ESPN is doing a thing on videogames in sports, and they interviewed this guy who is apparently great at videogames, and he called himself an athelete because he competes in videogames. So I ask the question: are professional gamers atheletes based on their profession?
my opinion: NO. Playing friggin videogames DOES NOT make someone an athelete. An athelete is using his physical and mental strength, as well as stamina and talent, to compete against someone else. Just because you 'train" 8 hours a day and compete against someone doesn’t make you an athelete, it makes you a competetor.
And competing doesn’t make you an athelte either. Millions of people compete every day for money, jobs, popularity, etc. In november, our president will compete to keep his job.
I was watching a show earlier on National Geographic Ultimate Xplorer, and they had a segment about a South Korean professional gamer. He trains on StarCraft for about 8 hours each day, has a full-time trainer, and he is sponsored by Samsung to play Starcraft on the gaming tournaments. He seems to have all of the things that a “normal” athlete would have.
After seeing him play on TV, in my view, he does exhibit the same amount of mental concentration and quick reflexes that someone in a sport such as ping pong or…boxing…would show. I could not even randomly move my fingers around the keyboard that fast. He seems to hit the right keys at the right time extremely quickly. He is also supposedly one of the world’s best SC players, and that is quite a feat considering how many people play that game as an alternate lifestyle.
Professional Gamers may not fit the stereotypical image of athletes that we have today, but I think they are several notches above casual gamers when it comes to the amount of time they use to practice and improve their skills. Cyber athletes sounds about right :hugegrin:
I say we’ll have people quit complaining about laziness in video games once they develop VR.
And VR can be dangerous if not handled properly (I mean the in depth VR)
Main Entry: 2sport
Function: noun
1 a : a source of diversion : RECREATION b : sexual play c (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2) : a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in
Therefore, playing video games can be defined as a sport. At least according to the previous definition:
A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.
Is the ability to play a video game an acquired trait? Are some people better at Warcraft because they developed the necessary traits to do so? Yes. This is the same as a baseball player. The developed their skills.
And according to Merriam-Webster (above), a sport is a source of diversion, or a particular activity (citing an athletic game as an example).
Are some fingers more agile than others? Let’s not limit somone’s agility to their entire body. Because different parts of the body can be more agile than others.
By these definitions, someone who plays video games does possess the required traits for a game or "source of diversion. Considering the fact the Billiards is considered a sport, and requires none of the strength, agility, or stamina of a basketball player, or distance runner, and that their “sport” relies soley on their knowledge of the game, who to manipulate the balls, and their hand-eye coordination, I see no logical reason a person who plays video games should be excluded from this category.
Pro Gamers like the one that participate in the CPL call themselves athletes because the competitions they are in are much like league and of course hold different events and maybe why they call themselves athletes. They arent literally called that way but it makes it sound different.
From what I’ve read I’m getting the impression that a lot of people think that just because someone plays a sport that they’re automatically an althelete. I think that in order to be classified as an althelete you have to be able to run at least 10k without keeling over and have exceptional skill in your given sport. Calling gamers altheletes is ridiculus.
Ok i’m going with the minority and saying yes Pro Gamers are Atheletes…
Have you seen how into games people ca nget like man they move around so much pressing those buttons!!!
If you’re pro at DDR then i’d call you a Athelete above any! that game is crazy!!
Also shooting is a sport and people who do it are classed as Atheletes and that sport is in the olympics… so whats the difference from pressing the trigger on a gun and continuously pressing buttons on a control pad yet even using one of those gun controllers i think thats even move of a athelete than a shooter cus like shooters shoot a few things at once when you’re playing a game you’re continuosly shooting while trying not to be shot and running around everywhere…
Actually on the note i think they should scrap that shooting thing from the olympics and put laser skirmish or paint balling in!! how much cooler would that be at the olympics! i’d actually watch it!!
Ummmm maybe i made up a shooting sport in the olympics… probably in my dreams oh well… Paintball should still be an olympic sport and oh hey what about the horse riding people they get medals and praise for something a horse did hehe
I think the point is, that a person who plays video game exerts almost as much energy as a marksman. If you want to define an athlete, where do you draw the line for a sport? The dictionary says it is leisure time activities.
no way, holding a gun up and drawing a bowstring back are way more difficult than punching buttons on a controller. Also many of the marksman have those cross country courses that they go through and shoot at various points.
well personally i wouldnt consider someone who shoots a gun an athlete. At least not in the same way that someone who plays on a team or races or something. I mean, wouldn’t you find it amusing if someone told you they were an athlete and when you asked what sport they said riflery? Its… just… not the same…
i dunno, argue with me.
anyway, i dont think a professional gamer can be considered an athlete at all. I think professional gamer is the best title they get, hehe.
have any of you seen Arena on tech tv? I think they could be considered prefessional gamers but most of the stink. Id like to put a team together and get on that show and show them how to really play ut2k4 hehe
Playing a computer game competitivly requires: Tons of eye-hand coordination, Teamwork (sometimes), snap reflexes, and dedication.
What it doesn’t require: excessive physical exertion.
I’d consider gaming as much a sport as I’d consider curling, bowling, fishing, shooting, hunting, or archery a sport. They all require TONS of practice, knowledge and eye-hand coordination to master. I don’t know if I’d consider them “athletes” but they are definitly “professional” at the “sport” of PC gaming.
