Review of World Esports Summit #Day 1
New Information and Voices of the Field
The World Esports Summit marks its 10th edition this year. Given that it is an annual event, it has a history spanning over a decade. The World Esports Summit 2025, sharing the events and developments of 2025, was held over two days on February 10th and 11th.
I originally planned to write this review a week after attending, but I thought it would be more helpful to organize and post it while my memory is still fresh. So, I am writing this manuscript right now on the train heading up to Seoul.
To my international readers, I apologize, but personally, I don’t feel that the round trip between Seoul and Busan is a short distance. I feel this especially more so recently since I’ve been traveling to Daejeon frequently. Nevertheless, I never felt that this event was a waste of time. I was able to exchange various insights and information through each session. It was particularly good to find a lot of the latest on-site information that cannot be found on the internet.
Now, let’s stop the small talk and go through the event in order. Please understand that there may be errors or variations as this is written based on personal memories, notes, and publicly available materials.
Why is the International Esports Federation Important for Esports? - Kim Young-man, President of KeSPA
If a group exists, explaining “why it must exist” plays a very important role in granting legitimacy to that organization. A common phrase used when criticizing a specific association or group is, “So, what do they actually do?”
From this perspective, preaching the necessity of the International Esports Federation (IESF) was a very important topic mentioned by Kim Young-man, the head of the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) and Vice President of the IESF. In his presentation, President Kim introduced successful cases of the esports governance model in Korea, the enactment of the Esports Promotion Act, and the Esports Fair Trade Committee. Through this, he emphasized why it is important to create ‘Standards’ in the international community. Ultimately, the reason the federation must exist goes beyond simply hosting tournaments; it is to establish a institutional foundation that guarantees the ‘Sustainability’ of the industry.
Personally, while I understood that the association is carrying out many tasks and that these tasks are very important, I felt that there were a few items that did not operate smoothly from the perspective of a general consumer. Also, while the standardization of esports was emphasized, I thought it was necessary for the association of the originator country of esports to step up more actively and take the lead in standardization. You can check more details on this part in the news article below.
https://www.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=1770695637
The sessions that followed the keynote speech dug into the importance of this governance very concretely from different perspectives—Diplomacy, Academia, Traditional Sports, and Technology. I will share the key insights I hurriedly jotted down in my notepad for each session.
Esports & Diplomacy - Panel Discussion
The first session was ‘Esports & Diplomacy’. In fact, the phrase “doing diplomacy through games” might sound like cloud-cuckoo-land talk. However, the atmosphere at the venue was quite serious. The panelists focused on the fact that esports can act as an ‘Accelerator’ to improve relations between countries, rather than traditional diplomacy (Protocol-centered).
In particular, the remarks of Professor Nam Young-sook, who served as the former ambassador to Norway and Iceland, were impressive. She analyzed that the success factor of Korean esports was not simply ‘because there are many PC Bangs’, but the result of a combination of consistency of infrastructure, reliability of the system, and the narrative of a technological powerhouse. The point that a strategy fitting the local context of each country is needed, rather than simply copying Korea, must have been advice that pierced the core for esports officials from each country.
At the same time, voices warning against ‘Over-politicization’ also emerged. The warning that if esports is used solely as a tool for techno-nationalism or propaganda, it will lose the trust of the youth, who are the most important subjects, was a passage we all need to take to heart.
From Industry Practice to Institutional Research - Panel Discussion
In the following ‘From Industry Practice to Institutional Research’ session, the concerns of the academic world were glimpsed. In the discussion among professors, including Song Sung-rok, President of the Korea Esports Industry Association, the keyword that struck my mind the most was ‘Olympic Studies’.
The reason the Olympics could last for over 100 years was not simply because they were athletic competitions, but because there was philosophical and academic support backing them. Dr. Cho Hyun-joo emphasized that esports must also prove its ‘Public Value’ beyond a simple industry to draw government support.
Also, as Professor Lee Sang-ho pointed out, the argument that esports should be established as an ‘Independent Discipline (Esports Studies)’, not a stepchild of physical education, suggested that we must now move to the next stage beyond the exhaustive debate of ‘Is it a game or a sport?’.
