EPTYesterday, my team and I had the pleasure of sitting down with some folks from Red Bull eSports, including Rob Simpson (formerly of Blizzard). Red Bull is currently making some of the greatest and most unique contributions to the North America eSports scene, and big things are in the works for Chicago. I am very excited for what's to come.
Following the meeting with Red Bull, the inaugural League of Starcraft: Chicago commenced at Ignite Gaming Lounge. 12 non-masters Starcraft players, all in their mid 20's-early 30's, came together to compete in a 7-week recreational league, playing matches in order to earn points which will seed them in the playoffs. The intention of the league is to be both competitive and social, a trait that is often missing from competitive tournaments.
Last night, the League of Starcraft reminded me of why I fell in love with eSports.
Following the most recent Ignition Starcraft Open in June, I've been putting a lot of time into events for other gaming communities; Starcraft has been very much on the backburner. The eclipse of Starcraft by MOBA's, in addition to some of Ignite's goals, often has me dividing my focus between many games. While this has been ultimately a great growth opportunity for me, it also has resulted in spending less and less time playing and being involved in Starcraft.
As my coworker Sam describes, "Starcraft has a special place in Megan's heart". I won't go into the prolonged explanation of why this is - that extensive manifesto is best saved for a rainy, more thoughtful day, but keep in mind that Starcraft means a lot to me.
Despite this, I found myself hesitant about a new approach to a Starcraft event - my expertise has always been competitive or casual events, but I hadn't seen much success trying to combine the two on a local scale. Those who know me know that I won't pursue a project that I don't feel fully confident about. It was at the encouragement, urging, and input of Wesley (a friend and fellow Starcraft player) that the League of Starcraft was conceptualized and brought to fulfillment.
As an event organizer, I spend countless hours stressing about every little detail. I research everything, mull over the fine print, and consider the implications of every action, knowing full well that it only takes one seemingly insignificant oversight to completely alter the success of an event. I start to dream about everything that could go wrong, jumping from my bed in the middle of the night to jot down notes. It typically isn't until after an event concludes that I can release my white-knuckled grip and get a long (basically comatose) night of sleep. I think this way of functioning developed out of my years playing music, since they follow the same timeline:
Set goal
Make game plan
Details, details, details
No sleep
Execute
Sleep
I had plenty of nervousness in the few days/hours before the 7PM start last night, as always. But something happened that I very rarely experience anymore: when the event actually started, I wasn't dying of stress - I was instead extremely happy, and I know why:
There was no feeling of bad blood. After ending a series, players would shake hands, talk about their games, and continue to play against each other. Friends were there to support and watch the players. Players were interested in other players, taking time to learn their names and ask questions. The longest series (a 2-1 TvZ) had almost the entire roster cheering on the remaining players. This "gg" mentality means a lot to me, and in my opinion, is the basis for the growth and maturity of eSports.
Perhaps some of this can be attributed to the skill/age limitation that was set by the league. The players are all adults, they all have jobs, and Starcraft is something that they aren't able to dedicate their lives to. None of them stand any chance in a traditional tournament, and they know that. Tournament winners are almost exclusively teenagers who have the massive amount of time/focus that it takes to master a game like Starcraft. Alternatively, the goal of this league was to resemble a recreational sports league - something that you do after work for both fun and to meet people, because you enjoy the game, not because you're trying to be the next MKP. The dichotomy between casual and professional play is a subject that I plan to elaborate on in the future.
Last night, we all had some post-game beers at the pub next door. Everyone was in good spirits, and many conversations were had. Amidst the chatter, Wesley and I smiled, and quietly toasted the inaugural success of the League of Starcraft.
At the end of this 7 weeks, there will be winners and losers, but what makes the League of Starcraft different is that any of these 12 players stands a real chance to win. That is incredibly exciting to me (it's not fun to see the same people win every tournament). In addition, I think that all 12 players will finish the season with great games, improved play, and connections that are often times hard for players in our age/skill range to make. At the very least, I hope it gives us all something fun to look forward to every Wednesday night.
My time in having an active role in the community is done man. The only contributions I make these days are reading and responding to posts on the forums.
