Fortnite is now an Olympic sport; here's what it means for gamers

Are you a Fortnite enthusiast dreaming of Olympic glory? Your time has come. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has added Fortnite to the Olympic Esports Finals lineup, marking a new chapter in the esports world.

Twelve players from the Fortnite Champion Series will compete in an International Shooting Sport Federation-backed sharpshooting competition on a specially designed Fortnite Creative Island. While there won't be any last-one-standing battles or building demonstrations, this event gives audiences a chance to witness some of the world's best virtual sports shooters in action.

In conjunction with this new development, the IOC has also opened up ticket sales for the Olympic Esports Week. The event will showcase the first in-person finals of the 2023 competition series, centred around nine games that closely resemble real-world sports run by international federations. The esports series includes Just Dance, Gran Turismo racing, Zwift cycling, and web chess.

The Olympic Virtual Series in 2021 covered five digital sports, and this is a follow-up to that event. The IOC views these events as part of a larger effort to promote esports and foster connections with the video game community.

The addition of a Fortnite island is consistent with the Committee's esports goals, as it represents a "peaceful competition" with a physical equivalent. Although digital Olympics featuring Counter-Strike 2 or League of Legends are not yet on the horizon, Fortnite's popularity as an Esports Series game will likely attract audiences who might otherwise not be interested in conventional esports tournaments.

If you're interested in attending the event in person, Olympic Esports Week will take place in Singapore from June 22nd to June 25th, with tickets available for $7.50 for a single day or $15 for all three days of competition, which begins on June 23rd. If you can't make it to the event, you can still stream the competitions through both Olympics.com and the Olympics' social media channels.

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