I was watching a hilarious vid of some Korean gamer and then read the comments (here: http://digg.com/pc_games/Korean_Pro_Gam ... _Rockstars ) arguing that these people are athletes.

 

 

 

I think it's a joke that people would consider these people as athletes. There's nothing athletic about clicking a mouse. Sure, it takes skills to do well in video games. But really, athletes?

That is just taking it to far .. Oo

Pro-Gamers aren't Athletes, they have their own word which is 'Pro-Gamers'. I don't know why people consider some gamers to be athletes, it's just redundant and ignorant to what an Athlete is.

 

 

 

Just like why they call poker a sport a now. >.>

probably the word sports comes from a strong connotation as with professional gamers.

I personally define sport as a contest which requires exertion, and involved competition. Therefore, professional gamers who compete in recognised competitions could, I suppose, be regarded as sportsmen.

 

 

 

Even Chess is counted as a sport these days.

 

 

 

'Athlete' though? Get lost, no chance.

I've been following the pro Starcraft scene for a few years now. By definition, pro-gamers can't be considered athletes, but the game is a sport. the term e-Sport is a more accurate term though.

Just because the nerds are extreme nerds doesn't make them go full circle to jock :lol:

Just because the nerds are extreme nerds doesn't make them go full circle to jock :lol:

 

 

 

Well, they can in Korea :lol:

Heh. Korea. Only in Korea. Where else...

 

 

 

This reminds me of an argument some of my friends had a while ago, as to what constitutes a sport. The activities/sports that were mainly being argued on were track and field, ballroom dancing, ice skating and chess. (Okay, we all agreed that chess wasn't a sport, but it's classified as one by some people...As well as poker...?)

 

So. What does make a sport a sport? It has to be physically demanding? Then walking a bunch of miles is a sport. You have to be paid for it? People are paid to do anything. It's entertaining? A lot of things are entertaining.

 

Does anyone have a good definition for a sport? I personally can't think of one...I just judge activities according to my opinion, rather than with a set of rules.

 

So no, professional gamers aren't athletes. Nor are professional chess players, nor professional poker players.

 

 

 

Oh, and I can't wait until Wii Sports becomes a professional game. :roll:

 

 

 

Oh, and I can't wait until Wii Sports becomes a professional game. :roll:

 

 

 

 

 

it kind of is. you'll be surprised how many people were injured with just a wii remote. :P

Reminds me fo when people ask wether darts is a sport.

 

 

 

Not much difference between that and playing a game on the wii, except i could guarentee you more would say darts is a sport over the wii.

 

 

 

Personally i think that a sport cannot be done infront of a screen. (waits for people to find obscene sports)

Well, gaming does take very good reflexes, and forward-thinking. Plus, being able to stay at your peak for a long time is a mental and physical strain. I don't really see how an fps is any different to target shooting, really. In fact, Olympic shooters are using a virtual duck-shooter-esque game to train. I'd say that pro-gaming is a form of a sport.

But saying that it is athletic...?

 

If I'm playing a video game, chances are I'm not doing anything physical at all... Other than jerking my thumbs/other fingers like a madman.

 

 

 

Maybe this is a sign that the definition's going to change.

Well, the Olympics are referred to as "The Games" by many people. And games are for entertainment/competition. By definition anything pitting you head to head with other people should define you as an athlete. :thumbsup:

Well I'd say they are a sport. You are pitted head to head against another opponent/team and you are playing to win, possibly for prizes or glory- just like football for example.

 

It needs more recognition as a sport though...People still view gaming as a waste of time; which it isn't if you play professionally/competetively. If you just play excessive hours for fun, it is a waste of time still though.

 

 

 

Give it time though and it'll be recognised properly as a sport. It took 50 years for football to kick off as an official sport aswell.

 

 

 

An athlete? hmmmm... well it's a bit far since it isn't really physically exhausting like other athletes sports. I have heard the term E-Athlete crop up along with E-sports- I didn't even think much of the word E-Athlete cropping up; its sounds ok in context.

Sport: "An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature."

 

 

 

Anyone who considers playing video games to be a sport or athletics needs to remove head from sphincter and stop taking games so seriously.

 

 

 

I train 4-6 times a week, until I feel like I am about to collapse, then train some more. Running until I throw up is seen as a good thing by my trainer. I am an athlete - somebody with often little social life who sits at home and plays games is not. Nerd works, or pro gamer if they want to try and tell themselves they aren't wasting their time.

