Earlier today, Xbox revealed in an official blog post that they would be working with the Special Olympics to create the inaugural Gaming for Inclusion Esports Tournament. Set to take place from Sept. 12-14, the event will see these athletes and Unified partners compete in Rocket League, Madden NFL 22, and Forza Motorsport 7 on Xbox.
The winners for each game will then play alongside celebrity supporters of Special Olympics, including NBA superstar Jayson Tatum, NFL legend Jamaal Charles, and WWE Superstars on Sept 18. When commenting on this event, Head of Xbox Social Impact Jenn Panattoni had the following to say:
“We’re ecstatic to build upon Microsoft’s partnership with Special Olympics, which first began in 2014, to further focus on gaming and host Gaming for Inclusion. At Xbox, our goal is to make gaming inclusive and welcoming to all players so that everyone can experience the joys of gaming. This tournament is a meaningful and important step in making esports more accessible and it empowers Special Olympics athletes with a new way to compete.
The competitions will be hosted by Microsoft’s esports platform Smash.gg via a bracket-style tournament that will crown champions for each title. Anyone interested in viewing the event can watch via the Xbox Twitch channel and the Special Olympics YouTube channel on the following days:
- Sunday, September 12: Rocket League Tournament
- Monday, September 13: Forza Motorsport 7 Tournament
- Tuesday, September 14: Madden NFL 22 Tournament
- Saturday, September 18: Celebrity Showcase with winners from tournaments earlier in the week
Once the inaugural Gaming for Inclusion Esports Tournament has concluded, the Special Olympics Programs will have training on how to set up local tournaments through Smash.gg year-round. This will allow participants to practice and compete in preparation for the next Gaming for Inclusion experience in 2022 and all of the others that will follow.
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