Fortnite Is So Big It's Going To The Olympics
"Fortnite," one of the most popular video games on the planet right now, has made it to the Olympic Esports Series later this year. The competition, which is going to be a part of the first-ever Olympics Esports Week happening in June, will mark the culmination of the Olympic Esports Series 2023 live finals. The event's organizers say the special archery setup in "Fortnite" for the esports extravaganza will "put the target aiming accuracy of sharp shooters to the test."
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 has partnered with Singapore's National Olympic Council (SNOC) to bring in a dozen players from different places that have made it to the top of the Fortnite Champion Series. To mark the occasion, a special International Shooting Sport Federation Island in "Fortnite" has been created that will also host the one-of-a-kind archery competition.
In the esports competition, the players will test their mettle against each other at sharpshooting on an island in "Fortnite." The competition is a part of the Olympic Esports Series 2023, which was created and managed by the same authority that oversees the Olympics events and the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Challenge.
"Fortnite" is already one of the biggest games on the planet in terms of reach and financial draw. Adding it to the International Olympic Community-backed esports event will only give a huge impetus to the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 initiative, getting esports into the ranks of real Olympics sports categories down the road.
Fortnite makes big push for esports in Olympics
To avoid any confusion, this is a virtual sharpshooting competition setting in a "Fortnite" Creative Mode world, not the bread-and-butter battle royale fun that "Fortnite" is known for. At the finals of the Olympics esports event, which will be held in June at Singapore's Olympic Esports Week, all the "Fortnite" battles will be streamed via the official Olympics websites.
"Fortnite" won't be the only form of digital sports that falls under the aegis of the Olympic Esports Series. Instead, it is joined by "Tic Tac Bow" for archery, "WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros" for baseball, and "Gran Turismo 7" for its popularity among the motorsport audience.
This is the inaugural Olympic Esports Week, a four-day festival of the best that the gaming segment has to offer across varied formats and categories. Qualifying rounds are already underway, and will be picked ahead of the main event run in the Asian country.
For those interested in following the event online, the schedule is:
- June 23: archery, cycling, dancing, and sailing
- June 24: baseball, taekwondo, sport shooting, and tennis
- June 25: motorsport, chess
Tickets have already gone up for grabs starting at 10 Singapore dollars, and going up to 20 Singapore dollars for via the official Olympics website. Fort hose aiming to attend the esports fest, tickets are available here.