EPTI think the problem here is pretty blatant. The problem is how the world views us from outside the box. From the outside, the CNN author's description seems pretty accurate if you subscribe to the idea of prejudice and bias. These are people who sit in front of the computer 8-10 hours a day, do not get much social interaction, and have to do this as a living despite protests from their parents who religiously align themselves to societal norms. As a Korean-American I grew up with a mother who despised Counter-Strike and any games in general. I was always playing soccer, playing the violin, or studying. I had to keep up my grades and had to do things the way society perceived as a successful path into a successful person. During the small amounts of free time I was able to accrue, I played Counter-Strike 1.6. It became something that I really like to play and soon it became competitive. I always wondered what would and could have happen if I had been given the opportunity and support to chase a dream like those CS 1.6 legends have chased in the past. It would remain just a dream as I was limited to a crappy computer with a crappy microphone and a generic keyboard and mouse. But equipment was 1% of the problem; there was no support, there was no external interest, and, most importantly, there was bias. A bias, in my home and society, that gaming was an addictive hobby that ruined the lives of potential lawyers, doctors, and CEO's. The sentiments of many mothers and fathers around my public stratosphere had the same thoughts as MarineKing's parents did in the article.
I think there are certain aspects that builds society's image of professional gaming and there are ways to definitely fix them.
The Image
I believe that society builds its view of professional gaming from a personal root. People see their own children drenched in front of the TV or monitor drooling away for hours playing a game that seemingly limits interaction and has 0 level of physical activity. It also takes away from their studies which are, without a doubt, very important. (If you're going to troll me and say a strong education is unnecessary, please click the 'x' in the top right corner.) These personal roots are what really shape what happens between people. People see on a daily basis headlines that make gaming distasteful and unappealing. "Chinese teen dies after 30-something hour marathon" "Child hospitalized after 40 hour MW3 marathon" "Korean teen dies after living at a PC room" "Parents neglect baby due to gaming addiction" These types of headlines for gaming in the world don't give it a good image. But if you actually read and connect the dots, you can see that these are personally rooted problems. These aren't policies or habits that are materialized through gaming companies or the gaming industry but these are habits that are created through the household. This problem is something that is very tricky to repair. It involves self-control and responsbility from us, gamers, and also the necessity to mature from young adults into adults who can take gaming responsibly, whether it be casual or competitive.
Presentation
But now I ask myself what separates the strategist mind of MVP, DRG, and MKP who sit for hours building new strategies and playing mind games with opponents from the chess player who plays chess all day to beat an opponent. While chess is no professional sport and it isn't something that makes you a lot of money, it is something society views as a positive in any light. I learned how to play chess and fell in love with it as a kid and that is why I think I love watching Starcraft and Counter-Strike on a competitive level where strategy is key. Chess is seen as an intellectual's game. A game that depends on how far you're thinking ahead of your opponent and how well you can counter and traps thrown your way. Wait a minute....haven't I heard that before during....a Starcraft 2 cast? Well, that's because many of these games present strategy as a foundational necessity to claim victory. To us, the game is more than just entertainment. It picks our brains, especially for people who play well. We need to, as ambassadors for gaming, present our games as something more than entertainment. People can enjoy playing chess while getting that intellectual kick out of it, and the samething with Starcraft 2 or Counter-Strike. A virtual game of chess. A strategist's dream game. A game where each opponent becomes a puzzle to solve. This is how we should present ourselves. The reason a number game like sudoku caught on was not only due to its simplicity but also because how smart it was and how it made people think. Not so much Starcraft, but Counter-Strike involves a large amount of teamwork and cooperation as well. If you and your team does not get along, you guys are screwed and results have shown this in the past. Teamwork is something that is highly praised in professional sports such as soccer and basketball, and also in the workplace when you work on large projects with a team. Teamwork and and intellectual edge are things that are appealing. These are the aspects of gaming that we need to talk about when we talk to people outside our niche.
If you've never heard about something before, which sounds more appealing?
1.You have to gather resources and make an army to fight another army!
OR
2.It's a game of strategy where you have to think about your opponent's move and try and counter his move by creating an army that will overpower his using resources intelligently!
1. It's a game where you buy guns and shoot and kill people!
OR
2. It's a game where you and 4 other teammates have to tactically think up a strategy to eliminate the other team.
It's like buying things at the mall. Things that are packaged in a nicer way are the things that catch our attention. The better we package the image of eSports, the more people will have a positive image of it.
I'm going to continue this later this week and give a few more points on how to make gaming more appealing to the outside world. I think we can all take a step back and sometimes see what we're doing wrong, as well as, see what others are doing wrong too.
