Almost 70% of Russians support the development of esports — this data was presented by VCIOM based on the results of a survey conducted on June 12–13 among 1,600 adult citizens.
31% of respondents are confident that Russia should develop this area, and another 38% believe that it "should rather" be developed. Only 12% of those surveyed are rather negative, and 5% are against esports. At the same time, 46% of study participants stated that they would positively regard their child's interest in esports, 10% — indifferently, and 29% — rather negatively. Every fourth Russian has watched esports tournaments at least once.
The popularity of computer games in Russia remains high. The most popular genres are logic games (50%) and strategies (41%). Men more often choose shooters, strategies, and action games, while women choose logic games, quests, and arcades. Young people under 35 are more interested in shooters, role-playing games, and simulators. Among games of domestic development, Atomic Heart, Warface, «Смута», Escape from Tarkov, and «Бесконечное лето» are well-known to this age group, while the older generation remembers «Дальнобойщики», «Петьку и Василия Ивановича», and «Корсаров».
Against the backdrop of growing interest in esports, the Ministry of Sports has developed a new federal standard of sports training for this discipline. The document was published on June 24 and may come into force as early as January 2026. According to it, to obtain a qualification, an esports athlete must confirm their physical fitness: run 30 meters (in 5.8 seconds for men and 6.1 for women), perform shuttle running and push-ups, and pass a click test — at least 180 mouse clicks in 30 seconds. Authorized organizations must provide athletes with equipment and pay for logistics when participating in competitions. The document also establishes requirements for training grounds — the presence of locker rooms, showers, gyms, and medical support.
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