E-Sports

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/arts/08schi.html?pagewanted=all

Video games are pretty standard nowadays. If you are in a household with kids, most of the time, you will probably find some sort of video games whether it be Play Station, computer, or Xbox games. South Korea, one of the top video game cultures in the world spends roughly three times as much on videos game than average Americans. “South Korea’s roughly $5 billion annual game market comes to about $100 per resident, more than three times what Americans spend.”

Gaming lounges can be seen every where in South Korea. Even rooms that are provided for lovers can be found. Couples are willing to go out to a gaming room and have some fun rather than stay at home. According to the article, many Koreans rather play with somewhere than alone. Many of them would turn off the computer if they are playing alone. “When it comes to games it seems that many Koreans would rather put down the mouse and keyboard than play alone.”

Many stereotypes stating Asians study day and night non stop. This doesn’t seem to be the case in South Korea. Government, families, and friends encourage people to play game. Playing Video games can help you relax, relieve your stress, work your mind a bit. You can’t just be physically healthy. You have to be mentally healthy too. “If you exercise your brain and your mind in addition to your body, that’s healthy.”

Playing games altogether is a good thing for you. It encourages you to play with some friends to socialize with others. Works your mind and brain out so you can be mentally healthy. It may be able to earn you some cash.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/sports/othersports/12star.html?ref=othersports&_r=0

E Sports has become a very popular type of gaming. Many players play different types of online games from all of the US. For example, competitive players from different Universities such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, and many more play together online. Before e sports become popular, many people didn’t know about online gaming and thought it wasn’t fun to play. However, today, millions of people nationwide play everyday.

Students from different universities spreaded by thousands of miles all compete online to earn the title for the best player in that certain game. From having a continuously growing number of people join the e sports field, the online gaming industry has become multi-billionaire companies that account for “$20 Billion” in revenue in the US.

Many students of different universities compete online and become renowned for their strategic gaming skills and bring many supports to tournaments that help the e sport industry generate revenue. Many students have developed a foundation in the e sports field and now compete worldwide too for a chance to win a large reward.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/nyregion/seeking-to-be-both-nfl-and-espn-of-video-gaming.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Gaming has been rising the status in recent years. Many gamers are streaming their plays on live streams. For example, a Call of Duty player will stream their scrimmage on twitch.tv and many people will subscribe and follow. The days when you can make a living from gaming are here. Many of these professional players get sponsorships from corporations like Steelseries, Asus, Intel, and other electronic gear manufacturers.

Major League Gaming, a company started by 2 young men at that time. Influenced by tournaments and their passion for games, now wishes to expand the company into a professional sport. Like all other professional sports out there, MLG too, wishes to be broadcast on E.S.P.N. The increasing subscribers can be a doorway to a much bigger stage. According to the article, users registered on the website are increasing significantly, “In the past 3 years, viewers went from 1.8 million to 11.7 million an increase more than 500 percent.” It is not stopping at that point. The users are still increasing.

Gaming is expanding rapidly. Even the government considers gaming to be a sport and will issue more visas to people who goes to tournaments. These recognition will keep growing until eventually where gaming will be recognized as an actual sport.

        E Sports has become a very popular trend today with more and more people playing each day. In fact, E Sports has developed such a great popularity that online gaming has become known as a sport. Many games have become very competitive and is played in terms of the worldwide scale. Many professional video gamers play popular games such as Starcraft, World of Warcraft and many more for a chance to go pro and join worldwide competitions. However, the most played game now is called “League of Legends.” This online multiplayer game is renowned for its strategic and tactical plans along with the support from your teammates. Furthermore, many players strive to go compete in this game by establishing teams from all over the world to join tournaments and gain the title as the best team in the world with a lucrative award of over $1Million. Many top players of these games play “from dawn to dusk each day, or form dusk to swan each night.” Online gaming is very renowned and countries all over the world like Europe, North America, Asia, and many more having professional players who play video games for a living.

These professional players who compete worldwide have established their careers into online video gaming field. Their salary range in the six figures of which do not include the sponsors that they get from electronics companies. Although these players have risked their career into the path of video gaming, their risks are paid off by having an enjoyable job along with a very successful career.  Nowadays, online gaming is being much more popular with many people trying to go pro to enter in worldwide tournaments for grand prizes over $1Million. The spread of online gaming has impacted the world with people of all different ages spending many hours each day into playing video games.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/sports/grooming-the-champions-of-the-keyboard.html?pagewanted=all

Parents usually hate it when their children play video games, thinking it’s a useless activity or hobby you may say. Whether they realize it or not, playing video games at the competitive level has become very popular, leading to the E-Sports tournaments that are held throughout the United States. Many professional gamers that belong to the Major League Gaming Association have their own agents representing them, those which usually make $100,000 – $200,000 in salary from sponsors. In the past few years, prized events have grown larger and better. Gamers used to compete for $25,000 at tournaments, now they compete for a million dollars at the biggest events Major League Gaming has to offer. So you can see why video games are very popular in the community nowadays.

Gaming also helps unite people together, so it’s not all just sitting down alone at home. The previous years, many collegiate E-Sports teams have been formed from colleges all around the nation, Princeton being one of the more known for its involvement in the 600 team collegiate league of Starcraft 2. Even major corporations use gaming for social purposes. Twitter, google, and other tech companies have events where employees from one company face off other employees from a different company in video games.

Video games are meant to be fun. Nationally, students love playing video games, employees love using it as a tool of rivalry, and companies love them for it brings it a ton of money. If a parent knew that, would you really think they would react the EXACT same way? Probably not.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/technology/personaltech/video-gaming-on-the-pro-tour-for-glory-but-little-gold.html