Rant on! StarCraft is a game not an e-sport

May 25th, 2011

I just got done reading an interesting story on the rise of telecasting StarCraft and other games outside of South Korea. The gist of the article: if watching golf on TV can be popular in America, a sport many find boring, than why can't competitve gaming broadcasts find their place in the world?

I suspect they will at some point. If so, can we please stop referring to competative games as "e-sports"? It sounds ridiculous; a term some marketer invented because he feels uncomfortable saying he works in video games.

It's a lot like how some insecure companies at the turn of the century referred to video games as "interactive entertainment" or "electronic entertainment." THEY'RE CALLED FREAKIN' GAMES.

In fact, I'm not even sure we can technically label competative video games as sports. By definition, a "sport" is an athletic competition, often played outdoors. This isn't to say winning StarCraft doesn't require incredible amounts of skill, practice, and dexterity.

But you don't have to be athletic to be talented. That's the point. And that's why they'll be forever called video games. Not interactive entertainment. Not electronic fun time. Not even e-sports. 

Games. 

 

Comments

That marketer should be proud and call it Games!
I think this is somehow similar to how people view video game music...

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Posted Wednesday, May 25th, 2011    Quote This Post
dodolidot
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It would be cool to see games tournaments on tv... but e-sports?
im cool with mlg

@.@

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Posted Wednesday, May 25th, 2011    Quote This Post
FuzzyChaos
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i disagree. e-sports is a necessary nym for a coming-of-age competitive ritual. i see no reason why in the next few centuries there could not be Olympic E-Games, so why not start now?

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Posted Wednesday, May 25th, 2011    Quote This Post
saguanau
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well what's the the difference watching sports on tv and watching starcraft? for both you're watching it over being like NOOO HE SHOULD OF DONE THIS!!1, it's played as a game, but watched as a sport

4
Posted Thursday, May 26th, 2011    Quote This Post
cjunky2
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Meh. Sports in general are games where people care way too much about the outcome. Denotation means nothing in comparison to the connotation. If they care about starcraft that much, then why the hell not call it their e-sport if they want?

Sentaul

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Posted Friday, May 27th, 2011    Quote This Post
phoenixxknix
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I wrote a quite lengthy research paper last year on this subject.

If actions speak louder than words, why is the pen mightier than the sword?

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Posted Friday, May 27th, 2011    Quote This Post
Kickimanjaro
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I think it is fine calling it an E-Sport like the Academic Decathlon it is not a measure of physical skill and ability, but of mental skill and ability.

As you noted Starcraft takes skill, practice, and dexterity in the future it will only get more popular and they need to coin a term early on so it becomes common knowledge.

Does a Hamburger have Ham in it no (though you can argue it was originally from a city in Germany) , why does an E-Sport have to have a sport in it. (If you want Starcraft Tournaments in Korea they are definitely higher on the popularity chart than sports)

E-Sports is an area of high potential revenue streams and increase the visibility of a game. If you do not call it an E-Sport you should try and find another term that has less than 10 letters like PGaming or CGaming/CGames, but e-Sports just something easy to remember and great darn it.

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Posted Friday, May 27th, 2011    Quote This Post
aliencat
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if chess is called a sport then in my opinion it is ok to say e-sport

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Posted Friday, May 27th, 2011    Quote This Post
Rat2000
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Rat2000 said: if chess is called a sport then in my opinion it is ok to say e-sport
This, just because it isn't running doesn't mean it isn't athletic. Using your mind can be just as taxing as running and tackling into people.

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Posted Friday, May 27th, 2011    Quote This Post
TheDarkCthun
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Using your mind often is much more taxing than charging headfirst into other people. People call American Football a sport, obviously, but really only one half of that involves the textbook definition of 'athletes'. The other half is STRATEGY, as well as all the political BS that's attached to everything that makes enough money.

Sentaul

10
Posted Saturday, May 28th, 2011    Quote This Post
phoenixxknix
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I'm ok with calling rts or games as a "sport". In Asia "table tennis/ping pong" is considered a sport.

Just because you don't spend hours walking (or carting) around from hole to hole like golf doesn't mean that Video games are any less of a sport than golf.

In fact if they measured brain activity and eye hand movement for a entire golf game vs a pro level starcraft game I'm sure Starcraft is much more of a work out.

PS. I'm not some huge starcraft fan, but like rts games.





11
Posted Wednesday, June 1st, 2011    Quote This Post
tuxxrushu
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imo, if it's competitive than it can be considered a 'sport'.

Frankly, the term itself is so loosely defined that I could proubably say 'competitive underwater weaving' is a sport.

Never stop rollin'

12
Posted Wednesday, June 1st, 2011    Quote This Post
Assaultbear
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Volleyball is a game too. Best comparison i can think of is tags. You can add serveral to single item. StarCraft is a game(obviously)is's a e-sport also software and so on.

ps i checked the definition "an athletic activity requiring skill OR physical prowess" so it's cool.

13
Posted Thursday, June 2nd, 2011    Quote This Post
AngryRock
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I used to be in good physical condition... I played football, hockey, american football at school, and did a few mini triathlons... Now I'm here on forums/playing video games.
No, I do not consider any type of gaming a sport. I will never call any video game an e-sport.

Ladd Russo is like a father to me.

14
Posted Friday, June 3rd, 2011    Quote This Post
GenghisPF
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Oh please, shut up. E-Sports are just as viable as baseball or basketball. It takes time and training to acquire skill in both.

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Posted Saturday, June 4th, 2011    Quote This Post
Klowny1991
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That's what term paper services are for!

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Posted Monday, June 6th, 2011    Quote This Post
Klausen
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I agree they are games and not esports lol, that just cracks me up

xXNoobtubedXx

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Posted Wednesday, June 8th, 2011    Quote This Post
Noobtubed06
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i think it should not be called esports.the fact that sports have good results like better health and more energy and stamina.playing a game consistently will not give you good results it will not improve you health it will make you fat it will decrees your stamina and energy.and if your really good at a sport like soccer you might get hired by a teem and make a lot of money but if you r good at games you have to pay some one to keep playing and if you get a title what good does it do you like someone on the street and sees hey your the top ranking player of starcraft can i have your signature.thats not going to happen if your a really good soccer player that might happin.so no gaming is not a sport and never will be but it is fun and is good to do in YOUR EXTRA TIME unlike some people that gaming is there life and would like it to be a esport so they cane get some recognition

its NICE to BE BOSS,but its BOSS to BE NICE.NBB BBN

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Posted Wednesday, June 8th, 2011    Quote This Post
zen2525
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hm i wonder

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Posted Wednesday, June 15th, 2011    Quote This Post
Demo
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SC is shit really shit, no strategy involved, very boring game !!!

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Posted Wednesday, June 15th, 2011    Quote This Post
IZOTRON
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Chess is a sport, too. For some reason no one complains about the lack of movement...

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Posted Thursday, June 23rd, 2011    Quote This Post
ThammuZ
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Starcraft is an e-sport! :/

"It's Nice To Be Important , But It's More Important To Be Nice"

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Posted Tuesday, October 18th, 2011    Quote This Post
Sky-Dexter
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This is a really good read for me. Must admit that you are one of the best bloggers I have ever read. Thanks for posting this informative article
Business Directory

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Posted Saturday, May 26th, 2012    Quote This Post
updater
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