Video Games Should Be An Olympic Sport, Insists ‘Warcraft’ Creator


Competitive video gaming should be an Olympic Sport, according to the creator of World of Warcraft.

Speaking to the BBC, Rob Pardo, who previously worked as the chief creative officer at Blizzard Entertainment, explained that “sport” is now a much broader term.

In fact he believes that e-sports should now be incorporated into this definition.

“Video games are well positioned to be a spectator sport. There’s a very good argument for e-sports being in the Olympics.

Rob Pardo then when on to declare that partaking in e-sports is just as intense and competitive as any other Olympic competition. In fact those who participate are forced to perform around five actions every second.

“I think the way that you look at e-sports is that it’s a very competitive skillset and you look at these professional gamers and the reflexes are lightning quick and they’re having to make very quick decisions on the fly. When you look at their ‘actions per minute,’ they’re clearing over 300.”

Mr. Prado did admit though that it would take a lot to convince both the public and the Olympic committee that e-sports are on a par with the likes of marathon running, shot-putting and the triathlon.

“That starts getting into how you define sport. If you want to define sport as something that take a lot of physical exertion, then it’s hard to argue that video games should be a sport, but at the same time, when I’m looking at things that are already in the Olympics I start questioning the definition.”

There’s no denying the fact that e-sports have blossomed into a bona-fide money spinning event. Gamers and video-game aficionados from across the world regularly attend events and finals in their millions.

Stadiums have been known to be filled with up to 40,000 people for finals of encounters, while they are then joined by people online in their thousands too.

But could video-gaming truly become an Olympic sport? It would be a long and arduous process for it to actually be recognised, plus there isn’t much precedent that suggests it would ultimately succeed.

Chess supporters have long been trying to get that included in the Olympics, only for the International Olympic Committee to decree that it is a “mind sport” that doesn’t fall within the jurisdiction of the Olympics.

Meanwhile getting a new sport admitted to the Olympics has become increasingly difficult, especially since the IOC capped the amount of sports allowed at the games.

[Image via Der Standard]

Share this article: Video Games Should Be An Olympic Sport, Insists ‘Warcraft’ Creator
More from Inquisitr