2023 Year in Review: WBSC’s exhilarating, electrifying and elevating year in eSport
WBSC celebrates a successful year in eSport, which was highlighted by the release of the new WBSC official game WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS.
The year 2023 continues to be another significant one for WBSC eSport as it provided a platform that showcases the true versatility and universality of baseball, not only allowing everyone to enjoy the beauty of the sport in its digital format, but also encouraging participants to compete at the highest level.
In February, the WBSC attracted new audiences to the sport through the launch of the WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS, the latest title in the PAWAFURU PUROYAKYU (Powerful Pro-Baseball) series, a Japanese baseball video game series created by Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. (KONAMI).
Downloads of the game exploded as it reached 140 countries less than two months after its publication.
The WBSC followed that up with the launch of another big concept together with KONAMI, revealing the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series and the WBSC ePremier12™ at the Tokyo Game Show 2023, one of the biggest gaming Expos in Japan.
The WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series, which features weekly online and offline tournaments on the WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS, has more exciting editions in store next year as well before it culminates with the ePremier12™, where the final will take place at the famed Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital.
National Federations and partners are featured in the weekly tournaments, where the in-game stadium is decorated with the stakeholders’ branding.
This year, the USA Finals, which was one of the qualifiers, was one of the highlights with a physical event at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is the home of Major League Baseball’s Triple-A affiliate Tampa Bay Rays and one of the most iconic minor league ballparks in the United States.
The WBSC official game’s biggest exposure was at the finals of the Olympic Esports Series 2023, which took place in Singapore and where it was one of the 10 virtual sports in the programme.
The baseball event of the Olympic Esports Series 2023 had qualifying rounds online and offline with the Japan and global qualifiers.
Ten finalists competed in the WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS finals during the Olympic Esports Week 2023, with Japan’s Shoma Mori “SHORA” winning the trophy, a repeat of his Olympic Virtual Series triumph in 2021.
The WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS competition amassed nearly two million views when it was live streamed on the YouTube platform of the Olympic channel.
The man behind the vision to empower baseball through eSport, WBSC president Riccardo Fraccari, has been named to the IOC Esports Commission for leading the WBSC in this area.
The IOC created the commission in recognition of the enormous potential that eSport in engaging the next generation and helping to provide opportunities to athletes and fans and President Fraccari's presence is a great illustration of the impact the WBSC has had in this area and the exciting future ahead..
