IOC pause spotlights esports’ reliance on viewers

The International Olympic Committee has paused plans for an Olympic Esports Games after ending its partnership with the Saudi-backed Esports Foundation. The Esports Foundation has continued with its own national-team event, the Esports Nations Cup, while the IOC reviews its approach to esports governance and title selection. The original project had been envisioned for 2027 before the split.

The break involved the Esports Foundation, previously known as the Esports World Cup Foundation, and interests linked to Saudi partners that had backed earlier plans. Organizers behind the Foundation moved forward with the Esports Nations Cup after the separation. The IOC has put its Olympic-branded esports effort on hold as stakeholders debate how to structure international oversight and which game types fit the organisation’s criteria.

Governance has been a central issue. The IOC’s preferred model relies on national federations to represent players at an international level. That model operates in South Korea, where the Korean Esports Association (KeSPA) has formal authority. In other countries, questions over publishers’ control of game intellectual property and competing federation claims have created disputes over legitimacy and representation.

Title selection has been another point of contention. The IOC has sought games that align with “Olympic values,” a requirement that excludes some mainstream competitive titles. Simulation and sport-replica games previously featured at Olympic Esports Week in 2023 included Tic Tac Bow (archery), WBSC eBASEBALL, Zwift (cycling), Virtual Regatta (sailing), Tennis Clash, Virtual Taekwondo and a custom Fortnite map for shooting. Counter-Strike 2 was not included under the IOC’s criteria.

Observers and industry participants have pointed to differences between playing and watching as a core challenge. Many games are designed primarily for player engagement, while high-level esports rely on being watchable and on storytelling that reaches viewers who do not play. Complex mechanics, layered objectives and visual density can make some titles harder to follow for new audiences.

Viewership data has influenced title choices. RENNSPORT, a sim-racing initiative supported by several organisers, recorded the lowest viewership among titles at the 2025 Esports World Cup and will be replaced by Trackmania for 2026. Trackmania retains motor-racing themes but uses less realistic, more arcade-style gameplay.

Commercial factors are part of the debate. Sponsors and broadcasters prioritise events that draw large, engaged audiences. Organisers seeking to relaunch Olympic esports efforts face several tasks: clarifying which governance structures will represent players and publishers internationally, resolving intellectual-property and federation recognition disputes, and identifying games and competitive formats that meet the IOC’s criteria while appealing to viewers.

The IOC’s pause leaves time for those issues to be addressed but does not set a new timetable for a resumption of Olympic-branded esports events.