International Olympic Committee Announces Olympic Virtual Series

After being delayed last year due to the pandemic, the 2020 Olympic Games are finally slated to [...]

By Logan Moore

After being delayed last year due to the pandemic, the 2020 Olympic Games are finally slated to take place later this summer in Tokyo, Japan. Prior to that event, however, the International Olympic Committee has today announced that it will be partnering with a number of different sports organizations around the world to hold a competition centered around virtual sports.

The Olympic Virtual Series, as this event is being called, will bring together a number of virtual sports, esports, or gaming publishers. The games will take place beginning in just a few short weeks on May 13 and will last until the following month on June 23. As for the companies that are involved, the most noteworthy developers from the gaming industry that are taking part include Konami and Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital.

"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," explained Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee. "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."

As for the five games that will be involved with this series of competitions, they include the following: softball, cycling, rowing, sailing, and car racing. Each event will then take place via a different form in which players from around the world can then compete. So for instance, the car racing event is one that will take place within Gran Turismo.

At the time of this posting, specific details on how those that are interested in taking part in this haven't been given. The IOC says that it will be revealing more on the Olympic Virtual Series within the next few weeks. At that time, it will reveal how you can join in for yourself and what the specific prizes will be. Conversely, if you'd just like to watch all of the action, it will be streamed on the official Olympic Channel.

So what do you think about this new idea from the Olympic Committee? Do you plan to watch or take part in the action? Let me know either down in the comments or over on Twitter at @MooreMan12.

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