The Olympic games is typically home to more traditional sporting events. However, in recent times, it seems that the people behind the Olympic games have slowly started to change their minds, where a few years ago, they have acknowledged that eSports is considered as a sporting activity.
As if to prove their commitment on that stance, Intel has announced that come 2020, they will be hosting an Olympics-sanctioned eSports tournament ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
According to Rick Echevarria, general manager of Intel’s Olympics Program, “Intel is focused on delivering world-class technology integrations at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to improve the experience for athletes, attendees, viewers and Games staff while also demonstrating how technology can transform businesses. We are excited to make the first of a series of announcements about our role in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
Players who are taking part in the event will be competing in games such as Street Fighter V and Rocket League. There will also be a prize pool worth $250,000 for each game. While not exactly part of the Olympics, we wouldn’t be surprised if this was a stepping stone in that direction. It was suggested in the past that eSports could be part of the Olympics one day, but we imagine that it won’t be anytime soon.