by Jay Shin (Deputy Manager / International e-Sports Federation)
In many countries, there are diverse e-sports events being hosted with various format and game titles. Also, in order to prove that e-sports is one fine discipline compared to other sports disciplines, different parties such as associations, publishers and related organizations are cooperating. However, what are the fundamental elements of e-sports?
Perhaps, they are players and general users who would like to be a professionally occupied to e-sports field.
When I was working at Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), I had designed and operated Korean national amateur tournaments. Hundreds of amateur gamers participated from 16 cities, and winners of the tournaments were awarded with prize money and license to become semi-professional gamers. I assume the basic concept would be same in other nations. But in case of Korea, the participation rate for mateur tournaments was certainly low.
Purpose of participation is mostly prize money. If they become a progamer and advance to higher class of tournament, it means that there will be less opportunity for winning prize money as they are competing with better skilled players. As the result, these players may give up participating in higher level of tournament, and it makes fewer players compete in the tournaments as well as declining the quality of the tournaments.
In other sports, prize money is subsidiary matter. What matter is the honor derived from the result of one’s constant exertions. However, there is barley a case that a player feel honored by winning in e-sports tournament.
This, perhaps, comes from negative perception of e-sports. Sometimes winning at an e-sports tournament is interpreted as being addicted to a game. As the players cannot see any honor into winning tournament, they become obsessed to the prize money, which will hinder the development of e-sports in the future. This is not simple issue to us who need to prove e-sports is one fine leisure culture as other sports.
Eventually, we need to grant significance of participation into e- sports tournament on our own. Also, related parties shall collaborate for this issue. For example, giving opportunity to work at the related company or organizations to the winners will definitely motivate players. Giving additional point to the winners when they attempt to enter related college or company would be a good idea.
As summarizing, it is important that all necessary parties organically cooperate to improve perception of e-sports, but it is also crucial that we change system to perceive and recognize players who are main subjects of e-sports. Root of all sports is a player.
