A bomb was dropped a few days ago within the gaming community. A bomb in the form of a controversial statement by none other than the president of the Olympics, Jacques Rogge, 66-years old. In a recent interview with The Times, Rogge said, and I quote:
“Kids are attracted to visual, interactive forms of communication. It’s not going to be easy for sport to counter that.
“You won’t hear me saying sport is not fun - it is. But it requires austerity and discipline. The answer is achievement. You will never achieve in a video game. It is not really success.”
Has he even heard of the World Cyber Games? I understand he’s not of this generation to be fully aware of the videogaming situation, but at least he could have asked someone to do some research for him so he wouldn’t end up making blatant, ignorant statements.
He probably doesn’t know that he just lambasted an industry that’s growing rapidly fast and may possibly overtake the movie industry in terms of world wide profit and recognition.
While I have nothing against professional sports (my two sisters are good athletes), I do believe it is NOT FAIR to compare the age old tradition of professional sports (since the ancient Greeks) to the young and growing cyber sports. Cyber sports are still in it’s infancy and should not be judged at this early moment.
His other statement also resulted in swearing from the gamers:
“The idea is, ‘Hey, we should be practicing sport.’ It’s all a different generation to me, but I see the potential to get the message across. We need to hire more young people. If they have baggy pants and pink hair, that’s OK.”
I’m a gamer myself, yet I don’t wear baggy pants and have pink hair. That’s quite a hasty generalization of what a gamer is. He just really proved himself to be out of touch with the present times already as I expect he doesn’t know that the Most Influential Man of 2008 is a gamer and so is the Richest Man in Japan. Is that what you call NO FUTURE IN GAMING?
While traditional sports have already been legitimized since time immemorial, cyber gaming is still pretty much steadily gaining world wide acceptance. Some countries have already reached a higher level of cybergaming. The best example would be Korea, the land of cyber sports where they regularly hold big tournaments for games such as Counter strike and Starcraft to name a few.
In the Philippines, the cyber sports concept has been introduced with the advent of online gaming. Events such as Level Up Live and E-Games Domination are said to give cash prizes ranging from 12,000 to 25,000 US dollars for the grand winners of games such as Ragnarok Online and RAN Online. Don’t even get me started with Europe and US cyber sports events.
And I really, wholeheartedly disagree with Rogge’s statement because I myself have had practical use of my gamer self. Having no prior work experience, I was able to land a regular job, in the gaming industry. It was my first ever job and I’m proud to say that my gaming experience (that was mostly the content of my resume) was the major factor that got me in. I work in a different company now, but hey, everybody starts somewhere, and my gaming experience gave me that jump start I needed. So whether as a professional gamer or a mover within the gaming industry, there is a future for everyone in this fast growing digital world!
Here’s a nice quote from a forum member of Gamespot named soulsearch11 regarding this issue:
It is hilarious how narrow minded and insular people who are anti-video games can be. Its amazing how video games can be blamed for everything from childhood obesity, violence among youth, loss of societal virtues, indolence, fewer movie goers, addiction, unemployment, social dysfunction/antisocial behavior, and now yes, even fewer Olympic spectators. The ONLY reason people blame video games for everything is because they are so popular. And while those people were buried in some book hoping to rise to the top of their profession, everyone else was playing video games or pursuing some form of education/advancement in video games; and the people who chose video games still lead happy productive lives without having to forgo all the fun involved in video games.
What I dont understand is why no one says the exact same things about books/reading? Both video games & reading books are activities that are necessarily interactive and immersing and neither one requires that another person be involved. I mean, they could both be looked upon as unproductive, antisocial behaviors in the same way people try to portray gamers. Moreover I’d go so far to say that people with a proclivity for reading may even watch FEWER sports than gamers, simply because book worms are somewhat renowned for being unathletic. But because most people are machines/video games themselves, who are easily manipulated by social opinion or govt., its just widely accepted that any form of reading or sport is great, and any form of media, tv, video games are bad. IMO, that is such a blatantly parochial outlook to have, especially when you havent even taken the time to try video games or taken the time to master a video game. Just because everyone in the world doesnt enjoy watching someone hurl themselves over some boring a55 bar, doesnt give them the right to devalue the culture of video gaming…GTFOH
Cyber gaming will eventually be legitimized as real sports. But as long as our nations are still ruled by people who did not grow up playing Super Mario, expect slow progress.
Related Links
Mario Creator Most Influential Man of 2008
Richest Man in Japan is a Gamer
The Times interview with Jacques Rogge
22 Comments Received
May 26th, 2008 @12:22 am
I think gaming will not be recognize as a SPORT.
Not until a gamer gets a higher position in a government.
It is because most people who are not gamers are perceiving gaming as hobby or a pastime rather than a competition.
The only thing I wish for is for gaming is media coverage so gaming can be recognized as a competition.
Just an opinion.
May 26th, 2008 @12:42 am
I challenge your opinion.
