Ben-DutkaShould video games really be in the Olympics?
Former Blizzard Chief Creative Officer Rob Pardo thinks so. In a recent BBC interview , Pardo said that to be successful in eSports, it requires a "very competitive skillset:"
"There's a very good argument for eSports being in the Olympics. I think the way that you look at eSports is that it's a very competitive skillset and you look at these professional gamers and the reflexes are lightning quick and they're having to make very quick decisions on the fly. When you look at their 'actions per minute', they're clearing over 300."
Pardo admitted that it's difficult to think of pro gaming as a sport if we only consider physical requirements. Then again, he questions the physical exertion required in other legit Olympics events, although this goes against what ESPN president John Skipper said earlier this year:
"It’s not a sport—it’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition. Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports."
I don't really blame him. I have to say, I don't think the world Scrabble championships brought in many viewers. And while there's plenty of skill required to be a professional gamer, it's not a sport. It just isn't.
No, a much as I love video games, just no.
Besides most of these ppl r chumps n when I've seen some of the play call of duty on line they get raped cause for 1 thing they can't anticipate the lag since they play over a plan network in competition which has almost none they also use custom controllers which I consider to be cheating n so therefore they probably r only slightly better than the majority of players n there r many out there who r far superior in skill to them
There are so many legitimate sports (of which there is no doubt they are actually sports…) that aren't yet included in the Olympics. I don't think gaming belongs there.
This is a very good argument. There are indeed other activities who fits much better into the olympic setting.
Gold medal for sitting for hour in front of monitor? Maybe not…
When you hear the word "Olympian" what image does your mind conjure up? I can pretty much guarantee it's not a picture of someone sitting on their butt, wearing a headset, holding a controller, and staring at a monitor.
Props to competitive gamers. No doubt what they do requires a great deal of skill and dedication. But I don't think it deserves to be an Olympic event.
I enjoy speedsolving Rubik's cubes. There are National and World Championship speedcubing competitions. The best in the world can solve the standard 3×3 in under 10 seconds, executing 5-10 turns per second. This requires great skill, dexterity, reflexes, and spacial awareness. But does it deserve to be in the Olympics? No, not any more than competitive gaming does.
i will say i was quite inqusitive to see when you and the blizz guys was going to say but i do doubt the legitamicy the likes of COD, LOL and DOTA as olympic sports
happy gaming