Though there’s ground to cover before esports can become an Olympic sport, that doesn’t mean industry leaders aren’t trying. This past week, prior to the start of the Winter Games, Intel hosted the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) PyeongChang tournament.
Designed in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), 18 players competed for a $150,000 prize pool in the game ‘StarCraft II.’ Considered to be a “tryout” of sorts for esports’ future inclusion in the actual Games, IEM didn’t feature a massive crowd. Instead, given the small prep time (Intel sponsorship was announced in June), the event took place outside of the Olympic Park.