It is the dawn of a new era. An age of technological interactivity. It’s only a matter of time until this happens. As I said in the post, Korea, China, Japan and other countries have already adapted gaming as a sport. It’s inevitable that the Philippines will adapt it too. Maybe not today, but soon.
The negative perception is still there mostly because of parents who have no understanding of gaming. Once the gamers become the parents, expect faster changes. As of now, the momentum has just started. With very strong corporate backing from companies such as PLDT, we’re very much on the right track.
May 26th, 2008 @1:04 am
still there will be the athletes complaining like “hey! they’re claiming that video game is a sport. What’s with him just sitting and mashing the buttons and that’s a sport?”
Besides most games does not include physical activities (exclude dance dance revolution, drum drum revolution and the like) unlike most sports game (exclude chess and other board games.)
I’m also a gamer and my life is nothing without it. I may not be a graduate now if not for my favorite game.
I think videogames will have a future and will be recognized someday, but sadly not as a sport.
May 26th, 2008 @1:12 am
Sports is not just about physical sports. You can also say that about Chess. “Hey he’s just moving around some plastic figures and you call that sport?” Chess is a legit sport. Sports is about COMPETITION and not all about physical fitness.
And even if certain athletes complain, there is nothing they can do once it has become a worldwide consciousness.
May 26th, 2008 @1:18 am
I support the gaming industry and its advancement. Though honestly, I won’t feel comfortable if it was part of the Olympics hehe. I’ve considered the Olympics as a showcase of the pinnacle of human physical achievement. The World Cyber Games at the same time is a showcase of another aspect of sports, which is awesome.
Oh, and I have orange hair. :p
May 26th, 2008 @1:32 am
I doubt that gamers would also want cyber sports side by side with physical sports. I for one want our own piece of the pie. The World Cyber Games is an excellent start.
Same reason why traditional sports (i.e. sipa, sepak takraw) are not really part of mainstream olympic sports. They have their own, separate events for those.
Btw, to new commenters, please refrain from focusing solely on the Philippine situation. This article discusses international perspectives.
May 26th, 2008 @4:02 am
I think Cybergames is of a different wavelength from traditional sports where things like sweat and Gatorade is present. The thing is that there are so many games to consider and so many categories to waddle about that my guess is that it will be considered as a different sorta competition; even if we already have undying games like the ever snappy Counter Strike or that immortal entity we call Starcraft.
Pero badtrip tong taong to; halatang hindi alam kung pano maging masaya amp. Wawa siguro to nung bata pa sya. I mean the board game “Monopoly” can not be considered a worthy sport for the Olympics pero may annual competition na ginagawa for this; and it also includes lotsa moolah. Badtrip lang siguro talaga tong taong to kasi hindi nya matanggap na mataas na talaga ang level ng creativity ng mga tao dahil meron ng kalaban ang so-called traditional sports nya…
kamote…
May 26th, 2008 @4:35 am
Videogaming is on the fast lane to becoming a widespread global phenomenon. And it’s not slowing down.
May 26th, 2008 @8:30 am
sports = skills + discipline
video games = skills + discipline + fun
video games is one point better than sports, ne?
XD
May 26th, 2008 @8:40 am
@master diwa’s #2 comment
PLDT is not that really supportive about gaming…
try to visit pldtplay.com/index.php… it’s the forum site for their online gaming portal ServerScout…
a few months ago, the adminstrator/developer of ServerScout announced that PLDT was planning to stop supporting PLDTPlay… yep. PLDT planned to put a stop on that online community because they did not want to continue funding it.
but, fortunately, PLDT did not continue shutting down the servers. thanks to thousands of pldtplay users for spamming PLDT’s customer care email add and hotline to threaten PLDT that if they would stop PLDTPlay’s operation, the later will lose thousands of subscribers.
sad but true. PLDT only thinks about money, not about the competition brought by online gaming.
May 26th, 2008 @8:50 am
Have you watched the future weapons special episode on Discovery Channel? I realized that the really powerful future weapons in the feature made use of consoles much like that of videogames. I think there’s a big possibility that the future weapons geniuses will be gamers.
Another thing, there has been studies which showed how superior the eye-hand coordination of gamers has become. This can be very useful for future surgeons, etc.
“Baggy pants and pink hair?” Ni hindi na nga uso ang baggy pants… So out of touch naman yung views
Baka yung alam niya na video games ay yung mga Pac Man at game and watch na sinauna… Ehehe!
May 26th, 2008 @11:53 am
How sorely narrow-minded.
Video games were one of the major reasons I immersed myself into sports (tennis particularly).
I’d like to see Mr. President do a DDR marathon, and see if video games are “unathletic”.
May 26th, 2008 @5:49 pm
Nice post. For my part, I believe that people should have the right to practice their passion as a profession. If you happen to be really good at shooting balls into a hoop or kicking balls into a net, why don’t you make money out of your skill? Competitive cyber gaming (and gaming in general) should not be excepted from the same.
