The Ioc And Saudi Arabia Call It Quits On Their Olympic Esports Partnership

The esports business betwixt nan International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Saudi Arabia is nary more. On Thursday, nan IOC said that it and nan Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) person "mutually agreed" to portion ways. The breakup comes weeks aft Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealthiness money and different investors bought EA for $55 billion.

The IOC and SOPC agreed connected a 12-year esports partnership successful 2024. At nan time, nan IOC was reportedly successful talks pinch publishers of Rocket League, Street Fighter and League of Legends. The 2 sides discussed holding nan Olympic Esports Games each 2 years. (The first games were initially scheduled for this year, but were pushed backmost to 2027.) Potential hosts for later installments were said to see South Korea and nan US.

Instead, nan 2 sides are now "committed to pursuing their ain esports ambitions connected abstracted paths," according to nan IOC. The statement now plans to "spread nan opportunities presented by nan Olympic Esports Games much widely." It still wants nan inaugural games to hap "as soon arsenic possible."

The AP notes that nan dissolution comes 7 months into Kristy Coventry's IOC presidency. We don't cognize nan specifications of really nan woody came apart. However, nan IOC wants to link pinch younger fans done esports, but successful a measurement that "Olympic values are respected." Saudi Arabia's Esports World Cup features MOBAs, shooters and fighting games.

If nan IOC wants to task a squeaky-clean image while connecting pinch young gamers, it whitethorn person an uphill battle. (For nan record, games don't lead to violence.)