[Other Sport] Sure to be polarising - esports in the commonwealth games?

[Berty23]

Firstly aren't the Commonwealth Games the equivalent of the Europa League Conference given the Olympics and World Championships, and the suggestions of including esports is purely a marketing device to get people noticing the Commonwealth Games.
Then the issue of esports being included, being an old fogey it's a no from me. If people want to watch this, then they can have their own events but don't tag it onto other sporting events.

Not necessarily the case of it being Europa league because many of the top teams compete. Jamaicans win the sprints, Aussies and Brits good at swimming (although obviously no america), lots of the best hockey sides, womens cricket will be all the best sides etc.

The Olympics have toyed with the idea of esports too. Fully expect it to happen.

Re swansman’s point about 25 year olds being problem gamers. This might be true. I am talking about the current kids. Those 25 year olds were 10 15 years ago and it was very different then. And he says he has been working with them for a long time. So for some of those kids we are talking the 90s. Again different. I am sure stats exist for proportion of kids who do online gaming. If all online gamers are a problem then we are screwed!

Here you go. Stats. In 2015 half of 12-15 year olds played games online. Now it is 80% https://www.statista.com/statistics/274427/online-gaming-among-children-in-the-uk-by-age-group/

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It is being reported that eSports is going to be in the commonwealth games. This has the makings of a brilliant culture war between the kids and grown ups. I am early 40s and have a 13 year old son. He will definitely watch the esports and despite being a very sporty kid (county hockey and decent at all sports) he will give many of them a miss.

This topic is sure to get people fired up. I expect to read “how is playing computer games a sport?” - well sorry to those who don’t see it. In 20 years the richest sports people in the world will be esports. Kids already watch them play computer games and this is going to go mainstream whether we like it or not.

I might make it my mission to reply to everyone I hear over the next few weeks say “it isn’t even a sport so can’t be in the commonwealth games” that “is it called the commonwealth sports?” - that should get people going.

Just the other day on our WhatsApp group two of my mates said about their 6 year old sons “they won’t play computer games. No chance. They will be out all the time with their mates not locked in their rooms playing games like geeks.” They have not adjusted to when we were kids. All the “cool” kids are gaming and it is incredibly sociable as massive groups of mates all play together. My lad plays out but he is quite happy gaming too. I suspect my mates will realise in a few years that their sons will play video games! Let’s see.

So what do we think NSC? I wish I knew how to do a poll. This feels like the future to me. I don’t like it but it is inevitable.

It isn’t even a sport so shouldn’t be in the Commonwealth Games. It is also ruining sleep for many kids and therefore directly affecting their ability to concentrate on their school work. It is absolutely irresponsible for yet another money hungry sporting governing body to pander to people exploiting children and their parents and to people seeking to be ‘down with the kids.’

 

[WATFORD zero]

It seems to me that from most definitions of Sport that have been posted or here, computer games are not a sport.

More worrying, again from the definitions posted, it appears self-gratification is

 

[Berty23]

It isn’t even a sport so shouldn’t be in the Commonwealth Games. It is also ruining sleep for many kids and therefore directly affecting their ability to concentrate on their school work. It is absolutely irresponsible for yet another money hungry sporting governing body to pander to people exploiting children and their parents and to people seeking to be ‘down with the kids.’

They could contemplate changing the name from commonwealth sports to commonwealth games then!

My kids have strict turn off times for games.

It sounds like you might be a little worried about the future! Good luck because it is the way the world is going. I don’t particularly like it but it is happening and when my kids are the 20s/30s they will have the disposable income so it is going to accelerate.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

They could contemplate changing the name from commonwealth sports to commonwealth games then!

My kids have strict turn off times for games.

It sounds like you might be a little worried about the future! Good luck because it is the way the world is going. I don’t particularly like it but it is happening and when my kids are the 20s/30s they will have the disposable income so it is going to accelerate.

No, not really worried about the future. It’s difficult to know how much of a future any one of us has. I am just commenting on my observations of the present. From observation computer games have had quite major negative effects on sleep, attention and concentration levels of school kids. As per usual it is the lower sets that suffer the most, particularly those children with SEN. Just saying something is the future doesn’t make it so. I predict it is an obsession that will hold back this generation but will be overtaken by something completely new at some point. Of course certain sporting governing bodies and vested interests will milk it for as much as they can in the meantime.
The sports/games comparison suggests that Hop Scotch should also be included in the Commonwealth Games as it is clearly a game.