I believe the bias against cyber gaming is founded upon two things: that video games are fun and that video games do not always involve physical activity. Again, I return to loving what one does. I might think running miles and miles and looking skeletal, as marathon runners do, isn’t really my thing. Nevertheless, I respect and greatly admire these people who do what I can’t (and don’t really want) to do because I know how much passion they have for their sport.
It seems Mr. Rogge just did not take enough time to consider that once upon a time, many of the modern sports in the current Olympics were once plain, unproductive and even rough pastimes. Hopefully the world will move fast enough for him to still be around when he is proven wrong.
May 26th, 2008 @6:44 pm
Ahm…
sports = skills + discipline
video games = skills + discipline + fun
video games is one point better than sports, ne?
HEY HOW ABOUT
VIDEO GAMES = SKILLS+ DISCIPLINE+ FUN - GOOD HEALTH - TIME MANAGEMENT
SPORTS = SKILLS+ DISCIPLINE+ FUN+ GOOD HEALTH?+TIME MANAGEMENT?+REAL AND ACTUAL FRIENDS
May 26th, 2008 @7:27 pm
Ahh, good old prejudice. Rogge’s merely stereotyping the gaming industry and even the innocent gamers. Sheesh.. The corny pink hair-baggy pants combination is so obsolete. It’s an insult to us young people. No offense to those wearing pink hair and baggy pants, by the way.
But that’s how it is: people tend to reject new views. It’s either because humans naturally dwell in tradition or they simply cannot comprehend this “new thing”. So although annoyingly screwed his views might be, let’s forgive him for his old age. Ehehehe, sorry Lolo President… And as part of the digital era generation simply continue to enjoy videogaming as a hobby, sport, discipline, profession or however you would like it from the countless opportunities the industry may offer. It would no doubt bloom, gradually I presume, into an accepted concept and practice– the future of all good innovations.
May 26th, 2008 @7:33 pm
@Nobody
If you think you can’t make real and actual friends from gaming, then you probably haven’t even heard of ONLINE GAMING. It’s the craze nowadays. Oh by the way, I have made tons of friends thanks to online GAMING. And we all go to gimiks once in a while.
Remember, gaming is not limited anymore to the four corners of your computer/console. Everything is interconnected all around the world nowadays.
Research, research. The key to anti-ignorance.
May 26th, 2008 @9:34 pm
I can now imagine a computer game called light the torch. hahahaha.
Hardcore player ako ng Soul Calibur. (di ako button masher)
Ang tanging ayoko lang sa sinabi nung Olympic president ay yung walang future ang video games.
Pero dapat i-seperate talaga ang sports sa video game.
June 2nd, 2008 @7:00 am
“VIDEO GAMES = SKILLS+ DISCIPLINE+ FUN - GOOD HEALTH - TIME MANAGEMENT
SPORTS = SKILLS+ DISCIPLINE+ FUN+ GOOD HEALTH?+TIME MANAGEMENT?+REAL AND ACTUAL FRIENDS”
Ahem, Mr. NOBODY. Apparently you haven’t heard of the Wii, a gaming console that has revolutionized the gaming industry. It works via motion sensor, and so you have to move just to play almost any game.
The most popular game in the Wii console is Wii Sports, where although the games don’t emulate sports to the most minute benefits, the health benefits and fun factor is definitely still there.
No time management? Only people who haven’t learned proper time management skills wouldn’t be able to manage their time properly. I believe it’s already common knowledge that a lot of non-professional sports players (e.g. basketball) would skip classes to have a game, and while there are studies regarding computer addiction (and we already know that addicts spend their time exclusively on what they’re addicted to), there are no studies regarding the exclusivity of video gamers having no time management compared to sports.
By the way, my closest friends in real life would never have been my closest friends were it not for a daily/weekly Counter-Strike or StarCraft or Quake 3 match during my high school days… and even now I still find it REALLY easy to make real life friends through gaming so long as walang pikunan kung sino man matalo o manalo sa labanan.
With the right mindset and time management skills, Video Games = SKILLS+ DISCIPLINE+ FUN + GOOD HEALTH + TIME MANAGEMENT + REAL AND ACTUAL FRIENDS
- - - - -
So what does the Olympics-accepted sports have that the cybergaming community can’t offer?
June 2nd, 2008 @7:03 am
Corrections on my previous post:
“The most popular game in the Wii console is Wii Sports, where although the games don’t emulate sports to the most minute [benefits] details”
“there are no studies regarding the exclusivity of video gamers having no time management compared to sports players“.
June 6th, 2008 @9:06 am
Finding someone who can match his gaming skills with his athletic/physical prowess is quite a rare combination as well excluding the hand skills of course.
June 9th, 2008 @12:42 am
Too Narrow, i doubt he ever played games, or should i say, too old to play one.
September 22nd, 2008 @11:43 pm
im an avid gamer myself but no matter what those gaming companies say, gaming can never be a sport
thats why they add an e before the word sport (e-sport)
*chess is not a sport (it’s game)
separate both worlds…
Cyber gaming will never be legitimized as real sports in the REAL world
there’s a reason why they call it gaming
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