POST STUFF
In the Gold Mine added on Jul 10 2008
|
 by Lipton, Level 54
Last updated at July 15, 2008, 10:47 pm
|
|
Slap and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to this subject and I feel there is a similar divide among GameRiot readers and another group that doesn’t care either way.
So now this is more of an analysis of what eSports is, what it means and where it will be in the future.
What is eSports
First before that’s answered, lets take a look at the beginnings of competitive gaming, which has been around a lot longer before true eSports.
In the early 80s the U.S National Video Game Team was founded and the team competed in 7 games: Sinistar, Congo Bongo, Star Trek, Spike's Peak, Mario Bro's, Bubbles and Buck Rogers.
In 1990 Nintendo held their World Championships, touring across America, Blockbuster also ran their own World Game Championships in the early 90’s with games such as NBA Jam and Virtua Racing.Gaming in the late 90s, the Internet Era
Enter in the Quake era, Dennis Fong aka ‘Thresh’ wins John Carmack’s Ferrari in a tournament. The CPL (Cyberathlete Professional League) was founded by the now out of business Angel Munoz. So what do all of the above have in common? They are all video game competitions with cash prizes, tournaments & leagues backed up big corporations and companies… that is not all however. Most of the early competitions were huge marketing campaigns.
Early online competitive gaming was sort of an underground sub culture in which only a hand full of people could actually win some money. While some cash prize tournaments were big, they were never something you could quit jobs over, nor was it something sustainable for the long term anyway.Now in the current era there are major gaming tournaments all over the world with cash prizes ranging anywhere from tens of thousand of dollars to over a million.
Ok, so what is eSports?
eSports is the true form of ‘professional gaming’. It was created in Korea with Starcraft being its game.
Players are paid high salaries by the companies that own and sponsor their team. They get paid to play, thus their source of income does not solely rely on hoping to claim a huge cash prize in a big tournament every year.
Also like traditional sports eSports draws in huge audiences which number in the tens of thousands and brings in millions of viewers via television.
Game 3 of the OSL finals, English commentary by sc2gg.com
So is eSports a Sport?
The term sport refers to an activity which is usually engaged in competitively and has rules that players must follow.
Football, basketball, baseball and soccer are not the only form of sports. Marksmanship, Motorsports, Billiards, Poker, Competitive gaming require physical exertion and skill as well, but not to the extent of traditional sports. Excelling at these sports also requires high levels of focus, mental agility, and accuracy.
So Yes eSports is a Sport.
Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
E-Sports in America
The term E-Sports as used in the US and elsewhere outside of Korea has a looser definition then that used in Korea. The American form just describes competitive gaming.
America is known for producing some of the best physical athletes in the world. This is of course the birthplace and home of leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB so thus culturally & generally non-athletic video gaming is looked at as nerdy, geeky and what not.
WoW as an eSport?
That title alone requires a whole other Blog post dedicated to that subject, however I’ll let Ming and others discuss that in more detail.
WoW is not a true eSport game because the game was not built for real competition and was meant to be just as most MMORPGs are, a casual time-sink game. It is however the newest American E-Sport, picked up by major gaming leagues.
It is not something that can be easily balanced for competitive play because the casual players which the game was intended for would be effected.
Games such as Starcraft, Counter-Strike and even Warcraft III are not hindered by the same problem since the single-player is isolated from the multi-player, CS of course doesn’t even have a single player.
For Starcraft II the developers are taking things a step further and ensuring a vast separation from the single player meant to tell a story and the multiplayer meant for competitive gaming.
Competitive gaming is what makes games like SC,CS,WC3 etc great, and casual gaming is what makes WoW great. That is the difference and the reason why World of Warcraft as a professional played game isn’t being taken more seriously in general.
To be fair WoW played competitively is still in its infancy, the top teams are few and far in between and the reason why only a handful of teams dominate.
WoW also lacks accessibility as an E-Sport. To casual viewers player actions, skills, tactics and even classes may be confusing to follow.This mostly isn't the case with the aforementioned games(SC,WC3,CS).
The future of E-Sports
It’s growing world-wide just as the video game industry is, and it’s only a matter of time till we see leagues in other countries, even the US on the scale and precedence of the OSL, MSL and Proleague in Korea.
Culturally the west is still far behind Asia in terms of accepting gaming as a natural social thing to do and not something that is frowned upon. This adds to the growing pains of E-Sports which has seen the death of the WSVG and long standing CPL. However things change and change is coming with the next generation following Gen Y. Gen Z is naturally the most ‘connected’ generation of our time.
Once Gen Z (those born as early as 1990) grow up, join the work force and become consumers, new trends will be born, anything that is online, virtual, or gaming related will gain much more respect, then previous generations.
