Alibaba Backs Decision To Add Video Games To 'Asia Olympics'

BEIJING, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2017 ) : Online retail giant Alibaba Thursday batted down criticism over a decision to add e-sports to the lineup of the 2022 Asia Games in China.

The decision by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Monday to debut the new category during the games in the eastern city of Hangzhou raised eyebrows, with many commenters wondering whether the category was an appropriate addition to the competition.

E-sports, or video games, are enormously popular throughout Asia, where fans fill huge stadiums to watch top players fight on the virtual battlefields of games like Starcraft and League of Legends.

But many have questioned whether the events are appropriate for inclusion in a competition that has focused on more traditional sports like track and field. Others have raised concerns about the potentially addictive qualities of the games, which have reportedly led students to drop out of school or even play themselves to death.

But Alisports -- Alibaba's sport division that will be partnering with the OCA to promote the event -- told AFP that e-sports were not simply video games.