Media:Example.oggIntroduction The simplest definition of a sport is “a source of diversion;” a recreational activity such as a game . A more fine-tuned definition of sport states that the activity must require some sort of skill or athleticism, and it must have competition . The concept of video gaming- which has only been around since the 1960s - as a sport is actually very realistic and qualified. A video game requires skill and strategy, as any sport does. Video gaming in today’s world also contains worldwide competition through online gaming . Just as in football, baseball, basketball, and soccer, there are leagues and tournaments in video gaming. The CPL (Cyberathlete Professional League) is an example of a video gaming league . The World Cyber Games is an example of a video gaming tournament . In today’s society- where poker is covered by ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports - it is hard to deny calling video gaming a sport. It is easy to imagine video gaming becoming a strong force in the sporting realm in a world of rapidly increasing technology.
History a. Video gaming dates back to 1952, when A. S. Douglas created, Noughts and Crosses, the first documented computer game. The game, which was created at Cambridge University, is similar to the game Tic-Tac-Toe . In 1977, “the first multi-game home console, the Atari 2600”, was released . In more recent decades, companies have released other at-home video game consoles: Nintendo’s NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985 , Sega’s SG-1000 in 1983 , Sony’s Playstation X in 1994 , and Microsoft’s XBOX in 2001 (12). These are, or have been, some of the leading video game industries that produced, or still produce, the latest video game technology. In addition to at-home consoles, video gaming has thrived on the PC. “At-home” Video Game Consoles Year Released Atari 2600 1977 Nintendo Entertainment System 1985 Sega SG-1000 1983 Sony Playstation 1994 Microsoft XBOX 2001
b. The concept of online gaming began in the late 1980s through MMOG’s (Massively Multiplayer Online Games). Games such as Air Warrior and Yserbius were the first to incorporate a number of people playing together on a proprietary network. The first MMOG to be played on the internet was Meridian 59, which was released in 1996 . Since then, online computer games such as EverQuest, World of Warcraft, and Counterstrike have broken onto the scene. Online gaming has also spawned through the consoles, with games such as XBOX’s Halo and Playstation 3’s Resistance: Fall of Man.
c. The video game leagues began to form in the late 1990s. The CPL (Cyberathlete Professional League) was formed in 1997 . MLG (Major League Gaming) was found more recently, in 2002 . There are other gaming leagues, but most were formed near the turn of the millennium. The formation of these leagues also brought about video game tournaments, such as the WCG (World Cyber Games) that was formed in 2000 .
Leagues/Tournaments There are many professional video game leagues and tournaments that host worldwide competitions and provide ways for gamers to compete online. The following are some of the biggest leagues and tournaments. They are very brief, general descriptions.
a. The Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) was founded in 1996. Based in Dallas, Texas, CPL has hosted 300,000 gamers in over 60 events. The Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL) is the “minor league” of the CPL. It is based mainly on online game play. It hosts more than 600,000 online gamers .
b. Major League Gaming (MLG) is currently the largest organized professional gaming league. Competitors from 28 different countries have participated in their tournaments, while over one million participants have competed online .
c. Electronic Sports League (ESL) is a European organization that’s host to around 700,000 German and English computer gamers. ESL has 1800 leagues for amateurs and professionals in 80 different games .
d. The Global Gaming League (GGL) is “a video gaming culture.” It gives the world’s gamers the means to find other competitors and form their own competitions and groups .
e. World Cyber Games (WCG), which began in 2000, hosts nearly one million competitors online. Top competitors from 70 countries participate in the World Championships, which have been held in six different cities across the globe .
f. Electronic Sports World Cup is an international championship held annually in France. Representatives must win their respective national qualifier to represent their country in the tournament .
Rewards As online gaming becomes more and more popular, the rewards and cash prizes for these events are substantially increasing. More sponsors enable these competitions to present winners with cash earnings in the thousands. As this growing sport evolves, it is no doubt that these cash prizes will increase in relation to popularity. Some of the main sponsors at these events that contribute to the rewards are companies such as Sierra, Razer, Bawls and many electronic/computer manufacturers. As the winnings increase at these competitions, the question of “Is Online Gaming a Sport?” becomes less controversial. If competitors can win cash in amounts equal to other sports established, what makes Online Gaming anything less than a career?
Why it is a Sport It is obvious that the industry of video gaming is trying to cross the line from simple “game” to “sport.” The use of sports related terms is an example of this: cyberATHLETE professional LEAGUE and e-SPORTS. There are qualities of video gaming that fit into the requirements of a sport, such as skill, strategy, and competition. Athleticism is also a necessity for video games like Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, which require endurance and concentration in a similar way that NASCAR does. Along with these basic traits of sport, there are signs of professionalism in video gaming. A 2003 competition hosted by CAL was played in a Hyatt Regency Ballroom. Several tables were placed together where 10 computers were set up for the professional gamers. The game was Half-Life: Counterstrike . This competition is similar to the World Series of Poker tournament that is held at the RIO All-Suites Casino and Hotel . Players, or competitors, battle it out for a cash prize. Also, just as any sport, there are referees or officials to monitor for cheating . These video gaming tournaments even bring in fans, that either show up at the tournament or view it online . In comparison to professional sport leagues, video gaming has sponsorship like the NFL and NBA. For example, the CPL is sponsored by Sierra, Razer, Cyber Shots Energy Drink, and GameRail . Video gaming meets all the requirements that are needed for it to be deemed a professional sport, but there are other things that deny it that title.
Why it isn’t a Sport Video gaming is not viewed as a sport in the present time mainly because of the fact that it is a relatively new idea. It is hard for adults of this generation to view video gaming as a sport because most of them do not play video games. One team manager of a CPL team says that getting the elders he knows to take him seriously is the biggest challenge in video gaming . Video games, which only became big in the 1980s, were not around during the childhood of this generation’s adults . Video games are not a part of the Olympics , they have only recently been seen on TV , and they don’t produce star-athlete role models for our youth. They are also expensive, requiring a computer or game system, games, internet costs, and gaming accessories such as headsets.
Growth Video gaming as a sport is a strange thought to many now, but could very well be a known fact in the future. In present time, there are 132 million video gamers in the United States . This number will grow with new technology in the gaming world. The number of people participating in video game leagues and tournaments has grown since the formation of the leagues and will continue to grow. For example, the WCG began in 2000 with 168,000 participants. The number of participants for the 2006 WCG was 1,300,000 .
Video gaming has already made its way onto the big screen. In countries such as South Korea, professional gamers are seen in action on local video game channels . In America, gaming is seen on a variety of channels. ESPN has a show called Madden Nation, which shows gamers playing the Madden NFL game for XBOX 360. These players are competing for a cash prize . DirecTV shows live video game matches for the Championship Gaming Series . CBS aired footage of the 2007 World Series of Video games tournament that was held in Louisville, Kentucky . G4 is a television channel dedicated to keeping viewers up to date on video games .
This generation is the first to grow up with the technology of video games and the interactivity of online game play . It is very probable that video gaming will be the sport of the next generation, just as X-games have become known as a sport in this generation . In a technologically growing world, video gaming can only become a bigger part of the sports world.
