The German Games Industry Association appeals to IOC President Bach to take part in an impartial dialogue on eSports

Photo: ESL | Helena Kristiansson
 
Berlin, 23 May 2018 – game – the German Games Industry Association today published an open letter to the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, calling for an impartial examination of, and a mutual dialogue on, e-sports.
 
The appeal from game is in response to an interview with Bach published by Mannheimer Morgen and the Sport-Informations-Dienst in which he shows interest in e-sports, but says that only games with sporting content have prospective Olympic e-sport relevance. At the same time, he categorically excludes computer and video games that violate the values of the IOC, naming as examples games that glorify violence. In its letter, game points out that ‘games that glorify violence are prohibited by German law across the board’ and that ‘this description does not apply to a single e-sports title’. Felix Falk, Managing Director of game, calls on IOC President Bach in the letter to ‘work together in an unprejudiced way to find common ground and utilise the great opportunities before us,’ and invites him to attend gamescom 2018 in Cologne to get to know the games culture more closely and to visit e-sports tournaments. game – the German Games Industry Association is a sponsor of gamescom, the world’s largest computer and video games event, which takes place this year from 21 to 25 August in Cologne.
 
The full letter from game to IOC President Thomas Bach can be viewed here.

game – the German Games Industry Association

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members include developers, publishers and many other games industry actors such as e-sports event organisers, educational establishments and service providers. As the sponsor of gamescom, we are responsible for the world’s biggest event for computer and video games. We are an expert partner for media and for political and social institutions, and answer questions relating to market development, games culture and media literacy. Our mission is to make Germany the best games location.

Press contact:

Martin Puppe
game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche e. V.
Charlottenstraße 62
10117 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30 2408779-20
Email: martin.puppe@game.de
www.game.de
Twitter: @game_verband
Facebook.com/game.verband

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