Comments on: Editorial: From Movies to Sports: A More Accurate Comparison

By: Andrew 'Mel' Melcon

Andrew 'Mel' Melcon — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 19:51:52 +0000

I AM always right, thank you for noticing! Indeed, even when I’m wrong it’s always for the right reasons!

By: Ferchu

Ferchu — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 06:59:46 +0000

I don’t have much to say since I don’t tend to follow those eSports by lack of interest or by finding some commentators a little annoying. It was a interesting article to read anyways and by non other than Mel the man who is always right! :D

By: Andrew 'Mel' Melcon

Andrew 'Mel' Melcon — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 23:19:30 +0000

It IS a shame that competitive video games need to be called sports just to be viewed credibly, good point. Though a part of me wants to be quick to point out that traditional definitions for the terms “sport” and “athlete” are not also the original definitions. Ultimately neither term etymologically implies physical work or performance, those implications came later likely because the only way to play games or participate in a competition was to do so in a largely physical way.

But even if that weren’t the case I think the problem at hand is the continued stigma professional gaming carries. I’m not wedded to the label of “eSports” nor do I think the sports comparison needs to be made to make this a legitimate enterprise worthy of some respect from observers.

By: The Legendary Zoltan

The Legendary Zoltan — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 21:37:50 +0000

Thanks for the article, Mel. I think calling competitive gaming sports is such a weird “problem.” I put it in quotes because it only becomes a problem if you choose to consider it one. The word “sports” already has a definition, and the term “esports” messes up that definition. On the other hand thanks to being called sports, that segment of the industry has grown a lot faster. It’s a shame that it has to be called a sport just to be viewed credibly.

Then again, the EVO 2014 Blazblue (pronounced BLAY BLUE, by the way) tournament champion made an incredible comeback from the most difficult position for the victory. He said that he was only able to do it by focussing his mind and conditioning his body. He focused his mind by bungee jumping and conditions his body by running 6 to 10 kilometers everyday. He says he could not have won without doing those things. So maybe competitive gamers really are athletes.

By: Andrew 'Mel' Melcon

Andrew 'Mel' Melcon — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:05:21 +0000

Yeah, I suppose just like traditional sports, pro gaming or eSports or whatever we’re calling it has all the same problems.

By: DiceAdmiral

DiceAdmiral — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 17:45:04 +0000

I think professional gaming is very much like professional sports. The last two PAX Primes I attended featured a massive presence from some sort of massive League of Legends tournament. It was broadcast on enormous screens throughout the convention complete with shouting announcers. I think it’s an especially apt comparison because pro gaming is exactly like pro sports in that it’s very annoying to be surrounded by it when you have no interest in it at all.