We are in such a bizarre time right now. The SC:BW leagues are being sued for not purchasing rights they cannot afford. A huge industry in a developing nation is being bullied by some video game company from America. Make no mistake, I think Blizzard are the bad guys here.
If I could make the court proceedings go any way I wanted, I would want it to be something like this:
Blizzard. "We made this game, we own all things related to it. Therefore we own eSports.
South Korea. "Please make eSports happen in the U.S.A.. Show us how easy it is to build an industry from nothing. Without South Korea eSports is still a pathetic neckbeard-fest.
South Korean Witnesses. "OH BURN!"
Of course, that is unlikely.
Do you know that in Canadian cities, children are encouraged from the first moment they can speak to cheer for their city's hockey team? It makes them loyal to the industry, and turns them into customers for the team's brand for the rest of their lives.
That's what Brood War is like for me.
I've watched Brood War since I was a little kid. Lots of us have. Now we are in our final years of university, or we already have a job. Yet we're still loyal to the game. We still love the game. We still watch it.
Why doesn't Blizzard understand this?
Do they think that they can manufacture that kind of loyalty in a year? Do they think that when they make SC3, or some other game, that we will all just switch over again, continually? I'm sorry, that is not possible. There are people who are fans of many sports, and there could be people who are fans of many eSports, but if the brand I become loyal to and buy hats for is going to expire in a few years, it does not feel as precious. I become a less willing consumer.
I remember in 10th grade the salaries of progamers were first released. Do you remember the outrage people felt that Free only makes 6k USD a year? Yet that was actually an average salary for anyone in South Korea. That wasn't what I focused on of course. I saw NaDa sign a big contract for 200k a year for three years or something like that. I told everybody I knew at school. PS: No one I knew at school even followed StarCraft proscene.
I remember before every game I would choose which player I wanted to win. I would get so excited and be so attentive the whole game. I did that again today. It was so nostalgic. It doesn't matter who they are, just choose.
I remember when two players I really liked would face off against each other. I actually had moral qualms about trying to pick who I wanted to cheer for. I couldn't accept just watching the game back then. I was so into it. Today I am again. Forcing myself to be decisive. Reliving a part of my life that was slipping away.
Call me a huge nerd, but SC:BW is an important part of my life. I can't let it go so easily. I can't say 'in with the new, out with the old' even jokingly.
It made me so happy today, when I found out Manifesto still watches every BW game. I'm not the only one who can't let this game go. It's not just something Blizzard owns and sells. It's greater than them.
Please share your great memories from your BroodWar childhood.
BW FOREVER!
PS: Poll
Poll: Do you want Scvarlo?
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No. (1)
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Your vote: Do you want Scvarlo?
(Vote): Yes. (Vote): No. (Vote): I like to vote in polls.
SC2 is nice and shiny and new. It is a fun game that I enjoy to play.
But Brood War will always occupy that special place in my heart, where it always has been since I first touched it at the age of 10. And it will never leave. Ever.
I don't know about you but SC 2 kinda feels boring now.. I now I'm in not anyway to say that.. but damn those vulture mines in which you have to be careful not to trip on them, the unbalance siege tanks the fast zealots and dragoons which look like shit but is so useful.. is pretty sweet.
I played with SC 2 yeah it's really enjoyable and it's a competitive game but something is really missing.. I hope the expansions make up for it thought.. I just feel like the only enjoyable unit right now is the marine..
I showed my buddies the Jinro vs Socke series (they are into sc2), then I showed the Flash vs Soulkey rape for good flavour. BW is still king. I think the passion can only grow. So to everyone reading this, be fruitful and multiply!!!!
I actually think they can. I mean, a lot of people that just stopped playing BW are all just rushing to the SC2 scene along with everybody else....I don't see why people wouldn't start just getting wrapped up in this SC2 craze.
I've pretty much lost all interest in SC2... I haven't played it for weeks and haven't watched any GSL or MLG since Blizzcon... I think after Blizzcon I realised that it was as good as it was going to get.
BW been with me since I was 4 I shall never succumb to SC2 but yeah umm.... I feel like the whole BW>SC2 etc. etc. war is about to start heating up again because of your 2 blogs =/
Still, 5/5 for it being Chef's blog Now I want "Uncle Chef's Blog" back (u know the cute little hamster? ^-^)
I've been playing BW since forever(doesn't matter if i'm bad).I haven't been playing sc2 for a while now,barely been watching GSL,MLG and the rest(although the games of GSL and MLG Dallas that I've seen were really good,especially Foxer vs Kriyx).D[9]D is probably the only thing sc2 related that I watch.
I've been watch PL full blown this season(unlike last season where I got time to really watch seriously from Round 4)even though I've had a bad week this week(T_T KT)
That said SC2 still got its ways to go.Its gonna be a long time before it gets better.Don't diss on the the game and its players.
I agree. I've been following BW for about 3 years now, and i expected myself to change when sc2 came out. But while i admit, sc2 is very fun to play, i just cannot get over watching BW. It is just so entertaining and so great, that I just don't think I can live without it.
Oh yeah, and 6k per year salary was never the average in korea i think. That is ridiculously low, maybe 6k per month? Korea wasn't that poor for a long time now. I mean, when esports was starting, korea had a lot of technology, and was a booming economy. 6k per year salary is just too low for average person in Korea even 10-20 years ago
I'm not sure how you're getting the figures for what the leagues can and can't pay. Of course they'll say they can't pay it, but unless you've seen the numbers, I don't know how you can judge that to be true. Just because they built up the "esport" doesn't mean that blizzard doesn't have any rights in the matter. If they could do it without blizzard, they should develop their own RTS and see how well that goes.
I recently quit playing and watching SC2, because the game is honestly a piece of shit compared to Brood War. The only reason I started playing it was cause it was active, not because the game itself was any good.
I think regardless of the quality of the games, a sport having long term success when the inventor is trying to nanny every aspect of it is unprecedented. I don't know if it's possible, but I'm inclined to say no.
Oh yeah, and 6k per year salary was never the average in korea i think. That is ridiculously low, maybe 6k per month? Korea wasn't that poor for a long time now. I mean, when esports was starting, korea had a lot of technology, and was a booming economy. 6k per year salary is just too low for average person in Korea even 10-20 years ago
My apologies if that was inaccurate. I was only repeating what I've been told. Perhaps what the person meant was 'on top of room and board,' which account for most of one's expenses in the lower class.
Oh yeah, and 6k per year salary was never the average in korea i think. That is ridiculously low, maybe 6k per month? Korea wasn't that poor for a long time now. I mean, when esports was starting, korea had a lot of technology, and was a booming economy. 6k per year salary is just too low for average person in Korea even 10-20 years ago
Hmm... Just wanted to point some things out.
1) Outside of Seoul there are many farmlands and rural areas we must think about when we calculate GDP per capita - truck drivers, farmers, fishermen ... etc 2) 2010 GDP per capital in nominal values are at $20,000 perhaps 7-10 years back it was significantly lower 3) During BW's time, there was a major RAM crisis in Korea, and an illegal price-fixing scandal
Not sure if 6K salary is true or not but it is totally feasible when you account that their food/shelter is provided - which usually eats up the majority of an individual's income
WCS
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