LAUSANNE - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday that it will pursue a new direction for the Olympic Esports Games.

The move follows a mutual decision to end its current cooperation with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) and the Esports World Cup Foundation.

This decision marks the conclusion of a year-long collaboration aimed at launching the inaugural edition of the Olympic Esports Games.

ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia to launch Esports World Cup

According to the IOC statement, the IOC, the SOPC and the Esports World Cup Foundation have been engaged in extensive discussions over the past year, building on their 2024 partnership to develop the concept of the Olympic Esports Games. However, after review, "they mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games. At the same time, both parties are committed to pursuing their own esports ambitions on separate paths," the statement read.

The IOC also emphasized that, even if this marks the end of the current collaboration, it remains committed to the long-term vision of the Olympic Esports Games. The statement notes that the IOC will now take into account the valuable feedback from its "Pause and Reflect" process to craft a new partnership model.

"This approach will be a chance to better fit the Olympic Esports Games to the long-term ambitions of the Olympic Movement and to spread the opportunities presented by the Olympic Esports Games more widely, with the objective of having the inaugural Games as soon as possible," the IOC said.

READ MORE: Inaugural Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia postponed to 2027

The decision to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games was officially announced during the 142nd IOC Session in July 2024. The Games was originally scheduled for this year but was postponed to 2027 as the IOC announced this February.