seek the ultimate performance of athletes through long hours of training and practice. And "Just Dance" seems to be more of a leisure and entertainment activity, although there is indeed a World Cup with Just Dance.
Chess: Chess.com
Connect to WIFI on the spot and play chess with a browser open.
This is a very meaningful activity in itself, but what does it have to do with eSports?
Chess is a traditional thinking sport, and its game requires players to face their opponents in reality, observe, think, and make decisions to win. Video games are characterized by being virtual and repeatable, while the charm of chess lies in its authenticity and challenge. I can't understand what the meaning of this "matryoshka doll" is.
Taekwondo: Virtual Taekwondo
"Humph and ha" to the screen.
Taekwondo is a serious traditional sport that requires players to have strong physical fitness and skills to demonstrate their strength through real competitions.
Virtual Taekwondo, on the other hand, is just a virtual game that recognizes action on the screen, and it can't really show the challenges and adventures of taekwondo, nor can it let the audience feel the true strength of the fighters.
Coincidentally, the game is also Refract Technologies, the developer of the archery project Tic Tac Bow Games.
Tennis: Tennis Clash
Keep on your phone and get the Olympic tennis championship!
This is a tennis simulation game that allows players to play against other players in a virtual arena. As a very exciting 1v1 sport, tennis requires players to have excellent physical fitness and skills to show their strength and resilience through real matches.
But in Tennis Clash, everything becomes virtual and unreal. Players only need to use keys and gestures to complete various tricks and movements, and cannot truly experience the real atmosphere and tension of the arena. At the same time, this game is a game where krypton gold can become stronger, is this game more financially powerful?
Motorsport: Gran Turismo 7
Fully connected? Can you start a PS member?
The famous racing simulation game on the PS platform has been "integrated" with reality in many aspects, and we can get a digital version of the racing driver's license after meeting the conditions in the game.
"Realistic" is a consistent feature of the GT series, with very realistic graphics and sound effects, as well as a driving feel, but it is still just a racing simulation game. At the esports Olympics, it might appeal to some racing enthusiasts, but for most people, it doesn't have much appeal.
BASEBALL: WBSC EBASEBALL POWER PROS
F**k，Konami ！
If baseball-themed games were presented in the form of esports, it is still difficult to imagine any competitiveness. After all, baseball is a sport that requires real courts and players to play, not a simulation game played in a virtual world.
Among the above games, in addition to "GT 7" and "Just Dance" are more well-known games, there are many mobile games and even page games, and some even can't find a channel to play this game at all.
For example, "Virtual Taekwondo", a taekwondo game, I only found an official promotional video on Youtube showing two professional fighters, a man and a woman, playing a virtual taekwondo match, wearing straps with sensors and giving us a unique taekwondo match.
The contestants tried their best to compete with each other in "abstract" abilities, and I tried my best to imagine the intensity of this virtual taekwondo in front of the screen; But watching them each kick and play on the screen was more like "rubbing by the beach", and I never got into this game.
If these games are so tedious, why aren't traditional esports games like CS:GO, LOL, Dota 2, etc. among them? Is this a business interest consideration? Although these esports competitions seem to be much more "rich" than the esports Olympics, if they can appear in the Olympics, why is it not a "win-win"?
The answer is obvious. The IOC chose these unpopular games for the eSports Olympics not because they are truly representative or attractive, but because they are easier for the IOC to control.
At the seventh summit of the 7th International Olympic Games in 2018, the Olympics gave reasons to reject big esports games:
(Appropriate controls)
According to official reports, the IOC works with developers of these sports simulation games to ensure that traditional sports are promoted and that there is "appropriate control" of these developers who are niche in the industry or want to enter the Olympic system.
This also avoids them dealing with esports game developers who have a large player base and strong influence.
Because of these large-scale e-sports projects, the Olympic Committee will face more challenges and requirements, such as copyright, sponsorship, rules and other issues.
But as a global modern sports organization, the IOC is not willing to make concessions or compromises on these fronts, because it still needs to defend its authority and interests under the guidance of the "Olympic idea".
These niche game developers may be more cooperative with the Olympic Committee's wishes, and may even be willing to change their game content or style in order to enter the Olympics.
So, we're seeing some weird esports coming up at the 2023 Olympics.
For example, "Just Dance", although this game has a certain entertainment and fitness effect, but can it count as a real e-sports? Does it reflect the skills, strategies, teamwork and other elements of the players? Can it inspire the audience's emotions about victory and defeat, honor, dreams, etc.? I think the answer is no.
There's also GT Racing, a game that has a certain realism and excitement, but can it be compared to real-world motor sports? Does it reflect factors such as speed, technique, risk, etc. among players? Does it resonate with audiences on themes such as Fast and Furious, Life and Death and Glory, Challenge and Transcendence? I think the answer is also no.
(Spectators in GT 7 watching the race)
The 2023 Esports Olympics looks so boring because the Olympic Committee has chosen games as events that do not showcase the spirit and charm of esports. These games may be suitable for recreational or fitness exercises, but they are not suitable for high-level and high-level competitive activities.
If the IOC really wants to promote esports and make this emerging form of sport known and loved by more people, it should choose games that truly represent esports culture and values, and respect and support those games and esports players who have already achieved and prestige in the field of esports.
The Olympic Committee has repeatedly rejected real esports games such as CS:GO and LOL from the Olympic Games, which they felt were too violent and did not reflect Olympic values.
It's ridiculous that Tic Tac Bow and Tennis Clash with krypton gold entered the Olympic arena with "Olympic values".