 

 

 

Oh, and I can't wait until Wii Sports becomes a professional game. :roll:

 

 

 

 

 

it kind of is. you'll be surprised how many people were injured with just a wii remote. :P

 

 

 

Thats mainly because they were acting like complete spanners...

I am an athlete - somebody with often little social life who sits at home and plays games is not. Nerd works, or pro gamer if they want to try and tell themselves they aren't wasting their time.

 

 

 

What's wrong with playing games with your friends all day, playing in tournaments and having a large fanbase of fangirls?

Anyone who considers playing video games to be a sport or athletics needs to remove head from sphincter and stop taking games so seriously.

 

 

 

Football is just a game.

Sport: "An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature."

 

 

 

Anyone who considers playing video games to be a sport or athletics needs to remove head from sphincter and stop taking games so seriously.

 

 

Off topic, but is a game that you can (depending on how you play it) exert yourself on, like wii sports, considered a sport?

I am an athlete - somebody with often little social life who sits at home and plays games is not. Nerd works, or pro gamer if they want to try and tell themselves they aren't wasting their time.

 

 

 

What's wrong with playing games with your friends all day, playing in tournaments and having a large fanbase of fangirls?

 

 

 

Are you somehow implying that girls actually have the slightest interest in nerds who spend countless hours of their life alone? :lol:

 

 

 

Actually I am a bit confused. First you mention playing games with friends, the social side of gaming. Then you mention playing tournaments, the "professional" or "hardcore" side of gaming. So how do you bring the two together? Both are opposites and most of the girls in gaming ("most" in this case is still a strikingly small number compared to the girls who don't care about gamers) go for casual party and a few go for the FPS/MMO. Very few (if any) actually care about these nerdy "athletes".

 

 

 

Want to get girls whilst at the same time play video games? Here's a hint: Chicks dig JRPGs.

 

 

 

Are you somehow implying that girls actually have the slightest interest in nerds who spend countless hours of their life alone? :lol:

 

 

 

Actually I am a bit confused. First you mention playing games with friends, the social side of gaming. Then you mention playing tournaments, the "professional" or "hardcore" side of gaming. So how do you bring the two together? Both are opposites and most of the girls in gaming ("most" in this case is still a strikingly small number compared to the girls who don't care about gamers) go for casual party and a few go for the FPS/MMO. Very few (if any) actually care about these nerdy "athletes".

 

 

 

Want to get girls whilst at the same time play video games? Here's a hint: Chicks dig JRPGs.

 

 

 

I'm referring to the Korean pro Starcraft scene. They have a number of teams (14 I believe) who spend their time practicing together. Most players were part of a clan and ended up joining one of the major teams to continue their career. It's kind of hard not to make friends.

 

 

 

As for the fangirls thing...

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7IrRXoYEk

 

 

 

It's kind of hard not to hear their screams...

Anyone who considers playing video games to be a sport or athletics needs to remove head from sphincter and stop taking games so seriously.

 

 

 

Football is just a game.

 

 

 

So are a lot of other things, I don't see what you're trying to say here.

 

 

 

 

Off topic, but is a game that you can (depending on how you play it) exert yourself on, like wii sports, considered a sport?

 

 

 

Exert is a little extreme, playing the wii is exercise but not a whole lot relative to most actual sports.

As for the fangirls thing...

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7IrRXoYEk

 

 

 

It's kind of hard not to hear their screams...

 

 

 

9/10 of those are effeminate Korean men :lol:

 

 

 

Honestly though, outside Korea, no one would give a flying [bleep] if you're a pro Starcraft player

 

I'm referring to the Korean pro Starcraft scene. They have a number of teams (14 I believe) who spend their time practicing together. Most players were part of a clan and ended up joining one of the major teams to continue their career. It's kind of hard not to make friends.

 

 

 

Do you have any idea how much time you have to spend playing Starcraft just to get to that level? Sure, they get to meet the people on their team and have a great time as a team but when it comes to meeting people, there are much better ways.

 

 

 

As for the fangirls thing...

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7IrRXoYEk

 

 

 

It's kind of hard not to hear their screams...

 

 

 

It's a bit hard to tell but I agree with Shadow, the crowd seemed just like a giant sausage-fest. Once again, when it comes to meeting girls, there are much better ways (even if you want to meet nerdy/gamer girls, you actually have to become extroverted and social). It was funny how they did the cheesy intro though :lol: