With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games opening in just over 500 days, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced the creation of its first official video game with the aim of boosting the popularity of Paralympic sports.
This innovative use of video games is part of the IPC’s strategy to increase the youth market engagement in the Paralympic Games, an event that is now widely regarded as the world’s third biggest sports event after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup.
The video game is being created by JP GAMES, a new game developing studio founded by Hajime Tabata, creator of many popular role-playing games.
The Pegasus Dream Tour, the first title to be released by JP GAMES, is a sports role-playing game, where players participate in a virtual Paralympic Games that takes place inside a fantasy metropolis known as Pegasus City.
Here, players awaken their special abilities, or “Xtra Power,” in an alternate Paralympics world. The developers plan to make the game accessible on various platforms, including smartphones.
“The sport at the Paralympics is outstanding and helps transform attitudes towards persons with disabilities like no other event,” said Andrew Parsons, IPC president. “I am really excited to see and play this game and see how the outstanding abilities of Para athletes are represented.”
Hajime Tabata commented: “This is not just an ordinary video game about sports. JP GAMES is going to represent fully the wonders that are unique to Paralympic sports in this brand-new role-playing game—a genre we excel in.
“With this video game, we want to contribute to the future growth of the Paralympic Games, not just as a sporting event, but as entertainment as well, with contents that we hope will have lasting value in the future.”