 

[BBassic]

No, not really worried about the future. It’s difficult to know how much of a future any one of us has. I am just commenting on my observations of the present. From observation computer games have had quite major negative effects on sleep, attention and concentration levels of school kids. As per usual it is the lower sets that suffer the most, particularly those children with SEN. Just saying something is the future doesn’t make it so. I predict it is an obsession that will hold back this generation but will be overtaken by something completely new at some point. Of course certain sporting governing bodies and vested interests will milk it for as much as they can in the meantime.
The sports/games comparison suggests that Hop Scotch should also be included in the Commonwealth Games as it is clearly a game.

I don't video games are going anywhere. It's too big of an industry these days.

I wasn't around but pretty sure people said the same thing about TV when that started taking hold. Ruining minds etc. etc. and that's still going strong.

 

[Brovion]

I think people are getting hung up on the 'sport' part.

Sure, by the dictionary definition of a sport listed above by a different poster, playing video games isn't a sport.

But 'esport' has it's own dictionary definition. Which definitely covers the act of playing multiplayer video games competitively.

This whole idea that's being floated isn't about expanding the definition of 'sport' to include 'esport', because it categorically isn't sport. It's just about adding 'esport' as a category to the games

I don't disagree, but 'esport' isn't a single category any more than 'sport' is. I think the Olympics is already overbloated as it is without adding myriad extra events - hence my desire to see them as two separate festivals. (And maybe in time the physical Olympics/Commonwealth games will wither away as no one will be interested in physical sport any more).

Mind you, maybe having sport/esport in one massive festival won't be so bad. I'd long ago given up hope of an international sporting career, but maybe I can get into the Team GB Tetris squad!

 

[Swansman]

I don't video games are going anywhere. It's too big of an industry these days.

I wasn't around but pretty sure people said the same thing about TV when that started taking hold. Ruining minds etc. etc. and that's still going strong.

Indeed. Still ruining minds, just like games (in one shape or another) will for the foreseeable future.

 

[BBassic]

Indeed. Still ruining minds, just like games (in one shape or another) will for the foreseeable future.

Some minds Swanny. Some minds.

I'm not for one second saying that's acceptable but deriding the medium in its entirety isn't helpful.

As I said to you before: millions upon millions of people have healthy relationships with this stuff.

 

[Seagull58]

I lost interest in the Commonwealth Games when it stopped being the Empire Games. Back in the good old Empire Games days it was an opportunity for the colonies to compete against the coloniser every 4 years. Now it's just a collection of independent and semi-independent (Wales and Scotland) countries and territories having a party with some sports thrown in.

 

[B-right-on]

I think people are getting hung up on the 'sport' part.

Sure, by the dictionary definition of a sport listed above by a different poster, playing video games isn't a sport.

But 'esport' has it's own dictionary definition. Which definitely covers the act of playing multiplayer video games competitively.

This whole idea that's being floated isn't about expanding the definition of 'sport' to include 'esport', because it categorically isn't sport. It's just about adding 'esport' as a category to the games

Why. Oh why? What purpose does it achieve to add it?

Why not darts, chess, snooker?

Esports has its own time, place and audience. So do the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and so on. Might I suggest they are totally different?

I might be considered old, but the idea of watching someone play video games does not get my juices going, at all. Never mind doing it myself.

 

[BBassic]

Why. Oh why? What purpose does it achieve to add it?

Why not darts, chess, snooker?

Esports has its own time, place and audience. So do the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and so on. Might I suggest they are totally different?

I might be considered old, but the idea of watching someone play video games does not get my juices going, at all. Never mind doing it myself.

Why is anything done these days? Money. Exposure. Audience share. Ad revenue.

 

[AstroSloth]

Okay, but then you are in a minority.

I've been around 20-25 year olds for about 15 years now. They dont play to "have a laugh". They dont play because it is "social". They play because they are addicted to video games. Most of them are highly socially incompetent people and hiding in games which is just worsening the whole thing. Essentially deeply unhappy "hikikomoris" in various degrees caged in their virtual worlds. Yeah, you have wifes that are teachers; plenty of these kids will never touch a woman, much less marry one. Gaming is a very simply way of ignoring your issues and kill time.

