WOW for WOW, that one will be a thrilling tourney!!!!???!?!?!?!??!

freespeech

Playing online competitively is fine, I have no problems with it at all due simply toi the fact that I did it for quite awhile.

But what really makes me rage is that these guys have the gall to call themselves athletes.

Pro gaming, chess, poker, etc etc are not athletic sports. An athletic sport involves molding your body into peak physical condition and running and moving for obscene amounts of time and spans a career of 10 - 15 years.

Tizlor

@ParadoxControl:
Well said.

dsectric

Professional gaming is alright as long it doesn't try too hard posing off as some primetime football match on ESPN.

The games selection is bad though. DOA4 and Counter Strike Source is acceptable. But Forza Motorsport 2, FIFA 08 and WoW? WTF??!! Anyone with cable TV would switch to a real-life soccer match or race if they wanted to. Those 3 games are ridiculous. Add in a great strategy game and Gears of War and the CGS is set. Hell, if they really want to feature a racing game then get Burnout Paradise.

garytek

So, from what I have gathered from the Comments here, the person interviewed in this article is a Nerdy-Ass Hat, probably lacking any and all social skills. Yet I read the article and find that hes vary well spoken, knowledgeable and passionate about what he does.

I can understand why you might not like the idea of Pro Gaming. But don't take it out on the players. These stereotypes that you force on to them are far from accurate.

I find it kind of Ironic really. Gamers, on a Gaming Blog, stereotyping Pro Gamers, with the same stereotypes all gamers have been put under for as long as gaming has existed.

ParadoxControl

WoW - Nice. Pick an MMO with possibly the most unbalanced PvP possible.
Forza 2 - Yawn. Gran Turismo, sure. But Forza?
CS:S - Well, duh...
DoA4 - I've never liked the DoA series.
FIFA - Winning Eleven is by far the better Soccer game.

I like video games. I don't even mind watching friends play games. But watching a bunch of televised egotistical goobers play video games is a bit much. It's like Thomas "T-Square" Taylor. I can't wait until his high school dropout ass is no longer making money in Halo tourneys. Then what will he do? I can see his resume now...

"I teh best @ Halo. I pwn noobs. lolz."
"Um. Yeah, but we don't 'pwn noobs' here at Burger King, Mr... T-Square? I'm afraid you're not qualified for this job."

Bewildered_Ronin

@Aiwokote: More like damn warriors. White damaging me for 1.5k 0_o OP much? Instantly destroying a rogue just by turning on Auto attack

Sinharvest

wow, so many jealous people.

Also, for everyone saying the games line-up is bad, you have to realize that every game but CS:S is not really the main attraction. CS:S is HUGE competitively and choosing any other game would be a terrible choice. If you ever played CS:S or 1.6 competitively, you'd know how exciting it is.

dsectric

@RagingTowers: It's not all it's cracked up to be. ;P (<- works at sign/print shop)

chronubis

I want to make giant checks for a living

RagingTowers

@ArmyofJuan: I get what you are saying, but I never really took people like that to heart. I figure they just don't know where the line is, so I talk trash right back at them, and for the most part most of the people were cool, but probably just lack social skills.

HurricaneDave

@KeroseneClimax: but if you're playing someone like me, obviously there is no money on the line so you can drop the whole macho act and the whole "im super awsome because play this alllllll day"

granted i would like the chance to play in some sort of tournament where there is money on the line, but sadly i must work at an actual job because money does not rain on me from the sky

ArmyofJuan

@HurricaneDave: Wholeheartedly agree with you there.

@ArmyofJuan: When money is on the line for professionals, COD4 or any other competitive game played for financial gain minus well be equated to someones life. People who play these games for a paycheck aren't out to make friends: They're out to win. Respect for other players is an option, not a rule.

Granted, I'd like the shit talk to be left to a minimum, but there are advantages to it during gameplay (though slightly for most pros) and there are rules in most tournaments that have regulations against what would be considered crossing the line when riling up an opponent. Sometimes the trash talk isn't considered serious to the person doing it, but they know what they can get away with without being penalized.

People are assholes. What the asshole may consider acceptable conduct isn't what everyone else would, but then again, people don't pay players for their charming personalities, just by how they can play and how many assess they can put in seats.

KeroseneClimax

@HurricaneDave: i dont mind competitive speech, i mean i talk shit too. It's just the difference between me and them is that i don't take myself seriously and i don't equate COD4 = Life. I try to have enjoyment out of these games.

That and i know when the line between talking shit in a joking manner to have fun and talking shit because you're just an asshole is crossed.

ArmyofJuan

They need to add call of duty 4 to that list.

NattyIce

@Sinharvest: DAMN WARLOCKS!!!! :D

Aiwokote

What's up with the crotch-grab by the guy on the right?

MeanMF

its not even 500,000 when you have to split it with the winners -.-

OmegaKulu

@ArmyofJuan: I agree poker isn't a sport, but a competition.

