Gaming at the Olympics? It could happen [update 2]
by Ross Miller 
{ May 31st 2006 at 4:55PM }
The 100-meter dash, the discus throw ... Unreal Tournament? It could happen, and Ted Owens of the Global Gaming League is pushing to get competitive gaming into the XXIX Olympiad, set to take place in Beijing in 2008. Owens is hoping that China -- a country where gaming, a billion-dollar industry locally, is embedded into the culture -- will be open to adding the event. While the Chinese government is being encouraging, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is less than thrilled at the idea of putting a demonstration sport into the Olympics. However, there are many reasons they should rethink their position:
- Ratings: The television audience for the Olympics has been declining for some time now, and was hit hard this February. Meanwhile, competitive gaming is moving into the spotlight, with USA Network picking up Major League Gaming tournaments as hour-long TV specials.
- Conflict of Interest: While it's easy for the IOC to look down on gaming for health reasons, they certainly don't mind profiting from the industry. As Ed Hula, editor and founder of Around the Rings, stated, "[Lobbying for] video gaming would be like asking the IOC to approve power smoking." But while the Olympics do not sell endorsed cigarettes, they certainly license video games, and Sega paid a pretty penny for the rights to release Beijing 2008 titles for every system in existence.
[update 1: fixed a typo. Let the post-hating continue!]
[update 2: fixed one more typo, 'cos I'm cool like that.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hans Kazan @ May 31st 2006 5:11PM
It's not called the Olympic Games for nothing.
frodo @ May 31st 2006 5:22PM
Yeah cause G4's show Arena proved to the world that video games are really fun to watch being played on TV.
Wait, THEY AREN'T.
Also there is no "discuss" throw.
Jay @ May 31st 2006 5:26PM
The problem is that the 100-meter dash and the discuss throw aren't tied to any platforms or publishers. Anyone can go out and run. Even the poorest countries have world renowned omlympic athletes because it costs nothing to do sprint training. The barrier of entry into games is much higher.
How do you determine which games would be played? There is no universal singular "video game". Would it be the one whos publisher payed the most money? What about platforms? Is it fair to console gamers to have a PC game in the Olympics... or vice-versa?
TK00 @ May 31st 2006 5:27PM
This is ridiculous. Video games aren't sports, neither is chess.
Oh and BTW, I guarantee that MLG crap won't last one season.
Huey2k2 @ May 31st 2006 5:30PM
No, the IOC should definitely not do this. How do you think ACTUAL atheletes would feel knowing that they've been training for years and years doing something physically demanding to even get a shot at going to the olympics. Only to find out that Joe nobody spent a few months sitting around playing UT2004 only to get in and compete for a medal. That would be an utter discrace and would tarnish the image of the olympic games.
Phil @ May 31st 2006 5:30PM
Video Games do not belong in an event for sports. Just as a sport would have no place at a gaming contest. There's no such thing as the world's greatest Gamer, because, just like sports, there are a million of them. There's no such thing as the world's greatest sports player, because each sport is different. games do not belong anywhere near the Olympics.
Tim @ May 31st 2006 5:34PM
Just because something is competitive doesn't make it a sport. Videogames aren't any more a sport than sudoku.
MDT @ May 31st 2006 5:39PM
Totally moot point, because it's impossible to get an event into the Olympics within two years. In fact, I believe the sporting roster has been set for 2012 already (because I remember reading that baseball and softball, which are trying to get back in, were told they would not make it by then.) The point about the Chinese culture being more accepting is moot because it's logistically impossible to get any other events into Beijing.
And by the way... if baseball and softball aren't in the Olympics, do you think video games have a chance?
Markster @ May 31st 2006 5:44PM
There's no chance of getting gaming into the Olympics.
That is, until the Olympics return to Korea.
In which case, bring on the Starcraft!
lacking cleverness @ May 31st 2006 6:05PM
It really couldn't be more boring than the current events.
Even if this happened, I still don't think I'd watch the Olympics. I could just as easily play the game myself.
Hoomamooma @ May 31st 2006 6:15PM
If they did manage to get it in would the Beijing 2008 video game have an event where you sit there and play video games?
Bo @ May 31st 2006 6:20PM
As a lifelong gamer, I love the increases attention that competitive gaming has been gaining over recent years. However, gaming - like eating, gold, chess, and poker - is NOT a sport. It is merely a competition. I like the idea of professional gaming leagues that are independent and do not incorrectly label themselves as sporting leagues. Finally, I completely agreewith Phil (#6) that we can't just lump and generalize. Bottom line- not gaming in the olympics, but elsewhere.
