EPTBooming voices of hundreds of fans gathered in the hall echo off the walls. Eyes fixed on the stage, everybody awaits for their winner to step out of the booth and deliver an outburst of emotion, passion and fiery spirit. The momentum is staggering, some faint, some cry, some tremble as the moment is being etched into their very souls. Finally, the winner appears. His face robbed of any sign of inner excitement, a bleak expression in his eyes. A short glance to the stands and he disappears behind the stage. No words are uttered, no fists raised high into the air. One might think, he doesn't care at all...
You might wonder whether I'm depicting a specific individual. Granted, the description fits some more than others, but it is more or less the reaction we usually get out of many foreigners, maybe slightly exaggerated. More than once was I shocked by the lack of signs of any emotional turmoil, so tightly connected to the competitive nature of e-Sports and sports altogether. Rarely are we blessed by a battle shout, coming from the depths of gamers' lungs, a stream of tears when he clutches the long desired trophy or even the already mentioned fist, raised high, in a challenge to the heavens.
Admittedly, these are pretty 'extreme' ways to celebrate a win (or a loss, if you can speak of celebration in its context) but in many sports they are considered 'standard'. We do see these kinds of reactions fairly often at the Olympic Games, Champion's League matches or Grand Slam tournaments. Why are they so scarce in e-Sports?
I mentioned the word 'foreigners' at the beginning, implying that it is only some members of this group I view as slightly lacking in the emotional department and I do indeed stand by this accusation. From the pre-game interviews to after-the-match antics, Korean pro gamers usually deliver a much more emotionally vivid experience.
Let's go with the interviews first. Maybe it is only me, but Koreans seem to act more natural and at-home on stage. Foreign gamers bring with them a certain amount of awkwardness, as if all they wanted was to disappear as fast as possible, play the game and at best, give the crowd a bland wave of their hand. They view the interview as a pesky interruption nobody should expect them to indulge. The Koreans on the other hand, treat this as a part of the package that comes with being a pro. They are public personalities and they know it, they understand that fans want to hear at least a few words from the champions they worship.
But it is not only the interviews and the air of casual comfort while standing on the stage that sets the Korean pro gamers apart from many of their foreign counterparts. It's the charisma and personality. It's going out there and saying 'I'll dominate' that makes the crowd slip into a frenzy. It's rising your fists into the air or slamming them against your chest. It's running up to the stands and high-fiving the fans that are willing to be with you to the very end, no matter how long your matches should last. It's being a human being (pardon this rather clumsy expression).
Some might call all of the above showmanship. Well, we clearly need more of it in e-Sports. There is nothing wrong with being a showman and entertaining the gathered masses. Quite the opposite, it is what we all crave for. Our heroes showing off on stage, having fun, interacting with the crowd, that is what makes tournaments memorable when accompanied by amazing games.
There is too little pride and joy in foreign pro gamers, too little self-confidence. I deliberately won't accuse them of being bored or not caring. It wouldn't be fair and I loathe people throwing these kinds of accusations at gamers. It's insulting.
But something has to change, they must understand that we need them to risk opening themselves and offering us a peek at a piece of their personality to maintain interest or simply 'be hyped'. E-sports isn't just about games and on-screen action, it's about people making all of this happen. We want to get to know these people.
I wondered what the reason for this difference between Korean pro gamers and foreign pros might be.
Maybe it is the long tradition of e-Sports being viewed as precisely that – sports. A professional occupation, involving money, contracts and public appearances. I won't argue that Korean pro gamers have more experience in handling pressure and are more familiar with standing in the spotlight. Their occupation is treated more seriously by the broader public.
Perhaps it is the strict governance of KeSPA that greatly increases the level of professionalism, so intertwined with the StarCraft world in Korea and reminds the players that they owe the fans a little bit affection and attention.
But it is one thing to appear genuinely interested and motivated while giving an interview and another shedding tears after a won or lost match. The first you can attribute to being a professional, respecting your commitments to sponsors and fans alike. The latter? I guess it is simply a question of personality and charisma... Now, I don't really want to label all foreigners as lacking in terms of personality. But the way some of them act, this is a hasty conclusion many viewers might jump to. This hurts not only the overall image of the player but the industry itself. It is more likely that a new viewer will stick with the sport after witnessing an emotionally deep spectacle.
Or maybe it is the simple fact, that any attempt of acting cheeky and taunting your opponent is met with waves of complaints by angered fans. Each time a foreign player speaks up or says something even slightly provocative, he must be prepared to face accusations of badmouthing and lack of sportsmanship. This means it's not only up to the gamers to show us some personality, it's also the fans who need to stop acting like offended old ladies and enjoy the show. This is a competitive environment, let the pro gamers know that being emotional is not a sign of bad manners. Let them compete.
All that having been said, I think things will improve with time. Korean pro gamers are now a fairly common sight at many international tournaments and professionalism is something you can learn from others. For the 'emotional involvement' part? Once some foreigners see how the crowds react to displays of pure fighting spirit and cheeky showmanship, they will surely open up a bit. Especially if we enable them to do so.
***
About me: First of all, as probably many of you native speakers noticed in a blink of an eye, English isn't my first language. Naturally, this is by no means an excuse, I try to write to the best of my ability and constantly improve but should this write-up prove incomprehensible go ahead and tell me, bash me even, it motivates me.
Also if you happen to disagree, once again, go ahead and tell me. Different people have different views on different matters. Not all foreigners suffer from what I write about but to me a great deal does, surely you could find some Koreans who act like lame ducks but the overall expression I get when watching foreign e-Sports tournaments is the one I state above.
Lastly, should you feel enraged by my views, go ahead and find me on Twitter @OctoLips (dunno whether you are allowed to post Twitter addresses on the forums, if not I'll take it down immediately) and tell me precisely what you think of me.
