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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is taking its next steps into esports competitions, and it\u2019s adding chess and Just Dance<\/em> to the mix.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In June, the IOC will host Olympic Esports Week<\/a>, which expands upon the Olympic Virtual Series it put on in 2021<\/a> with some new events. Like the Olympic Virtual Series, Olympic Esports Week will focus on virtual representations of physical activities. While that means you won\u2019t see any Overwatch 2<\/em> gold medalists, the IOC is adding some entries to the lineup that adhere less to the traditional concept of \u201csport.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n New for Olympic Esports Week are archery, tennis, tae kwon do, Just Dance<\/em> (Ubisoft\u2019s hit dancing franchise), and chess, which will sit alongside returning competitions in motorsport (via Gran Turismo<\/em>), cycling, baseball, and sailing. Chess, to me, feels particularly notable given how huge it has become on Twitch<\/a>, and I think there could be a huge draw to watching the fight for the first Olympic esports chess champion. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Olympic Esports Week technically kicks off today, March 1st, with initial qualifiers. The competitions will conclude with an in-person event that\u2019s set to take place in Singapore from June 22nd to 25th.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n