Esports at the Asian Games
{{Short description|none}}
{{use mdy|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox tournament
| name = Esports at the Asian Games
| image =
| caption =
| sport = Esports
| start_date =
| end_date =
| established = 2018 (demonstration)
2022 (medal event)
| defunct =
| teams =
| number =
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| format =
}}
Esports has been one of the regular Asian Games sports since 2022 edition in Hangzhou, China. It was first introduced as a demonstration sport in 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang.
History
Esports made its debut at the Asian Games alongside traditional sports in the 2018 edition in Jakarta and Palembang as demonstration event.{{cite news |title=Esports' Asian Games debut is milestone towards acceptance as real sport |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3234969/asian-games-esports-debut-hangzhou-milestone-players-who-want-gaming-accepted-real-sport |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=South China Morning Post |date=19 September 2023 |language=en}} The event featured six titles – games for mobile and PC.{{cite news |last1=Tani |first1=Shotaro |title='Mobile esports' shine on Asian Games debut |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Mobile-esports-shine-on-Asian-Games-debut |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=Nikkei Asia |date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907011330/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Mobile-esports-shine-on-Asian-Games-debut |archive-date=7 September 2018}}{{cite news |title=A Guide to Esports at the 2018 Asian Games – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer |url=https://archive.esportsobserver.com/esports-asian-games/ |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=Esports Observer |date=30 August 2018}} Esports became a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China in 2023 boosting the discipline's bid for recognition as a legitimate sport. The event for the postponed games, featured seven titles.{{Cite web|last=Ahmed|first=Wasif|date=2021-09-08|title=Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China will feature 8 esports games as medal events|url=https://dotesports.com/general/news/asian-games-2022-in-hangzhou-china-will-feature-eight-esports-games-as-medal-events|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Dot Esports|language=en-US|archive-date=7 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107035341/https://dotesports.com/general/news/asian-games-2022-in-hangzhou-china-will-feature-eight-esports-games-as-medal-events|url-status=live}} Hearthstone was supposed to be the eight title but was scrapped due to license expiry issue.{{Cite web|title=取消《炉石传说》 杭州亚运会电竞将设7个比赛项目_杭州2022年第19届亚运会官网|url=https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/xwzx/jdxw/ttxw/202303/t20230316_57469.shtml|access-date=2023-07-29|website=www.hangzhou2022.cn|archive-date=2023-07-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729011500/https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/xwzx/jdxw/ttxw/202303/t20230316_57469.shtml|url-status=live|language=zh}}
The discipline is still set to be held in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan.{{cite web |title=Esports Continues To Stage As An Official Medal Sport At The 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |url=https://www.aesf.com/news-media/esports-continues-to-stage-as-an-official-medal-sport-at-the-20th-asian-games-aichi-nagoya-2026 |publisher=Asian Electronic Sports Federation |access-date=1 October 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Asian Games: Esports make debut as medal events, welcomed by fans |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/485b3e64d60b-asian-games-esports-make-debut-as-medal-events-welcomed-by-fans.html |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=Kyodo News+}}
Editions
Events
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
! width="200"|Event | width=20|18 | width=20|22 | width=20|26 | width=40|Years |
| bgcolor=#DDDDDD
|colspan=5| | ||||
| colspan=5| Individual | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left| Clash Royale | d | 0 | ||
| align=left| EA Sports FC Online | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| eFootball | d | X | 1 | |
| align=left| Gran Turismo 7 | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Hearthstone | d | 0 | ||
| align=left| Honor of Kings | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Naraka: Bladepoint | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Puyo Puyo Champions | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| StarCraft II | d | 0 | ||
| align=left| Street Fighter V | X | {{efn|A Street Fighter game along with two other titles will be contested in the "Competitive Martial Arts" event}} | 1 | |
| colspan=5| Team | ||||
| align=left| Arena of Valor | d | X | 1 | |
| align=left| Dota 2 | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Dream Three Kingdoms 2 | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Identity V | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| League of Legends | d | X | X | 2 |
| align=left| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| Pokémon Unite | X | 1 | ||
| align=left| PUBG Mobile | X | X | 2 | |
| align=left| Competitive Martial Arts | X{{efn|Covers three titles: Street Fighter, Tekken, The King of Fighters. Only one medal will be awarded.{{cite web |title=OCA announces e-sports titles for 2026 Asian Games |url=https://oca.asia/news/5979-oca-announces-e-sports-titles-for-2026-asian-games.html |publisher=Olympic Council of Asia |access-date=23 February 2025}}}} | 1 | ||
| bgcolor=#DDDDDD
|colspan=5| | ||||
| Total || 0 || 7 || 11 || |
Medal table
{{Medals table
| caption =
| host =
| flag_template = flagIOC2team
| event = Asian Games
| team =
| gold_CHN = 4 | silver_CHN = 0 | bronze_CHN = 1
| gold_THA = 1 | silver_THA = 1 | bronze_THA = 2
| gold_MAS = 0 | silver_MAS = 1 | bronze_MAS = 1
| gold_MGL = 0 | silver_MGL = 1 | bronze_MGL = 0
| gold_KOR = 2 | silver_KOR = 1 | bronze_KOR = 1
| gold_TPE = 0 | silver_TPE = 2 | bronze_TPE = 2
| gold_HKG = 0 | silver_HKG = 1 | bronze_HKG = 0
}}
Participating nations
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! width=180|Nation ! width=20|18 ! width=20|22 ! width=40|Years | ||
| style="background:#DDDDDD;"
|colspan=4| | ||
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|BRN|Asian Games}}
| | 4 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|CHN|Asian Games}}
|13 | 31 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|TPE|Asian Games}}
|13 | 19 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|HKG|Asian Games}}
|9 | 31 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|IND|Asian Games}}
|9 | 15 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|INA|Asian Games}}
|17 | 13 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|IRI|Asian Games}}
|3 | 1 | |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|JPN|Asian Games}}
|3 | 12 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|JOR|Asian Games}}
| | 7 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|KAZ|Asian Games}}
|9 | 28 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|KUW|Asian Games}}
| | 1 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|KGZ|Asian Games}}
|1 | 15 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|LAO|Asian Games}}
|6 | 15 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|MAC|Asian Games}}
| | 19 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|MAS|Asian Games}}
|2 | 19 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|MDV|Asian Games}}
| | 13 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|MGL|Asian Games}}
| | 10 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|MYA|Asian Games}}
| | 16 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|NEP|Asian Games}}
| | 22 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|PAK|Asian Games}}
|6 | 1 | |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|PLE|Asian Games}}
| | 12 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|PHI|Asian Games}}
| | 25 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|QAT|Asian Games}}
| | 4 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|KSA|Asian Games}}
|7 | 21 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|SGP|Asian Games}}
| | 1 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|KOR|Asian Games}}
|7 | 15 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|SRI|Asian Games}}
|1 | 4 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|TJK|Asian Games}}
| | 12 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|THA|Asian Games}}
|7 | 32 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|UAE|Asian Games}}
| | 10 | 1 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|UZB|Asian Games}}
|1 | 23 | 2 |
| align=left|{{flagIOC2|VIE|Asian Games}}
|17 | 26 | 2 |
| style="background:#DDDDDD;"
|colspan=4| | ||
| Number of nations || 18 || 30 || | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number of athletes || 131 || 475 || |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sports at the Asian Games}}
{{Esports at the Asian Games}}
{{Esports competitions}}