So, I know that eSports (essentially a millennial euphemisms for video games) have been a growing industry. But I’m curious what everyone thinks about the fact that several US colleges are providing scholarships for eSports.
Here’s just one article on it.
Whatever pays the tuition.
Games like LoL (league of legends) have grown so much in popularity that the competitions are held in domed stadiums big enough to rival an American football fields. And draw crowds from all over world.
I grew up in the early/mid 80’s - video games were always a part of life in someway. Now, I have children, and i’m waiting for them to be old enough so I… I mean, we can play together.
I’m a product of video games in the early 1980’s too. Some of those times were fond memories. But most of the time amounted to squat. I wish I would have had a healthier obsession back then. I have teen daughters that I’ve encouraged to play some of the more educational video games, but they keep gravitating towards the games that have no educational value whatsoever. Even the coordination skills you get aren’t useful for much of anything besides being a drone pilot for the Air Force.
I was hoping that educational video games and real world scenario simulators would have gotten more popularity by now. But it seems that shooters and the most unrealistic fantasy settings are far more popular. I’ve been supportive of Jane McGonigal’s gamification. But so far it seems to have only attracted people to the worst parts of video gaming culture, attention snatching, instant gratification, escaping, unrealistic expectations, and unlimited restarts.
I haven’t given up hope. I saw Ready Player One a few weeks ago and it seems to have a good message about knowing when to unplug. If getting a college degree for free is the more-likely payoff than prize or endorsement money for video game junkies, I’m all for it. I welcome any positive alternative to kids thinking that they can make a living exclusively from playing video games. Maybe the scholarship recipients will learn something useful about the real world in between gaming sessions.
I don’t see it as any better or any worse than offering scholarships for physical sports.
I’ve never heard of anyone doing an allnighter playing a physical sport. We’ll soon find out if sleep deprivation, malnutrition, dehydration, and caffeine overdoses are as hazardous as steroids and CTE.
Don’t be silly. All those things are perfectly healthy.
I mean… right?
People from all walks of life pull all nighters playing video games, including athletes. I know I have. So it only makes sense that the people who do it as more than a hobby or professionally would do it too
People who play video games as more than a hobby will probably do more allnighters than people who only do it as a hobby. There’s no coach telling them that practice time is over. When they are in the zone, they don’t feel the physical damage they are doing to their bodies as easily as people doing physical sports feel it.