So, Fortnite's a part of the Olympics now.*

Well, not really. But it makes for a snappy headline (it got you to
read this, didn't it?)

Because - while it uses a map created in Fornite Creative Mode - the
gameplay is quite different (the map is instead used to host virtual
versions of real sports). And, anyway, it's not the 'real' Olympics,
but the "Olympics ESports Week"** which, while hosted by the IOC, is
still its own separate and unique thing. I don't think there are even
any gold medals.

Mostly, it's a somewhat transparent attempt by the IOC trying to make
the Olympics seem relevant to the younger generation. "Hey fellow
kids," says the elderly businessman, "Come join our real hip shindig!
We have some of the jivin' video-arcade games you cool cats dig!"

Arguments can be made about whether or not "esports" deserve to be
part of the Olympics (personally, I think that boat sailed long ago;
if chess and racecar driving are sports, then so are video-games...
but I totally understand the argument against them). Of course,
virtualizing real sports (baseball, table-tennis, cycling, takewondo,
etc.) seems to be a silly way to do things; regardless of what you
think of its 'sportiness', professional level esporting
(arena-shooters, RTS games, etc.) do take a lot of skill and training,
so why not focus on those? Although when it comes to Starcraft, we
might as well just hand the gold medals to Korea directly and without
contest. ;-)

Not that I'd be a fan of any of them being a part of the Olympics
anyway; the IOC is only /slightly/ less corrupt and disreputable than
FIFA, and my interest in the games has waned as their influence (and
commercial interests) have grown. So I'd be quite happy if their
"Olympic ESports Week" crashes and burns.

But anyway, it's good news for Epic, I suppose. I wonder who paid whom
for the rights to use the Fornite branding?




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* read the announcement here: https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ticket-details-released-for-first-ever-olympic-esports-week

** which is only four days long

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