The Olympic Council of Asia has confirmed that the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, scheduled from September 9 to October 4, will feature 11 medal-contending esports titles.
Curated Esports Lineup
The esports titles selected span both Chinese and Japanese developers, with six games published by Chinese studios and five by Japanese studios. The roster includes:
- Competitive Martial Arts (Only one medal)
- Street Fighter Series (Capcom)
- Tekken Series (NAMCO BANDAI)
- King of Fighter Series (SNK and Nintendo)
- Pokemon UNITE (Tencent’s TiMi Studio Group and Nintendo’s The Pokemon Company)
- Honor of Kings (Tencent’s TiMi Studio Group)
- League of Legends – Asian Games Version (Tencent’s Riot Games)
- PUBG Mobile – Asian Games Version (Tencent’s Lightspeed Studios)
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Moonton)
- Identity V (NetEase)
- Naraka: Bladepoint (NetEase)
- Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital)
- eFootball Series (Konami Group)
- Puyo Puyo Champions (Sega)
Notably, Electronic Arts’ EA Sports FC has been replaced by Konami’s eFootball Series, aligning with the host nation’s game development ecosystem.
Regional Performances and Competitive Implications
Chinese teams have demonstrated strong performances in titles such as Honor of Kings, Identity V, and Naraka: Bladepoint, positioning them favorably for at least four gold medals. Meanwhile, regional powerhouses continue to display competitive resilience—South Korea’s League of Legends team clinched victory at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, and Japanese competitors have shown notable strength in Competitive Martial Arts games.
The Dota 2 Conundrum
One of the more conspicuous omissions is Valve’s Dota 2, a title with a distinct presence in Japan’s esports scene, including a dedicated domestic server and the well-known Dota Mara Cup, an event offering unconventional prizes such as oysters and beef. Sources familiar with the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games cited production and broadcasting challenges as likely factors behind the exclusion. “Unlike League of Legends, which maintains a relatively consistent 25-35 minute match duration, Dota 2 games can range from 20 minutes to over an hour, and sometimes exceed 100 minutes,” a source shared. “Complicating scheduling and live broadcast requirements.”
Implications for Industry Stakeholders
For investors, sponsors, and industry executives, the strategic selection of titles at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games reflects broader trends in regional market dynamics and broadcast optimization. The exclusion of Dota 2 signals a calculated move to streamline production and maximize viewership engagement, aligning with the stringent broadcasting protocols of high-stakes international sporting events.
As the esports landscape continues to evolve, the choices made by the Olympic Council of Asia and regional stakeholders offer key insights into future tournament formats and the balancing act between competitive integrity and media viability.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to fix an error on the publisher of TEKKEN. We apologize for that error.