The Story
The Olympic Movement gathered at the Suntec Centre Singapore on June 22 to launch the Inaugural Olympic eSports Week (OEW). The International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Sport Singapore (SportSG), and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) partnered to create IOC’s first-ever festival and global competition dedicated to virtual and simulated sports, held as a live and in-person finals.
Singapore was proud to play host to the world’s best players in the ten games chosen by the IOC and watched them battled it out for the crown at the OEW that also showcased the best of virtual sports, including the exhibiting of the latest innovations, panel discussions, education sessions and exhibition matches in other games.
Since the announcement by IOC that Singapore would host the OEW, KIN had been working tirelessly with the IOC as part of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Being an inaugural multi-sports event, together with the LOC, we focused on the importance of adapting and acquiring knowledge during the planning process. Collaboration with various stakeholders was crucial in developing a schedule that accommodated both rehearsal and actual game timings. Additionally, a comprehensive logisitical plan was implemented to ensure the unique requirements of each sport were met. To accommodate 15 sports/games over a span of three days, it was essential to utilise two stages. As the time allocated for each reset between events was limited, close collaboration with tournament operations, broadcast teams, and sports presentation teams was necessary and critical. A Free-to-play zone was conceptualised as a vast arcade to create an open and inviting atmosphere within the entire venue. A welcoming ambiance was created to make all attendees feel included. The Olympic Esports Forum, the more serious component of the OEW, was a platform dedicated to facilitating open dialogue and knowledge sharing among industry leaders in both the sports and esports realms. Topics delved into included exploring how advancements in technology will shape the future of esports, why and how Singapore is emerging as a future hub in the global esports landscape, the importance of diversity, equity and inclusivity in the eSports ecosystem, player’s welfare as well as developing efforts to ensure fair play, integrity and ethical standards, prioritising the well-being of talented players. Finally, not forgetting the dazzling opening ceremony that celebrated inclusivity and diversity. Leveraging on innovative technologies including holographic projection, laser projection mapping and automation were deployed, to create a magical show where the lines between the physical and digital worlds were blurred.
KIN is indeed grateful for the opportunity play our part in this iconic event, working with industry leaders to set the tone and to ensure the event will set a good precedent for future editions.
