2026 Asian Games expands Esports line-up to 11 games, eyes Indian talent

It is the turn for India to make a significant impact in esports, as the 2026 Asian Games receives a major boost with an expanded line-up of titles. The Olympic Council of Asia have announced an inclusion of eleven esports titles. As reports suggest, the OCA board have come up with a significant development during a meet in China regarding the inclusion of the games as medal winning events of 2026. 

Here is the list of the games included in the 2026 Asian Games:

1. Pokemon Unite

2. Street Fighter 6

3. PUBG- Asian Version

4.  League of Legends- Asian Version

5. Gran Turismo 7

6. Naraka: Bladepoint

7. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

8. Puyo Puyo Champions 

9. e-football series

10. Honor of Kings

11. Dream of 3 Kingdoms

Several players from India have been participating in many global events expanding the industry reach. This move helps in creating a significant impact and offers a promising platform for aspiring athletes. 

A healthy signal for the Esports industry

MD and Co-founder of NODWIN, Akshat Rathee expresses his views on the same. He said, “The e-sports lineup for the 2026 Asian Games presents an interesting mix of titles across genres like strategy, action and sports simulation. The continued involvement of Olympic bodies in e-sports, from the Asian Games to the upcoming Olympic Esports Games in 2027, is a healthy signal for the industry.”

He also said that this is an exciting time and steps like these will provide opportunities for players to help compete at the high-level competition which will be similar to other traditional sports. “NODWIN Gaming remains committed to building a strong competitive ecosystem that helps Indian players prepare for and excel in these international events,” he added.

Another founder of S8UL, Animesh Agarwal, said that it is a huge leap to include 11 esports titles to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 games.This is a great initiative which will help give a platform to the Indian talent at large. 

“With titles like Pokémon Unite, where Indian teams, including S8UL, have made their mark on the world stage multiple times, and e-Football, in which India recently clinched a bronze at the Asian E-sports Games, this expansion presents a huge opportunity for Indian athletes to shine. We have already seen the impact of titles like League of Legends and Street Fighter 6 in the last edition, and this growing recognition of e-sports at multi-sports international events has become the aspiration of countless Indian players. We at S8UL are excited to support and witness the next generation of champions emerge on this grand stage,” said Agarwal.