Grimstad, Norway – 03.09.2025 – Esports is moving beyond gaming to become a powerful platform for education, health, innovation, and community engagement. A new vision paper, “Level Up Together: A Vision for Esports in Norway’s Digital Society”, developed through the Norwegian Esports Summit 2025 (NES) and facilitated by the University of Agder, highlights how esports can support Norway’s digital transformation.
The paper outlines how esports can contribute to inclusion, equity, participation, and sustainability, not as a niche activity, but as a strategic partner in building a more connected and resilient digital society.
“Esports is already delivering measurable value to Norwegian society. Be it from classrooms to communities, and from grassroots clubs to global careers. Now we must move from fragmented efforts to a shared vision that makes esports a cornerstone of Norway’s inclusive digital society,” says Rune Andersen, co-author of the vision paper and Associate Professor at the University of Agder.
“Grassroots esports is about creating safe and empowering spaces where young people feel they belong. In local clubs and communities, esports helps develop teamwork, responsibility, and confidence—skills that last far beyond the game itself,” adds André Baumann, co-author of the vision paper and CEO of the Bredde-e-sport Alliansen
Key Areas of Impact
The vision paper highlights four domains where esports is already making an impact and can grow further:
- Education & Lifelong Learning – Using play as a tool for competence, creativity, and engagement.
- Health & Well-being – Building sustainable digital lifestyles and resilience.
- Innovation & Glocal Development – Connecting local communities to global opportunities.
- Grassroots & Community Sport – Strengthening belonging, inclusion, and civic engagement.
A Shared Call for Action
The authors advocate for closer collaboration among policymakers, educators, businesses, and communities to establish a national framework for esports. Such an approach would allow Norway to lead globally in harnessing esports for societal benefit.
About the Project
Level Up Together: A Vision for Esports in Norway’s Digital Society emerged from cross-sector discussions at the Norwegian Esports Summit 2025, which brought together educators, researchers, public health experts, grassroots organisations, and industry professionals.
The complete report “Level Up Together: A Vision for Esports in Norway’s Digital Society” can be downloaded here: https://academicesports.net/Norway_Esports_VisionPaper_2025.pdf
Contact
Prof. Dr. Tobias Scholz
University of Agder
tobias.scholz@uia.no