Olympic Virtual Series to create new virtual esports ahead of Tokyo 2021

The International Olympic Committee, the organization behind the Olympic Games has revealed its plans of esports in 2021. The Committee will launch its first ever esports event, to expand the Olympics to a whole new audience, titled the Olympic Virtual Series.

As it stands, five international sports federations and game publishers are coming together to create the Olympic Virtual Series.  The Committee has scheduled the OVS for May 13, lasting until June 23. The plan is to elevate esports based on physical sports, to mirror the Olympic event.  

Five esport events are locked in for the Olympic Virtual Series: they are the World Baseball Softball confederation. Brought to us through the eBaseball 2020 game published by Konami. The second title is the Union Cycliste internationale, presented through Zwift. Thirdly, the World Rowing, with the World Sailing powered by Virtual Regatta SAS. Finally, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile uses Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo to create a racing event.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Olympic Virtual Series is a new, unique Olympic digital experience that aims to grow direct engagement with new audiences in the field of virtual sports. Its conception is in line with Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and the IOC’s Digital Strategy. It encourages sports participation and promotes the Olympic values, with a special focus on youth.”

The OVS aims to create a stage to connect the physical sporting world with the virtual and simulation sports gaming community. The Olympic Virtual Series provides an opportunity to engage with the Olympic Movement, albeit in a brand-new way. The mass-participation Series allows participants around the world to compete from home or their training facilities, just like the Zwift’s virtual bike. This is an alternative method to generate interest in the Olympics, especially since its delay due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Since the pandemic began, virtual competitions of physical games have taken off, with F1 having its best esports year in 2020. Because of its success, more and more interest is growing for physical sports turned virtual.

The regular Olympic Games will go ahead in Tokyo on  Fri, July 23 2021 lasting until Sunday, Aug 8 2021. There will be a nice break between the Olympic Virtual Series to the main event in Tokyo a month apart from each other.