Esports' inclusion at the Asian Games adds "legitimacy" to the industry, it has been claimed ©Getty Images

Its inclusion on the Asian Games schedule adds legitimacy to esports, claims India Krafton head of publishing Aneesh Aravind.

Esports will make its debut as a medal sport at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games next year, 

There will be eight medal events, plus two demonstration games.

Titles at the event will include EA Sports FIFA, League of Legends, Street Fighter V, Arena of Valor Asian Games version, PUBG Mobile Asian Games version, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2 and Hearthstone.

And Aravind says esports inclusion on the sporting programme at the event is only good for the discipline.

Esports featured at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games as a demonstration event ©Getty Images
Esports featured at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games as a demonstration event ©Getty Images

"Esports being a part of the Asian Games certainly adds a lot of legitimacy," said Aravind at the India Today Conclave 2021 in a session titled "King Kong: The multi-billion-dollar world of gaming. And why is India still playing catch-up."

Aravind added: "Not just for the games that are participating, but for the entire video game industry. 

"Certainly, participating and competing for your country is a great feeling."

On the logistics, Aravind said; "They have announced the eight games that will be considered medal events in the Asian Games, and the Olympics Committee and the Asian Games Federation are figuring out a format and logistics as to how this should be conducted."

Esports featured as a demonstration event at the last Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, with China topping the unofficial medal table, with three medals, two of which were gold.