eSports are Sports, and also Games – PAX Prime 2015
January 26, 2019 1 min read
Gaming livestreams are some of the most popular television programs in the US. There are entire TV networks covering gaming that have existed for decades.
3 thoughts on “eSports are Sports, and also Games – PAX Prime 2015”
You say that with eSports there is less clear communication of what's going on to people unfamiliar with it and that everyone knows that scoring a touchdown is good and can get excited by it. I don't think this is a fair comparison when you talk about mobas.
One of the advantages that traditional sports have is that they have been pervasive in our culture. I would be that 90% of the US could tell you the basic rules of at least one of the major sports (baseball/football/basketball/hockey/etc.). We play them in Gym class for at least part of our childhood.
So of course everyone knows that a touchdown is good and making progress towards the other team's goal is good and that makes it exciting. By the same token, if you explain to someone that the goal of a moba is to destroy the enemy nexus and that they need to "make progress" by destroying towers over time until they can reach it, they can understand and get excited for similar reasons. Killing 2-5 people in a team fight gives you a 'power play' like hokey which lets you take out towers and make progress (like scoring a touchdown/goal).
I believe that this basic knowledge is equivalent to knowing the basic rules of football and being able to enjoy the superbowl with some big fans.
Audio goes offsync about 38mins in.
Amazing panel guys 😀 48:10 I really want to know what that thing in Italy is now
You say that with eSports there is less clear communication of what's going on to people unfamiliar with it and that everyone knows that scoring a touchdown is good and can get excited by it. I don't think this is a fair comparison when you talk about mobas.
One of the advantages that traditional sports have is that they have been pervasive in our culture. I would be that 90% of the US could tell you the basic rules of at least one of the major sports (baseball/football/basketball/hockey/etc.). We play them in Gym class for at least part of our childhood.
So of course everyone knows that a touchdown is good and making progress towards the other team's goal is good and that makes it exciting. By the same token, if you explain to someone that the goal of a moba is to destroy the enemy nexus and that they need to "make progress" by destroying towers over time until they can reach it, they can understand and get excited for similar reasons. Killing 2-5 people in a team fight gives you a 'power play' like hokey which lets you take out towers and make progress (like scoring a touchdown/goal).
I believe that this basic knowledge is equivalent to knowing the basic rules of football and being able to enjoy the superbowl with some big fans.
Audio goes offsync about 38mins in.
Amazing panel guys 😀
48:10 I really want to know what that thing in Italy is now