Recognition of ESports as an Authentic Career - Essay Example

Recognition of e-sports as an authentic career/occupation The E-sport is a short form for electronic sports, and it refers to the use of video games in an athletic and professional way. It refers to video game competitions that are much similar to athletic sporting events. They do not involve covering of distances or use of efforts as that used in athletic sports like football. They also do not have an age limit though they are more common among the younger generation than the older generation. Some of the oldest players in e-sport are Pablo Vega(43), Tomi Kärnä(37), Konstantin Vanisov(36), Adnan Rana(36), James King(36) and Anderas Thorstensson(35). They involve use of computers and in most cases, the use of the internet. Players in these games are referred to as the e-sport professionals. However, over the years, the game has not been recognized as an authentic occupation or career like other games like football do. This paper explores the benefits that can be drawn from e-sport, such as earning of revenues, better health and better productivity of the player that warranty the reason for it been made a career. An e-sport game is conducted in a similar way like an athletic sporting event; the players are guided by a set of rules and regulations that guide them, the actions are commentated by a sportscaster just like other games, they have an audience and they have a referee who officiates the game. However, these games only require only one commentator unlike other games. E-sports can be dated back to 1980s when gaming tournaments would be conducted in arcades. In the 1990s, the video game competitions started been held in large auditoriums. Between the years 2000 and 2013, e-sports became even more popular as a competition game. Over the years, the sport has become very popular, especially with the rise of access to the internet, as it enables players to be able to compete in the game remotely and the game can be broadcasted online. The rise of the e-sport game has also witnessed the rise of professional video game players and provided platforms where they can participate at international levels in the game for cash prizes. They are commonly sponsored by technology companies though they generate a lot of money from selling tickets and online viewing subscriptions. E-Sport generally involves numerous genres of video games. The most common real-time strategy (RTS) games include Dota, Starcraft 2 and the League of Legends. Popular first-person shooters games include Half Life and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Other games played in e-sports competitions are Halo 3, Guitar Hero and Super Street Fighter IV. Most of the studies that have been done about e-sports have usually concentrated on the effects of the game that are negative. They claim that the e-sports games are very violent and may spill off this violence into the minds of the young people and the adults playing them (Anderson et al. 2007). However, this can be looked at from the positive side where, violence in the games is actually beneficial to the players. They can help them to be able to handle extreme and complicated issues in life such as war and accidents without being overwhelmed by fear or stigmatized. Klug, G.C. and Schell, J. (2006) in their research found out that, e-sport players give a more aggressive approach to life and are not intimidated by life issues. They develop courage and very few who play the game remain timid in life. Another reason that may have made the game not to be recognized as an authentic occupation is the fact that it is said to cause social isolation, game dependency, physical inactivity and poor academic performance for the players. However, studies have shown that people playing e-sport games are as physically active as those who do not play (Lindner, K. J. 1999). The studies further show that one in five players of e-sports are addicted to the game, and therefore, the role of personal discipline of the individual cannot be downplayed, since even the developer of the computer game made the games with hooking the players to the game always as his objective. E-sport games directly influence the player’s analytical skills. Playing the games engages the mind a lot to think fast and analytically, and through this, the player’s analytical skills are enhanced. They can therefore be recommended for children growing up and young people. Best, J (2001) proposes that the games also help the young people abstain from drugs and other forms of immorality. The games engage a lot the player’s time and they lack time for immorality and crime. On the same note, it can be noted that, most of the e-sport games do not involve material content that is immoral neither are they acted in a way as to sell out the theme of immorality. They cannot be therefore be compared to time spent watching movies. Thus, they have a benefit of lack of moral degradation for the players. These makes them even more beneficial to young children and young adults growing up. In recent years, many children and young people have showed their interest in the game, further explaining why e-sport should be recognized as career. About 350 million people around the world participate in the game. This number is dominated by children and adolescents. A report by the Swedish Council of Media showed that 84%of children between the age of 9 years and 15 years in Sweden have played computer games in the last one year. This explains why the computer game industry has tremendously grown and has become one of the leading multi-million-business in most countries. The report shows that, in 2005 alone, the worldwide sales of computer games were estimated to a value of $30 billion. It compares the computer game industry and music and movie industry as been at the same