22Aug/18Off
Sport or Sellout? Debate Rages Over Medals for Video Games
For the first time, the Asian Games -- the Olympics equivalent for the world’s most populous continent -- will include computer game competitions alongside swimming and track-and-field. Contestants from Saudi Arabia to Japan will battle for national pride and bragging rights across six titles, including League of Legends and StarCraft II in a huge marketing coup for publishers like Tencent Holdings Ltd.and Activision Blizzard Inc.
Yet the move is generating furious controversy. Many athletes and fans contend computer games aren’t truly sports, and no medals should be awarded for what’s essentially skillful consumption of a corporate product. This week’s games are the largest showcase yet for esports, an early test of whether it will be included at 2024 Paris Olympics.
Game makers stand to benefit. Unlike with basketball or fencing, the intellectual property of a video game is usually owned by a for-profit company. That means choosing a game from, say, Tencent or Electronic Arts Inc. has a direct impact on their profit. Skeptics say the selection process is rife with opportunities for favoritism and influence-peddling.
“When a game becomes an Olympic sport, should it have an owner? Or should it be in the public domain?” said Sugiyama. “This is a question that must be answered.”