The enthusiasm from the Paris Olympics will persist into 2025 as the International Olympic Committee announced the first games for the fast-growing field of esports. Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in a field dominated by a technocentric group of young gamers in an ever-expanding multi-billion-dollar industry. This expansion occurs at a time when countries have dedicated efforts to increase social growth, economic growth, and overall participation in sports, including the host country of Saudi Arabia’s plan titled Vision 2030. While details for the event are still being finalized, long-time video game fans and curious spectators can likely expect a variety of video game genres to be on display, including games focused on multiplayer online battle arenas and real-time strategy. This competitive Olympic stage for esports will also serve as an opportunity for international gamers to gain recognition and open pathways to immigrating to the United States in this rapidly evolving sector.
Esports can be defined as video games played in a highly competitive environment in individual and team formats. The field has changed drastically as more gamers seek the professional stage which has drawn the attention of media organizations, social media applications, sports organizations, and even various investors. As the globe continues progressing through the digital age and moves toward more technology-centered business operations, expansive social media platforms, and beneficial developments in artificial intelligence, the expansion of esports into an Olympic format demonstrates another effort to connect the physical with digital counterparts. While international esports competitions have occurred for several years, the Olympic format brings a different sense of ambassadorship for players competing at the highest level. The sports landscape, including esports, thrives on competitors constantly improving their techniques, breaking records, and building a sense of community as fan bases grow. Moreover, sports organizations are continuously expanding their searches across international boundaries to build rosters of talented players, which facilitates global appeal while navigating various immigration rules and regulations that vary by country.
With the new Olympic Esports Games, esports athletes will have opportunities available for sponsorship, increased prize money, and media attention. These opportunities may result in the need to travel, compete, and live in the United States for tournaments and other activities like team training. Esports athletes and coaches should consider immigration options such as the O-1A nonimmigrant visa for individuals of extraordinary abilities in sports and the P-1A nonimmigrant visa for those with international recognition for their athletic skills. Other countries, like South Korea and Germany, already have counterparts to these options, . which can facilitate the transfer of international talent while esports continue to rise and generate economic benefits for local economies due to increased tourism..
As the Olympic values are intertwined with the games’ structure, video games that have implications related to the promotion of violence and inappropriate themes will likely not make an appearance. Like the summer and winter Olympics, fans should also expect the addition and deletion of certain events from each occurrence due to changes in popularity and local conditions for the host city. However, unlike the traditional Olympics, the esports games will face a different set of questions related to advancement in technology. One challenge will be how to maintain video games from one Olympic event to the next as new gaming systems, expanded graphics capabilities, and new video game titles are constantly being produced. International esports athletes may also need to target a multi-disciplinary approach to their expertise to keep up with the constant changes in popularity of particular video games and maintain the appropriate nonimmigrant visa status. As we continue the fervor for the Olympic and Paralympic games, the introduction of an Olympic format for esports gamers in 2025 brings profound promise for young gamers to attain a “celebrity” status while also exploring opportunities in the United States to continue their development. As technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, there will be a keen focus on how the esports Olympics will handle these advancements while also handling comparisons to the traditional Olympics.
The material contained in this article does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only. An attorney-client relationship is not presumed or intended by receipt or review of this presentation. The information provided should never replace informed counsel when specific immigration-related guidance is needed.
Reprinted with permission from the August 15, 2024 edition of The Legal Intelligencer© 2024 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. ALMReprints.com – 877-257-3382 – reprints@alm.com.