Beyond the Arena (Sport and Esports Converge) - Panel Discussion
In the ‘Beyond the Arena’ session, which was the most interesting of the afternoon sessions, all panelists nailed down the tired question, “Is esports a sport?” by saying, “It is a reality that no longer needs to be debated.” It was not simply an emotional claim, but because the data presented by the panelists was so overwhelming.
The most shocking figure was that the sales volume of NBA-related games (NBA 2K, etc.) reached a whopping 150 Million Copies. This means that there may be more people learning basketball rules by holding a game pad than people holding a basketball on a real court. In other words, esports has now become the most powerful ‘Entry’ point for attracting fans to traditional sports.
The case of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) shows this speed difference more clearly. In the past, it took 10 years to create an event in which more than 50 national associations participated in the traditional way, but upon introducing ‘E-Basketball’, more than 150 national associations participated in just one year. The scalability that shortens 10 years to 1 year is the reason why traditional sports accept esports as a ‘Survival Necessity’.
The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) also had a clear stance. Motorsport is a high-cost sport with very high entry barriers, and Sim Racing is the key means to lower those barriers. In motorsport, where the boundary between digital and reality is the faintest, esports has become an essential training and introductory process, not a choice.
However, the issue of governance on the stage of the Olympics still remains as homework. National Olympic Committees (NOCs) lack the know-how on how to select esports players. Ultimately, it was emphasized that each country’s National Federation (NF) must lead the Qualifiers and fill in the expertise.
Partnering for Success - Panel Discussion
The ‘Partnering for Success’ session dealt with the always prickly topic of the ‘relationship between game companies (publishers) and associations’. The consensus was that the days when associations stood in confrontation with publishers, saying “We will take the initiative in this game,” are now over.
The remarks of the representative of the Nordic Esports Federation hit the nail on the head. The association nurtures about 30,000 Grassroots players, starting from 7-year-old children, and plays a role in helping them eventually flow into the publisher’s ecosystem. The association is doing the ‘groundwork’ that is difficult for publishers to do.
In response, officials from PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends (MLBB) also responded positively. They clearly stated that they expect the association to play the role of a ‘Government Ambassador’. A global game company cannot directly solve visa problems, doping issues, or government regulations in every country in the world. At this time, they want the association to become a partner that persuades the government and solves administrative problems.
The measure of success has also changed. It’s not just about how much money was made, but ‘Cross-pollination’ has become important. As the official said, true success is when a virtuous cycle is created where existing basketball fans become game users, and game users become real basketball fans again.
Discussions on expanding the participation of female gamers were also impressive. The MLBB side suggested that in order to break social prejudice, they should initially provide a safe environment called ‘Women’s Invitational’ to create role models, and ultimately move towards a future where mixed teams compete.
AI and Esports - Panel Discussion
The final session, ‘AI and Esports’, went beyond simple praise of technology and pointed out very realistic and ethical threats.
Professor Seth Jenny, from a Researcher’s perspective, warned of the dangers of ‘Real-time Intervention’. Receiving AI coaching during training is fine, but if AI dictates strategy in real-time during a match, it becomes an ‘Unfair advantage’. This is no different from AI giving advice in a game of Go. Therefore, clear regulations are needed, such as only allowing it during timeouts.
Security expert Nikita Ignatyev used a very appropriate analogy called ‘ISOFIX’ (International Standard for Attachment Points for Child Safety Seats). Just as safety devices for children are standardized in cars, standardized safety devices are needed in esports in the AI era to protect children and adolescents from cyberbullying or fraud. The point that unconditional prohibition would only drive technology underground was also painful.
Another panelist raised the issue of ‘Data Sovereignty’. In Sim Racing, telemetry data is input for AI analysis, but what if this sensitive strategy data is leaked and passed on to the opposing team? This is a fatal problem that can reverse the outcome of a match beyond simple hacking.
Ultimately, AI is an irresistible trend, but it was a time to share the sense of crisis that if ethical guidelines on “how far to allow” and data security legislation are not prepared, the foundation of fairness in esports could be shaken.
This concludes the summary of the main topics of the World Esports Summit 2025!
My column usually goes up a bit earlier, but I’m writing this a few hours later than usual to ensure timeliness after attending the event yesterday. I will also organize and upload the content related to Day 2. Please look forward to it! :)