I don't understand your hate or dislike for people who express competitive speech. Why so sensitive?

HurricaneDave

@Atheist Jew: What does as a former developer have to do with it. Nothing at all.

You missed the whole point completely. The great thing about the USA, is that we live in a economy based on the market. Teachers make what they make because they feel the salary is good enough for them. Period. No one is going to work a job that they feel pays too little compared to open market prices that others will accept. Like said before if you are a developer, you only make as little as you do because that how much others are willing to do the job, tough shit if that isn't enough for you, maybe you should have picked a better career field, instead of crying about how much everyone else in different jobs gets paid more than you and how they don't deserve it.

You get paid what your skill is worth and if someone is willing to pay millions to athletes more power to them. If someone is willing to pay millions to those who have the mind and skills to play poker, more power to the poker players.

Get the hate out of your heart.

HurricaneDave

@Foggynotion: Just because poker has all of a sudden become a "big" thing doesn't mean i dont laugh until my entrails come out of my mouth whenever someone mentions "poker" and "sport" in the same sentence. Are you one of those people you got ribbon twirling into the olympics?

I also don't see where me or anyone else coming to Kotaku and a pro-gaming league connect. I generally have a hatred for pro gaming leagues because if everyone actually played it for fun it would be one thing, but no, everyone eventually turns into some sort of asshat. If they win a match they talk shit about how bad you lost and how you suck and how great they are. if you win a match they talk shit about how you cheated some how. Rabble rabble rabble.

On a side note though,i thought it was odd how brock started spewing all those stats about CGS at the end like his career depended on it

ArmyofJuan

@Atheist Jew: People get paid what they're worth. It's terrible that actors get paid millions of dollars while your local schoolteacher can barely make rent, but somewhere, someone is enabling that. Maybe not you, but maybe your stupid friend who won't shut up about how dreamy Matt Damon is. Are you excited about the new movie? Congratulations, you just killed a teacher.

(Yeah, somewhere out there there, someone is corrupt, embezzling, stealing, getting a free ride, crashing their Enzo, what have you. Let's just forget them.)

Tons of people enable a game. The janitor that empties out the trash and cleans up the toilets--without him, games wouldn't get done. Who's going to work in an office full of trash and poo? Someone built those cubicle walls--they're an integral part of the game development cycle. That store employee had to walk all the way to the back room to get you a copy of Madden--someone get that man a medal.

Do game developers work hard? Who doesn't? It's almost laughable when you consider that "working hard" involves sitting in a $500 chair in front of a computer all day, scarfing Cheetos and coffee, and the biggest fear is that carpal tunnel might end your career. Not to rag on game developers, but the blue collar workers that lug stuff around a factory all day probably work pretty hard. People who work in menial, repetitive service jobs--their job might be draining their soul. Aren't they suffering the most for their work? Maybe they're the ones who deserve $100k a year to put up with that shit. I know I'd be hard pressed to do it even for that salary. If developers "deserve more," why aren't they demanding more? Why is no one giving them more?

celery

Yeah, no thanks, I get stressed out enough over losing when there's nothing on the line, much less $500k.

crapsh00t

I hope CGS goes bankrupt. Pro gaming is just such a stupid idea.

slacker164

500,000 for playing videogames, no cents indeed.

TheToiletDuck

@HurricaneDave: Well, let's see, here. As a former developer, I am saying that developers deserve more money.

I do, infact believe that some jobs should pay more than others. Professional athletes and actors should make $15k-$30k a year. Highschool teachers, scientists, college professors, etc should be making hundreds of thousands to millions a year. These are two different situations, however. Teachers/scientists should be making that much money because it would be a social improvement. More people would want to become scientists and teachers if those jobs paid more, and science/education would benefit as a result (possibly). Developers should be making more money than they do because the hard work they put in to games generates relatively low salaries, especially considering the returns that AAA games bring in. Halo 3 sold around $300 million worth of units in the first week after launch. What percentage of that would you guess got back to Bungie's development staff, and what percentage would you say went to Microsoft for publishing it? (If anyone has any actual figures on this I would really appreciate seeing them)

The point here is that one of these situations has a realistic chance of changing for the better. A game developer's union could be hugely rewarding for members, guaranteeing fair hours, fair benefits, better pay, better quality of life standards overall, etc. Developers would start to see more return for their time and effort, which is something they deserve . Teachers/Scientists, etc will never see the money they deserve, because most people are idiots, and appreciate sports, Movies, and yes even Video Games more than they do education.

There's obviously a lot more to both sides of this argument but I haven't slept in a day and so I can't stick around to continue it.

Atheist Jew

Man! 500,000 for winning a game tourney? I wonder how much the people hosting it get?

If that's the case then I am going to start my own low level gaming tourny. Anyone know where I can look to get it started? Do I need permission from the publishers to use their game?

