Esports: Move to less violent games for 2022 Asiad – Alisport CEO – Reuters
What happened: Zhang Dazhong, CEO of Alibaba’s sports arm Alisport, said e-sports will shift away from violent games to sport-focussed titles for the 2022 Asian Games. Zhang’s comments come after the 2018 event, which served as a trial for the e-sports community. He said also the discipline would need to change to ensure inclusion in the Olympics.
Why it’s important: In April, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said violent video games go against Olympic values. As a result, the inclusion of titles like League of Legends will be unlikely to make the cut. Zhang also made reference to Beijing’s recent crackdown on mobile gaming, saying a move to sport orientated games was taking place globally. The Chinese government plans to limit the number of titles released every year. Zhang said the government is “concerned” about violent content, but is supportive of e-sports.