E-sports has the potential to become a new sport in the Commonwealth Games in the future, and now it will be piloted at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Later this year, the 2022 Commonwealth Games will have its first foray into esports, dubbed the Commonwealth Esports Championship, which will run alongside the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
But at the same time, it is also independent of the Commonwealth Games and has its own medals and organization, after all, it is just an independent event.
The event’s success in attracting younger audiences will be a major factor in its ability to become a permanent event, with the Commonwealth Games Federation internally hoping that esports will be part of the program by the 2026 Games.
The 2030 Commonwealth Games Organiser Hamilton, Canada, is also keen to include esports in the mix. There are rumors that Valve’s MOBA game “DOTA2” is expected to be one of three games in the Commonwealth Games esports pilot project, while the other two games may be announced soon.
Traditionally, sports include cycling, swimming, track and field, and many other optional sports. Currently, only athletics and swimming are mandatory. So even if esports are approved for the next Commonwealth Games, they may not be featured in every subsequent Commonwealth Games.
In December 2021, Commonwealth Games chief executive Katie Sadleir told the BBC that she was “open” to the idea of esports appearing at the Commonwealth Games.