back to article Computer games to become medal sport at Asian Games

Gold medals will be awarded to players of computer games at the 2022 Asian Games. The games are run under the auspices of the Olympic Council of Asia and, like the Olympics, offer a two-week orgy of sport. Most of the events at the Asian Games are familiar sports like track and field, aquatics, cycling and sailing, but the …

  1. veti Silver badge

    Late breaking?

    This has got to be an April Fool.

  2. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Hmm. I just might be able to qualify for the Minesweeper events.

  3. Tom Servo

    Goldeneye...

    Licence to kill, Facility, NO ODDJOB.

    Gold medal me.

    1. Harrapino

      Re: Goldeneye...

      Back in high school during an 'Enterprise week', everyone else was baking flavourless cakes or making shit clocks out of unwanted Aqua cd's. We had a Goldeneye competition. These were the exact rules. The final 16 all knew the spawning order. It was very tense.

  4. Firefox

    Track and Field?

    38 years old in 2022...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_%26_Field_%28video_game%29

    1. Locky

      Re: Track and Field?

      Track and Field? Peasant magic

      I give the 1985 classic Daley Thompson's Decathlon. Hundreds of Spectrum keybords gave their lives for the skills we have achieved

  5. Little Mouse

    Darts is for the couch-bound and unfit?

    You need to check out Diamond Dave Delaney's Darts Workout.

    "Exercise nearly all the muscles in one arm..."

    1. Ugotta B. Kiddingme
      Pint

      Re: Darts is for the couch-bound and unfit?

      "You need to check out Diamond Dave Delaney's Darts Workout.

      'Exercise nearly all the muscles in one arm...' "

      It has been my observation that this is why drinking is a standard accompaniment to darts - so that the other arm also gets an appropriate level of exercise.

  6. Roj Blake Silver badge

    Track and Field...

    ...would be the most suitable game for this.

  7. Bernard M. Orwell

    Chess?

    For the doubters, a question - is Chess a sport?

    the IoC officially recognizes it as such and there have been many famous international players and contests in history. Word is that chess may be accepted as an Olympic sport in 2020 too.

    What's the distinction between chess and a suitable team tactics game (such as DOTA2) in this regard? Both challenge mental agility, strategic wit and often reaction times, but a decent MOBA also tests team communications which is an essential element in many sports.

    Since when should we measure the worth of athletes *purely* on the basis of physical competency? Surely we can measure mental/communicative competency in the modern age too?

    On a related and amusing historical note, did you know that the Olympics used to give prizes for things such as pottery and knitting?

    1. rh587

      Re: Chess?

      For the doubters, a question - is Chess a sport?

      the IoC officially recognizes it as such and there have been many famous international players and contests in history. Word is that chess may be accepted as an Olympic sport in 2020 too.

      The latter bit, I doubt it very much. The IOC refuse to reintroduce contests for poetry or art (events which Pierre de Coubertin considered to be as - if not more - important than the physical sports in terms of promoting international and cultural cooperation), I don't see them introducing Chess. They're all about the televise-able, X-Gamesy events at the moment - new BMX/MTB cycle events, trialling rock climbing, etc.

      But yes, both Chess and Bridge have been recognised by the IOC as "Mind Sports" for quite some time, though this recognition offers no entitlement to be included in the Games.

      For the doubters - have a look at existing esports tournaments. Simon is being rather disingenuous when he comments "...will therefore include computer games. Or “e-sports” as they're now known."

      Not all computer games are eSports. Only the ones that are both competitive and require some significant level of mental skill - League of Legends, DOTA2 (amongst others) represent a battle of wits and strategy akin to that offered by Chess. The big tournaments pull tens of thousands of spectators, and millions of online viewers on PPV streaming.

    2. Trigonoceps occipitalis

      Re: Chess?

      Baron Pierre de Coubertin has an Olympic gold medal for (badum-tish) literature.

  8. FozzyBear
    Happy

    These elite(?) athletes have specific dietary requirements. So now in the lunch room at the athletes village along with fruit and veges will be the front counter from a 7-11 along with a cooler stocked with cans of red bull

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Playing arena

    Each player will be stationed in a replica of Dwayne Dibley's bedroom

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