I'm not saying gaming cant be social, it can be. But as games get more and more addictive, more and more (young) people get addicted. Its more often a socially destructive habit and never can sitting by yourself in front of a screen chatting with some other muppets replace meeting people in person.

As for easy entertainment, I'm not referring to skill level. It is very difficult to become a pro gamer, but it is easy entertainment in the sense that you dont really have to do anything about your personality, you dont have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions, you just hide behind the character/vehicle in the game you are playing. Going out to have a few beers, socialising with real people under real conditions with the real you being out there is simply more difficult and more developing than playing games.

Actually pro players have to have far more personality than the average sports pro. They are generally in front of fans with their personality on display far more than a sports pro. They stream practice games constantly whilst discussing with viewers. They're far more in the spotlight relative to their viewership. Players travel across the world to join teams, they stream for thousands of people who are constantly judging their character. Honestly you have a very narrow view that's completely wrong of what it's like.

And talking to people online is sociable, I became far more sociable in person after playing games with friends for years as you learn to meet new people and talk with them.

 

[Swansman]

Actually pro players have to have far more personality than the average sports pro. They are generally in front of fans with their personality on display far more than a sports pro. They stream practice games constantly whilst discussing with viewers. They're far more in the spotlight relative to their viewership. Players travel across the world to join teams, they stream for thousands of people who are constantly judging their character. Honestly you have a very narrow view that's completely wrong of what it's like.

And talking to people online is sociable, I became far more sociable in person after playing games with friends for years as you learn to meet new people and talk with them.

More personality, yeah that is one way of putting it... most of them are severely underdeveloped as humans. Stuck in puberty. Endless bashing, scandals and needless dramas that would be nothing if only more than 10% of them had average social skills. I watch e-sports (CSGO, LoL and Dota2) on a weekly basis, I find it exciting and admire the skills but the vast majority of the players are very, very silly human beings. Maybe your standards are low.

Maybe you would have been a even more sociable person if you went partying or into the pub rather than chat in games. I cant talk for you specifically as I dont know you but in a lot of cases I'm dead certain that would be the case. Is gaming more sociable than starring into the wall, sure, will it develop you more socially than meeting people in real life? No.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Stop winding them up [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION]

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Gaming should be within the X-Games as that's where it fits perfectly IF it has to be anywhere.

 

[BHA3000]

First: Online gaming isnt sociable.

You can kiss goodbye to any chance of being in the NSC crew when GTA6 comes out.

 

[BBassic]

More personality, yeah that is one way of putting it... most of them are severely underdeveloped as humans. Stuck in puberty. Endless bashing, scandals and needless dramas that would be nothing if only more than 10% of them had average social skills. I watch e-sports (CSGO, LoL and Dota2) on a weekly basis, I find it exciting and admire the skills but the vast majority of the players are very, very silly human beings. Maybe your standards are low.

Maybe you would have been a even more sociable person if you went partying or into the pub rather than chat in games. I cant talk for you specifically as I dont know you but in a lot of cases I'm dead certain that would be the case. Is gaming more sociable than starring into the wall, sure, will it develop you more socially than meeting people in real life? No.

You're making sweeping generalisations again here Swanny.

But it seems as though we've come to the crux of your argument. Essentially that going out is the "right" kind of socialising and anything else is the "wrong" kind.

Tell me - what's the difference between rotting your brain in a pub with alcohol and conversation and rotting your brain with a screen and conversation?

 

[The_Viper]

You're making sweeping generalisations again here Swanny.

But it seems as though we've come to the crux of your argument. Essentially that going out is the "right" kind of socialising and anything else is the "wrong" kind.

Tell me - what's the difference between rotting your brain in a pub with alcohol and conversation and rotting your brain with a screen and conversation?

He's definitely trolling at this point so I don't see any point in giving him the reactions anymore, leave the lad to find someone else to windup, or if he's actually serious he can go find another cloud to yell at.

 

[AstroSloth]

An incredibly old thread but remembered it recently.

Ended up going to Sweden last May to watch a DOTA 2 Major with some friends from Austria and Ireland.

Incredibly social event but got did we burn through the travel money fast.

@Swansman did you venture there?