Philippine body welcomes Olympic Esports Games postponement

February 14, 2025 | 10:26am

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Esports Organization (PESO) sees the postponement of the inaugural Olympic Esports Games as a welcome development.

First announced in 2024, the first Olympic Esports Games was supposed to happen this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but was moved to 2027, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this week.

"I think it's a welcome development, number one. It's really hard to prepare something that you don't have any idea of, specifically yung mga games. So, knowing na marami yung clamor na the first Esports Olympics must be done right, IOC has decided na i-postpone," Marlon Marcelo, executive director of PESO, told Philstar.com.

"There's a lot of legwork coming in. It's not that easy na, 'okay, Olympics na, ano ba yung mga games na ipapasok?' Tapos game na agad. Not like that eh. IOC is really structured and it helps that they already have experts coming in to move it forward. And we're happy to see na ganun yung development," he added.

Though the games have officially been postponed, the IOC revealed that the Road to Olympic Esports Games and qualifiers will begin this year.

"The two-year gap gives us ample time to prepare for whatever kinds of games [that] will be included," said Marcelo.

With more time to prepare for the Olympics, PESO is shifting its focus on the World Esports Championship annually organized by the International Esports Federation, the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand at the latter part of the year, and as the 2026 Asian Games.

"For this year, it's more of making sure that we win yung gold sa IESF, men and women and  next is yung gold dominance natin sa SEA Games. It's really just making sure that we don't fall off on the podium. We are [also] in the process of making sure that we are more ready or we are more prepared sa Asian Games. Kasi last time medyo kinulang sa vitamins. This is going to be our second Asian Games and mas experienced na tayo," said Marcelo.

Besides the upcoming tournaments, Marcelo said PESO's local initiatives and grassroots program will continue this year.

"We [continue] to be in Palarong Pambansa. We want to help out yung mga other collegiate leagues that are reaching out. As you may know, 'di ba, UAAP has been successful in their esports [event]. And some, we have informal inquiries from other colleges and universities that they would also want to do esports into their own collegiate leagues."