For the first time in national sports history, esports has been officially recognized as a sport in the Pekan Olahraga Nasional (PON), following its debut as an exhibition sport at PON XX in Papua. 

The esports event, held with a vibrant sportainment concept, featured a blend of audio-visual technology with a sporty, digital, and Indonesian cultural ambiance. The opening ceremony at the Medan International Convention Center received praise from the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotedjo.

During the event, the Minister described the esports venue as one of the best at PON XXI 2024 Aceh-Sumut and appreciated the Indonesian Esports Association (PB ESI) for its competence in supporting the development of esports in Indonesia with a visionary approach. The impressive achievements of Indonesian esports on the global stage are a testament to this competence.

“Besides scouting potential talents from across the country who are expected to continue the glory of Indonesian esports in international championships, and enhancing the positive impact of esports on the creative economy and various industries, the esports event at PON XXI 2024 in Medan is hoped to be an effective preparation step for Indonesia toward hosting the first Esports Olympics in 2025,” said the Minister.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of PB ESI, Commissioner General of Police (ret.) Drs. Bambang Sunarwibowo, S.H., M.Hum., emphasized the importance of continued support for local games created by the nation's youth to strengthen their development not only nationally but also internationally, alongside world-class games.

“There are two local games featured at PON XXI 2024 Aceh-Sumut. One game, Lokapala, will compete for PON medals, while another local game, Battle of Guardians (BOG), will be featured as an exhibition game,” said the Secretary-General of PB ESI.

He added, “In addition to representing national innovation, these local games carry Indonesian values that will positively introduce Indonesia’s identity to the world when they achieve international success. The presence of local games at PON reaffirms our commitment to providing as much space as possible for them to continue growing and becoming internationally recognized.”

7 Game Categories Featured, Including 2 Exhibition Games

At PON XXI 2024 Aceh-Sumatera Utara, esports will feature 7 game categories. Five official PON game categories providing medals are Mobile Legends: Bang-Bang (MLBB), PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, eFootball, and the local game Lokapala. The exhibition games include one local game, Battle of Guardians (BOG), and the trending game, Honor of Kings (HOK).

The main esports event at PON XXI 2024 Aceh-Sumatera Utara will involve representatives from 24 provinces, consisting of 260 athletes and 52 esports teams, as well as 16 athletes and 6 teams participating in the exhibition games. The esports event will take place from September 13 to September 19, 2024.