We’re already seeing some of these new trends in the gaming community, including ESPN coverage of the MLG, paid salaries for players in the CGS, more money and recognition to win in the WCG.
Game development itself is embracing these new trends, games with social-networking aspects, virtual currency and future games such as Starcraft II being developed from ground up to become an eSport acceptable game.
So in conclusion of this long post, let’s look at the questions again.
What is eSports?
It is professional gaming.
Is eSport a Sport?
Technical yes, culturally in the US no.
So me and Slapnuts are both right
What is the future of eSports in the US?
It’s going to be huge, geek is chic, gamers = rockstars big.
Will it happen over night? No, but we will get there.
Remember that Xbox game in the movie The Island? Yeah that cool.
In closing, here is my future Starcraft 3 all star, a Gen Zer that is going to break future records and win a $50,000 Diamond mouse(hey we all have big dreams for our kids right?)
Related Posts for further reading:
The OSL Finals (Best vs July) with English Commentaries
The majority of Starcraft fans are pleased with the progress of Starcraft 2
How Starcraft Ghost can be remade Great, and a word from Blizzard
Report Post
20 comments
0 replies to Relm (hide)
0 replies to Relm (show)
Permalink
Post Reply
Reply to this comment
betterthanyou Jul 15, 2008 at 11:21 pm
+2 votes
You have a kid?
But yeah, I pretty much agree. I don't see WoW as an eSport, and I don't think that it should be.
I play a lot of SC, and well, that is most certainly an eSport. I have played WoW arena, and I can say, that they contrast greatly.
But yeah, I pretty much agree. I don't see WoW as an eSport, and I don't think that it should be.
I play a lot of SC, and well, that is most certainly an eSport. I have played WoW arena, and I can say, that they contrast greatly.
Chords Jul 16, 2008 at 1:27 am
+1 votes
Do you really? We should 1:1 sometime. I'm bad, but it'd be fun.
betterthanyou Jul 16, 2008 at 3:39 am
+1 votes
I'm not great at all, I can beat random terribles on battle.net, but I can't break C- on ICCUP, haha.
But yeah, we can 1v1 sometime, if you want - on east coast my name is chinamanlol1.
But yeah, we can 1v1 sometime, if you want - on east coast my name is chinamanlol1.
Slapnuts Jul 15, 2008 at 11:30 pm
+2 votes
Great post Lipton. I don't think we differ as much as you think. I pretty much agree with everything you said with the only difference of e-sports being a sport, which I discussed in the blog I linked to way back. I don't think it fits. Much like Poker, pool, and other games that require next to no physical exertion.
Competitive gaming is much different here than in Korea, and it isn't quite fair comparing the two. I believe Gotfrag, and SK-Gaming and other sites like those pushed the "esports" definition that you noted here in the states when it isnt really a valid comparison.
As far the future, I think it is going to be quite a long time coming before gaming is chic. You won't see Fatal1ty making out with Hayden Panettiere anytime close in the future. I question if it will ever have the chance to hit rockstar/sports star/celebrity level.
Competitive gaming is much different here than in Korea, and it isn't quite fair comparing the two. I believe Gotfrag, and SK-Gaming and other sites like those pushed the "esports" definition that you noted here in the states when it isnt really a valid comparison.
As far the future, I think it is going to be quite a long time coming before gaming is chic. You won't see Fatal1ty making out with Hayden Panettiere anytime close in the future. I question if it will ever have the chance to hit rockstar/sports star/celebrity level.
Martey Jul 15, 2008 at 11:41 pm
+2 votes
Good blog, I even watched the SC video!
I love watching e-sport, I feel more connected to it than any other "sport," my favs are wc3, cs and cod4, WoW still needs alot of love from the developers to get anywhere near the competetive level of atleast cs, wc3 and sc.
I love watching e-sport, I feel more connected to it than any other "sport," my favs are wc3, cs and cod4, WoW still needs alot of love from the developers to get anywhere near the competetive level of atleast cs, wc3 and sc.
Lipton Jul 15, 2008 at 11:51 pm
+1 votes
Dang you should have read/watched the videos here (should have linked):
http://starfeeder.gameriot.com/blogs/The-Starfeed/OMG-did-I-just-watch-that-The-OSL-Finals-Best-vs-July-with-English-Commentaries/
that was the 3rd game
http://starfeeder.gameriot.com/blogs/The-Starfeed/OMG-did-I-just-watch-that-The-OSL-Finals-Best-vs-July-with-English-Commentaries/
that was the 3rd game
Madagascar Jul 15, 2008 at 11:45 pm
+1 votes
WoW is not a true eSport game because the game was not build for real
competition and was meant to be just as most MMORPGs are, a casual
time-sink game. It is however the newest American E-Sport, picked up by
major gaming leagues.
