Video games are my drug of choice. They let me escape into another life when the going gets tough in my real one. My game of preference is Heroes of the Storm (developed by Blizzard) a very competitive Multiplayer Online Battle Arena; or MOBA for short (For the more Blizzard-learned people out there I’m told it’s a “Hero Brawler”). As such, the blossoming “Esports” culture has caught my attention. Blizzard recently started a new Esports division and hired Steve Bornstein as the chairman of the unit. Examples of Bornstein’s former jobs are positions like the CEO of the NFL Network and the CEO of ESPN. This news has created waves of hype as it shows top-dollar commitment to the burgeoning Esports industry. Even Colin Cowherd is getting in on the fun:
Mark Cuban also commented on the rapidly rising Esports culture:
While I enjoy the fanfare and strategy that surrounds these games I do have an issue with the chosen name of “Esports.” I believe that the name hurts the image of the industry for two reasons. One, it causes confusion over what is being done. Colin doesn’t see this event as “sport” while my generation, for some reason, does. Let’s be abundantly clear there is no “sporting” going on in these tournaments. Secondly, it perpetuates the stereotype of the uncoordinated person who wishes they could sport. Chess players are playing a game why don’t they call themselves athletes? Why isn’t there “ChesSports?” You’re not an athlete just because you’re playing a game. Neither are you sporting if you’re playing a game. Game and sport are not synonymous.
So obviously I have to define “sport,” but first I would like to define “game.” The Merriam-Webster definition of “game” is as such: “Activity engaged in for diversion or amusement.” From the very broad language used here we can deduce that “game” is an umbrella term. “Game” seems to describe everything from Canasta to Cricket to Craps. It includes dice, sport, cards, board games and anything else you can think of that is done for diversion or amusement. I’m going to call things like cards and board games subcategories. For example cards would be a subcategory to “game.” Merriam-Webster on “Sport:” “A contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a specific set of rules and compete against each other.” It is clear from the definition of sport that it is (a) is a subset of game and (b) has a qualifier: “… in which people do certain physical activities.” This qualifier rules out video games as “sport” because there is no physical activity involved. I press buttons on a keyboard and mouse at work but that is not physical activity.
So let’s ask ourselves: What sub-category of game does video gaming fall under? This obviously depends on the game but I’m going to posit that most competitively played video games are like board games. There is a specific map (Nuketown, Dragon Shire, Summoner’s Rift, i.e. a board) that is used, pieces are selected (guns, characters, perks, talents, etc.), and strategies/movements are formulated to give you the best chance for victory based on the game/board in question . Obviously that sounds a little like sports as well, but remember, physical activity is not involved
If Esports is more like EBoardGames (EBG!?) then why call it Esports in the first place? It just perpetuates the stereotype that nerds and gamers wish they had the physical capabilities to play sport. My baseball career ended with an astonishingly unsatisfying fizzle, however, I don’t pine for a career as an athlete by trying to play professional video games. Video games don’t require athleticism thus doesn’t mirror sport. The name Esports doesn’t liberate non-athletes, it only verifies how badly they wanted to be athletes in the first place, despite their vehement arguments otherwise.
Obviously there are marketers in video game companies that are much smarter than I. Perhaps they’re trying to capitalize on a specific market. The market of those who can’t sport is obviously much bigger than those who can. Maybe Esports is a draw to those folks because they can finally participate in what they have been fooled into believing is “sport.”
Despite the fact above I still stand of the opinion that Esports should try to break away from athletic comparisons. They have the amazing potential to create their own culture and offer a new and exciting industry to people, separate from sports. These games are freaking fun. The title “Esports” is both a turn off for those who see through the very thin veneer and most likely a hurdle to long term viability.
What are your thoughts?
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