Saudi Arabia to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025

by Danny Craig  · 
Saudi Arabia to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025
International Olympic Committee/Saudi Arabian Olympic & Paralympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a 12-year partnership with the Saudi Arabian Olympic & Paralympic Committee to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2025.

The details:

  • Following the IOC's widely mocked attempt to incorporate esports into the Olympics last year, it has now handed over the task to Saudi Arabia, which recently hosted the controversial Esports World Cup in Riyadh. The event is scheduled to take place "regularly," but it is unclear which games will be included, as the IOC stated that "killer games" did not align with "Olympic values" back in 2018.

  • The announcement has received mixed reactions, with many criticizing the IOC for working with the country. The Crown-owned Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been accused of "sportswashing" and using large prize pools at its events to improve its reputation after a long history of human rights violations.

  • Many critics point to the Saudi government's anti-LGBTQ+ stance, which has prompted several esports organizations and companies to publicly apologize for attending events such as Team Liquid. The IOC has directly addressed concerns with inclusivity, stating that it is ensuring “Olympic values are respected, in particular, with regard to the game titles on the programme, the promotion of gender equality, and engagement with the young audience, which is embracing esports."

  • The PIF has also made significant investments in various major gaming companies, including Nintendo, EA, Take-Two, Nexon, and more, through the Savvy Games Group. It also acquired Scopely, one of the world's largest mobile publishers, and ESL FACEIT Group, which oversees some of the biggest esports events as well as the popular FACEIT tournament platform.

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