Mobile gaming is one of the most popular industries in India. It has grown and expanded rapidly over the last decade. As a matter of fact, the youth in general throughout the globe are fascinated by and to a large extent obsessed with mobile gaming. The craze for mobile gaming has given the gaming sector-wide range of opportunities. In fact, indoor games such as rummy or hold ‘em poker are popular among the elderly generation as well.
The gaming industry would have been a disaster had it not introduced games like dot and dash, warship, carom, etc. which attract different kinds of gamers. On the other hand, the Olympics is an event where physical sports and athletics are given priority. However, many critics have argued that e-sports should be included in the Olympics which could turn the table. But there are certain strict parameters in the Olympics that e-sports do not meet. Let’s discuss the future of the gaming industry and the inclusion of the same in the Olympics in detail.
Physical Stamina vs. Strategizing
In the Olympics, games and events which require physical fitness, stamina and power are prevalent. Competitive games most obviously demand much from the participants’ physique. For instance, games like shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, sprints etc. call for physical strength. On the other hand, mobile gaming is based on strategizing which does not require agility or nimbleness of the participants. Without great physical stamina, an athlete would be a big flop in the Olympics but with the weak constituency, one can succeed as a mobile gamer. This is more of a discord between physical and intellectual quotients. On top of that, mobile gaming is still a nascent industry and needs time to turn to a well-established sector. There is no apex body or infrastructure yet to pick and choose online gamers. Without these prerequisites met, it would be unwise to include mobile gaming in the Olympics.
Moreover, the Olympics try to promote an active lifestyle which is of great benefit for everyone. This simply does not go well with the trend of video gaming where one hardly needs a professional athlete’s agility or swiftness. So, the inclusion of mobile gaming can be criticised by a huge part of society. To make the inclusion sustainable and to avoid flop on the very first go, Olympics organizers should be very cautious.
Issues with Intellectual Properties
Mobile gaming involves innumerable materials which are developed by different individuals or groups. The copyright of these intellectual properties is difficult to procure. For instance, a game includes graphics, coding, music, compositing to name a few of the intellectual properties. Olympics is a reputed event and organizers would not put its esteem in jeopardy by violating any copyright. Now, procuring the copyright of a game not only requires meticulous research but financial support also. Therefore, it is recommended to strategize properly about IPR issues before including e-sports or mobile gaming in Olympics.
Choosing the Right Games
Mobile gaming is a diverse industry. From carom to fruit kaat, casual games to card games like flop river turn & more, everything finds its place within the huge array of mobile gaming. For the Olympics that constantly suffers from dipping TV ratings and aged viewers, e-sports can help bring in substantial young viewers.
New Olympic sports incorporated in this year include river surfing, climbing, and skateboarding which appear to be purposely chosen to draw younger viewers. But mobile gaming has even more popularity among the youth. Therefore it is going to be a tough ask for the Olympics organizers to make a choice. There are, as we discussed earlier, many online games. They may be categorized on the basis of certain predetermined parameters. But this filtering requires utmost delicacy. Mobile games that are popular across the globe should find their place in the Olympics. Only this can serve the purpose of drawing the young generation with e-sports.
Another crucial factor that acts as an instrumental parameter is the tendency of today’s youth to invest time in games that require strategizing, logic, creativity. For instance, in hold ‘em Poker, flop river turn cards are the trickiest of all five hands of cards and thus players enjoy strategizing properly.
Video games could be the future of the Olympics to draw viewers and generate higher revenue
Pandemic and the New Ways of Life
The pandemic has prioritised virtual gaming to avoid physical contact. This in turn has opened new windows of opportunities for online gaming. Since video gamers need not appear physically, it is a much safer option. The young generation today has found a source of entertainment in virtual games. Covid pandemic has made many action-packed games such as warships popular overnight. Therefore, the Olympics authority should consider the inclusion of video games where viewers can enjoy watching acrobatic performances of the athletes and exciting rounds of flop river turn of hold ‘em poker.
Perhaps this could be the way out to draw more viewers to the Olympics and retrieve the past glory of the tournament eventually.