level. As the popularity of computer games increases, e-sport which is basically competition is computer games similarly continues to rise at alarming rates. In some countries like China, South Korea, Bulgaria and Russia, e-sport has been accepted just like any other sport, more than even in most of the countries and the results have been so positive. This further explains why e-sports should be accepted as a career in the whole world. E-sport also provides a good platform for people to socialize. It provides a platform where adults can socialize with children thus causing physiological and psychological development in the children. This provides an opportunity for the children to receive mentorship. I have played this game for a long time and its one field that needs more support by the authorities as it has the capability of offering very good returns and opportunities to the young people. E-sport should be recognized as a career or occupation is it has the capability to pay very well especially for the players who are good at it. Very many people earn a lot of money from e-sport and thus, parents should encourage young people to take a career in it. Some of the highest earning players in e-sport in the world are Lee, Jae Dong with an overall earning amount of $508,586, Johnathan Wendel with a total of $454,544.98, Jang, Min Chul with a total of $451,926.25, Lee, Young Ho with a total of $447,016.47 and Danil Ishutin with a total of $440,072.94 among many others. The entire country can also earn revenue from e-sport. Some countries like the United States have in many occasions hosted e-sport players and e-sport games thus earning a lot of revenue from that. The US government recognizes e-sport as a professional game and has started programs to issue visas to the players on the basis of them been professional players like any other. The US has the highest number of e-sport players in the world followed by Korea. Some of the countries that have had the biggest income from the game Republic of Korea with 838 e-sport professional players and has earned more than $17,955,537.65 , United States with 1596 professional players and has earned more than $11,936,192.10, Sweden with 462 players and has earned gifts valued at more than $6,317,837.05, China with more than 390 professional players and has earned gifts valued more than $5,878,241.16 and Germany with 393 professional players and has earned gifts valued more than $2,551,516.81 among very many other countries in the world. Making e-sport a career will also enhance development of children and youth. Bearing in mind that the game attracts mostly the young children and the youth, making it an occupation will encourage more children, who would have otherwise been idol, to participate in the game ultimately bringing about development in them. Research shows that parents in Alberta have reported that more than half of children and youth (5-17) are not engaged and active enough for optimal growth and development due to lack of opportunities where they can effectively be engaged (CFLRI, 2003). Only about 25% of these children receive daily physical education in their respective schools and only about 36% were reported to be participating in organized activities after school. Participation in sport during childhood is very essential for optimal psychological, physical and social development. Involvement in sports at childhood level brings development in bone and muscle structure, cardiovascular flexibility and functioning. Data from a national survey of Icelandic adolescents shows that club sport participation directly provide physiological benefits (Vilhjalmsson and Thorlindsson, 1992). In this case, e-sport plays a double role, boosting the children health and boosting their productivity at school and at home. Tremblay et al, (1998) quotes that for most children, physical activity may be directly or indirectly related to enhanced academic performance by improving physical health and self-esteem. McCulloch et al (1990) also assert that a sport performed regularly by a child reduces the risk of developing or dying from some the leading causes of illness and death including: health disease, dying prematurely, colon cancer, high blood pressure and depression. Work Cited List Edmonton Sport Council, CFLRI, Benefits of Investing in Sport. Edmonton, (2003).Alberta. http://benefitshub.ca/entry/benefits-of-investing-in-sport/ Bailey, K., Moulton, P. and Moulton, M. Athletics as a Predictor of Self-Esteem and Approval Motivation. The Sports Journal, (1999). Tremblay, Inman, and Willms. The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Self-Esteem, and Academic Achievement in 12-Year Old Children. Journal of Pediatric Exercise and Science. (1998).Vol. 12(3), pp.312-323. McCulloch, R.G.; Bailey, D.A.; Houston, C.S. and Dodd, B.L. (1990). Effects of Physical Activity, Dietary Calcium Intake and Selected Lifestyle Factors on Bone Density in Young Women. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Vol . 142(3), pp. 221-227. Best, J, Sport and Youth Crime: Positive Partnerships. (2001) ( Sportscotland paper) Lindner, K J. Sport Participation and Perceived Academic Performance of School Children and Youth, (1999) Pediatric Exercise Science, p129-143. Klug, G.C. and Schell, J. Why people play games: An industry perspective. In P. Vorderer, and J. Bryant, Playing video games: Motives, responses, and consequences. (2006). (p. 91-100). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates cop. Anderson, D.A., Gentile, D.A., & Buckley, K.E. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: Theory, research and public policy. Oxford: University Press E-Sport Earnings, http://www.esportsearnings.com/players E-Sport Earnings, http://www.esportsearnings.com/players/oldest_players E-Sport Earnings, http://www.esportsearnings.com/countries Read More