I'm serious about this. I'm in the Philly area so if you know how to create a business like this then partner up with me and lets do this. I see dollar signs for something I do for free everyday. Play games. What a country!

Netnavi

If they had a COD2 XBOX360 tourney, my buddies and I would sooooo own like the horde in bgs (wow related). But that was like early 2006. It's 2008 and they all work.

Losbullitt

Looks like they play some really ... awesome ... games ...

Seriously, couldn't they come up with some better games for tourney play?

nintend0nick

@Erwin:

DUDE! OMG! LET'S MOVE!

Losbullitt

@Atheist Jew: Who are you to say what people deserve? If we can just arbitrarily cap people's earnings, how about we cap developer's earnings too. No developer should make more than 35K a year, since they aren't programming anything life saving or important.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

-------------

I wish I could get up in this stuff, but there are no gaming places in my state (AL).

HurricaneDave

Is it just me, or does this almost read like an Onion article?

roninhobbit

There are few things I want to watch less than someone else playing a video game competitively. I love games and hell I'd love to be paid to play them, but that stuff is not fun to watch at all.

And dear god, no one better come on here claiming they are athletes, that's ridiculous.

perrinbar

@BOMxAgonyxScenex: You are a gamer on a game site, correct? A site that is funded by advertising from game companies, and whose writers salaries are paid by said game companies. This is simply the full realization of the business. As a gaming community we should support this as a legitimization of our medium.

Poker was televised for years before the recent texas holdem boom, and there were plenty of people , like you, questioning it's credibility and value. Now, the WSOP is an enormously popular event, and is socially acceptable as an annual sporting event. Show a little support for these early pioneers, if only because there success will enable a future endeavor, more indicative of gaming culture as a whole, to be launched.

Foggynotion

If Mario Kart was a winning category for the CGS I'd be richer then rich richie who just inherited riches from the richest bitches.

SchoolBusDriver

Seriously, who picks these games? There are seriously so many better games for competitive gaming. Can you say Warcraft 3 or Starcraft?? How about some of those FPSs out now..CoD4? Rainbow 6 Vegas? QUAKE even?? As for fighters, why not pick something from Street Fighter or even Soul Calibur.
Who wants to watch someone race a car in a video game when you can watch it IN REAL LIFE..same for FIFA!
I would love to be interested in CGS but their game choice really turns me off.

Nikral

@Losbullitt: Oh yeah?
[en.wikipedia.org] [upload.wikimedia.org]

Erwin

@BOMxAgonyxScenex:The funny thing is, pro gamers are often the least nerdy of all gamers. Don't be jealous of their skills.

lRyul

I wish WoW were that easy.

Losbullitt

@Kaedex:
Not true. The people who reach metagame love the game so much that they are able to play it for so long. I'll admit, playing Mario Kart DS for 10 hours a day on the same course can get tedious, but once you see yourself rise in the rankings, it's worth it. For a while anyway.

gamadaya

@usfslacker:

Clearly all there is to playing WoW is pressing 1,2,3,4,5 right?

I mean when you think about it all those CS players have to do is press w,a,s,d, space and use their mouse. I never realized it was so easy!

lololol

SHiZZAM

ugh....people who make a living playing games...kinda pathetic in my book. What a waste of money for these companies. donate that shit to a good cause rather then giving it to some nerdy gamer.

BOMxAgonyxScenex

Iv seen some of the WoW arena tourneys. I think they put everyone on a level playing field when it comes to gear and such. But still WoW has a broken pvp system.

Sinharvest

once you play a game to be the best it starts to lose all the magic it had and feels like work, the time wasted practicing converted to normal workpay is like 0.1$ a hour.

Kaedex

Counter-Strike Source, Dead or Alive 4, Forza Motorsport 2, FIFA 08, and the newest franchise to be added, World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade

need more terrible games plz 0_o

Sinharvest

WoW? What if the players aren't 70? Also, why the fuck is DOA4 always part of game competitions? Why not one of the many better fighters. If anybody has ever seen a pro Melee match, every other fighter seems kind of bland by comparison.

gamadaya

Professional Gaming is just as much a waste of time and money as any other professional sport. How about splitting up that five hundred thousand and giving it to people who actually deserve it?

You know, like developers. Consider it an impromptu bonus, compensating them in some small way for the hundreds of hours of work they put into making these games and are paid relative squat for their efforts.

Atheist Jew

@Erwin:

I think you have to be a citizen of antarctica.

Losbullitt

I thought the prospect of this would be really entertaining, but man did they choose an extremely lackluster set of games to be competitive. WoW for God's sakes? I can press 1, 2, 3, 4 as well as most people, but MAN would that be a boring tournament.

usfslacker

I'm starting the first ever Antarctic competitive videogame team. Who's with me?

Erwin

And in this day and age, I thought racism was not tolerated.

I guess the people in Antarctica are considered second class citizens of the world.

Losbullitt