In the 2020 Asian Games, history will be made. Esports will be a part of it as a demonstration event. That means that it’s a sort of testing situation, in which competitions will be held, but not in capital O, official capacity. Unfortunately, the journey for esports for the Olympics won’t be as easy.
According to a report by the BBC, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach stated, while attending the 2018 Asian Games, that many esports games are too violent for inclusion in the big show. The BBC quotes Bach as referring to “so-called killer games,” and stating that video games that feature killing or violence do not align with “Olympic values.”
This dismissal doesn’t come out of nowhere or without official consideration. The BBC states that the IOC met about esports in July, and that the problem essentially comes down to onscreen depictions of blood and gore.
For what it’s worth, similar comments have come from Asian Games representatives, who say the issues comes down to blood. So while something like Overwatch could stand on more firm ground, games like Call of Duty would have an uphill battle.
Source: BBC