It is not something that can be easily balanced for competitively play
because the casual players which the game was intended for would be
effected.
SO true
Pve players who dont pvp will ALWAYS complain why they are being affected due to arena/class balance
Most people who whine about class balance forget about a thing called Pve
Pwnology.com Jul 16, 2008 at 12:13 am
+2 votes
OK, so now i have to have kids just so I can buy them awesome t-shirts.!
Chords Jul 16, 2008 at 1:29 am
+2 votes
Nice post, Lipton. I don't know about you, but when I saw the crowd at the OSL Finals it made me feel really happy to see something I love, like SC, be so popular like that. Hopefully someday it will be the same in the states.
Nobbeh Jul 16, 2008 at 10:51 am
+1 votes
True true, Gaming just isn't accepted in the western world, i tried discussing the fact that esports are a sport and you just get blown over.
where the hell does the term Gen Zer come from?
btw, why do you look between a mixture of Drunk high and tired in your dp Lipton?
where the hell does the term Gen Zer come from?
btw, why do you look between a mixture of Drunk high and tired in your dp Lipton?
Lipton Jul 16, 2008 at 11:58 am
+1 votes
Gen Zerg = Gen Z, the Generation after Y, some say its starts with people born in 2000 and up, others like on Wiki have suggested it starts with people born as early as 1990.
Oh and yeah I had a little to drink that night
Oh and yeah I had a little to drink that night
Lipton Jul 16, 2008 at 12:16 pm
+1 votes
lol probably some non-letter based name, like The greatest generation, Baby boomers.. etc
Some even call Gen Z, Generation Google or the Google generation
Some even call Gen Z, Generation Google or the Google generation
Nobbeh Jul 16, 2008 at 12:18 pm
+1 votes
Ohh i remember now. Im part of the generation that will die before our parents!
Lipton Jul 16, 2008 at 12:27 pm
+1 votes
Dude you're 17? That makes you Gen Y / early Gen Z
Baby Boomers = kids spawned after WWI, when people were tired of killing and just wanted to have sex
Gen X = disgruntled, generation Grunge, rebels, cynical, not respecting the older, mostly atheist (my Generation)
Gen Y = spoiled kids, always given awards just for showing up, expecting everything to be given to them
Gen Z is mostly unknown, but to me its the virtual online, esport generation
Now of course all I said above is generalizations :p
Baby Boomers = kids spawned after WWI, when people were tired of killing and just wanted to have sex
Gen X = disgruntled, generation Grunge, rebels, cynical, not respecting the older, mostly atheist (my Generation)
Gen Y = spoiled kids, always given awards just for showing up, expecting everything to be given to them
Gen Z is mostly unknown, but to me its the virtual online, esport generation
Now of course all I said above is generalizations :p
Nobbeh Jul 16, 2008 at 12:44 pm
+1 votes
Generation Z starts after 1990 and i was born 1991. I win.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2004/may/27/health.foodanddrink
my dad pretty much preaches the fact i will die before him, el o el.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2004/may/27/health.foodanddrink
my dad pretty much preaches the fact i will die before him, el o el.
Sll Jul 16, 2008 at 12:50 pm
+1 votes
my dad pretty much preaches the fact i will die before him, el o el.
Wishful thinking.
Wishful thinking.
omgwtf Jul 26, 2008 at 4:42 pm
+1 votes
Competitive gaming is still a pretty obscure and outsider culture, and I realize that's some of it's appeal. Still, it's going to be a long time before it gains social acceptance and more widespread popularity. Hell, I'm not even sure if gaming being popular is a good thing. But like Slapnuts said, it's about as much of a sport as darts or pool are: it requires skilled hand/eye coordination, muscle memory, and the more cerebral players will usually rise to the top.
« Previous |
1 |
Next » |
The Starcraft 2 Gamer Community
Starcraft & Starcraft 2 news, rumors, articles, tournaments and eSports commentary.
25 Subscribers
1 Likes: 6 November 19, 2009, 9:18 pm4 Likes: 6 November 18, 2009, 2:26 pm9 Likes: 5 November 13, 2009, 6:18 pm6 Likes: 5 November 12, 2009, 6:59 pm8 Likes: 7 November 11, 2009, 4:26 pm6 Likes: 4 November 11, 2009, 9:58 am14 Likes: 7 November 8, 2009, 1:45 pm1 Likes: 3 November 8, 2009, 2:44 am3 Likes: 4 November 7, 2009, 2:02 am1 Likes: 4 November 6, 2009, 5:10 amStarted August 4, 2007
1334 Total Entries
1334 Total Entries
Your Comment is being posted. Please wait...