Mr. Plow @ May 31st 2006 6:23PM
It's not possible for this to ever happen because of the rules of what qualifies as a sport for the Olympics. Some of these rules include a sport cannot contain a motor or mechanical propulsion, so don't expect to ever see any car racing, and a sport must be played by a certain number of countries. Also, a sport must actually be an athletic sport, not a game. While it could be argued that there is not much physical exertion in some sports, such as curling or shooting, they still are sports.
Tosh @ May 31st 2006 6:47PM
LOL, how about DDR!
Adam Blinkinsop @ May 31st 2006 6:54PM
Why not have a gaming-specific Olympics-type event? "I'm going to compete in the FPS events: Quake and UT." "I'm doing the triathlon: FPS, RTS, and Fighting."
Shagi @ May 31st 2006 6:59PM
Video games dont belong in the Olympics as much as NASCAR doesn't belong in the Olympics.
cringer8 @ May 31st 2006 8:00PM
LMAO @ "Power Smoking"
Where do I sign up?
These guys (Around the Rings) are sitting on great ideas and don't even know it!
32_Footsteps @ May 31st 2006 8:50PM
You know, I'm reminded of how the various global bridge federations (as I'm quite fond of that game too) are constantly trying to get bridge into the Winter Olympics. As much as I like the idea of being able to play cards for Olympic gold, anyone with any sense knows it's a pipe dream there, too.
Of course, one humorous part of this would be that the Olympics wouldn't allow a sport into an Olympiad unless all the athletes were tested for performance-enhancing drugs. Not that I know if human growth hormone or the Barry Bonds Special would actually help a video gamer. But I'd just love to see gamers have to pee in a cup to compete.
Donald @ May 31st 2006 9:37PM
Re: drug-testing - look for stimulants and other concentration-enhancing drugs to become banned substances if the entire IOC smokes enough pot to put video games in the Olympics.
Merus @ Jun 1st 2006 2:14AM
On a tangent, I'd like to see whatever body overseas competitive gaming to decide on standardised competition maps. I think changing the entirety of your sport every five years or so isn't very conducive to keeping gaming personalities in the sport.
Kevin Prince @ Jun 1st 2006 5:41AM
Im sorry, but i really have to go absolutely nuts on this. Firsts shoddy journalism by Joystiq its not hard to go find out the following. Softball was dropped last year from the Olympic program for the 2012 Games along with baseball. The IOC then voted on several sports to be accepted into the program. Karate and Squash were the 2 sports which made it through to the final round (Golf didnt make it past 1st round). At this point the IOC has to vote on each sport individually with the sport getting 70 out of the 100 votes . Neither did so the program has two empty slots. I am one of the people who for years has been pushing for Karate in to the olympics and I feel gaming should under no circumstances be allowed in the olympic program. Chess was told they are no longer to apply for inclusion but like many other activities have reached the level of recognized sport with a clear GLOBAL structure with national governing bodies and all of which support the Olympic ideals. Maybe gaming should pursue this route but it should never be in the program.
Austin @ Jun 1st 2006 1:51PM
Gamming in the olympics, even if we could agree on one game to play it will get voted in right after eva longoria gives me a hummer.
Austin @ Jun 1st 2006 1:52PM
I'm sorry but I just couldn't let this go:
32_Footsteps did you just say you wanted to watch gammers pee in a cup?
Shiro @ Jun 1st 2006 2:12PM
"23. I'm sorry but I just couldn't let this go:
32_Footsteps did you just say you wanted to watch gammers pee in a cup?"
Alas, we reach the breaking point of THIS particular discussion. =D
32_Footsteps @ Jun 1st 2006 4:47PM
Well, if you delete a few words out of my sentence, then yes, I did say that.
However, if you actually read the whole sentence, you see I just advocate a rule in which gamers would have to pee in a cup to compete.
So it's your choice - do you read what I actually wrote, or what you want me to write?
Kiron @ Jun 2nd 2006 9:55AM
Skeet shooting is a olympic sport and that only involves pulling a trigger nothing else hell it has less skill than most FPS, I see no reason why CS can't be a sport and Skeet shooting is.
Jay @ Jun 4th 2006 12:49AM
I can't believe no one has suggested this yet.
It has a gun, you pull a "real" trigger.
DUCK HUNT