Andrei Arshavin, the former Zenit St. Petersburg and Arsenal forward, admitted he didn’t quite grasp how the Games of the Future would integrate with e-sports events. His comments were noted by RIA News as he reflected on the evolving scene.
He recalled that his peers back then preferred socializing with drinks over playing video games, a contrast to today’s competitive gaming culture.
“I watched some matches of Counter-Strike and Dota and found them hard to follow,” he said. “I spent very little time with games. In my era, gaming wasn’t a thing; people drank more and chilled with friends.”
Arshavin retired from professional football in 2018. Following his playing days, he moved into television punditry and took on roles within Zenit as well.
The phygital tournament Games of the Future is scheduled to run from February 21 to March 3. The sports program features 21 innovative disciplines and will be hosted across ten venues in Kazan and Sochi. Among the highlights is the G-Drive phygital racing event in which athletes will compete for the best times on both virtual tracks and the real-world racecourse, demonstrating a blend of digital speed and physical performance.
Earlier reports mentioned that the son of a Real Madrid icon might participate alongside Messi, illustrating the high-profile intrigue surrounding the event.