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Does the Americanism of eSports mean a decline in competition and integrity?
By Richard '_evan' Armstrong
Feb 1, 2008 09:14
Does the Americanism of eSports mean a decline in competition and integrity?What is Americanism?
Keeping this strictly within context, Americanism is the favoritism of American values and tastes, when deciding what rules, games, and locations to use for competitive events.
Why is America so important?
With a population of 301,139,947 and the second highest purchasing power parity in the world – 21% compared to 22% for the European Union. America's strength comes from Europe's weakness. 85% of European money comes from six separate countries (Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, France, Italy, and Spain – in that order). Yet only one of them has a significant pedigree in eSports.
Oh, and there's the small matter of Intel, AMD (ATi is owned by AMD), nvidia and Microsoft all being North American as well. Scary thought, eh?
Need proof of Americanism?
Electronic Sports League's (ESL) 'recent' Extreme Masters event in Los Angeles seemed a strange location, considering the best 'local' talent only managed sixth in both the Counter Strike 1.6 (eMazing Gaming ) and Warcraft III (mTw.Nilknarf) tournaments. Why not save everyone some air miles and host the event in Europe? You're after all a European organisation.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
After five years in France, the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) decided to move its main event to North America. The timing was significant as they once again signed with the graphics giant nvidia. The event will be held in California and guess where nvidia's corporate office is...go on guess...that's right, California.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
More subtle examples of interference can be found with a little digging. Take for example last years World Cyber Games. Microsoft started sponsoring the organisation in 2006, and the 2007 event saw the number of console titles double, whilst the event itself was in Seattle, a mere 15 miles away from Microsoft's Redmond base.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
Why Americanism is dangerous?
Before you start watching YouTube videos like I did, I am by no means Anti-American, I love Bush as much as the next guy... but everyone has limits!
The harsh reality is, why market towards elitist European tastes? You can make more short term profit from the Halo playing, Mc'Donalds chomping, AK-47 toting natives anyway. American publishers and developers continually undermine our fragile existence for a quick buck.
Competition wise, the World Series of Video Games (WSVG) and Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) might have kick started World of Warcraft and Counter Strike 1.6's career, but they've on the whole remained relative failures. The number of unsuitable competitive titles being 'endorsed' and pushed forward because of them was highly suspect, and both choose to soil their own reputations in order to survive.
This is the decline of competition and integrity I fear. There are games better suited to show the true capability of eSports, and there are people better able to run our competitions. Their aren't always the most popular or lucrative, but nevertheless, must be protected ferociously.
The Future?
America will eventually learn that they can't buy their own significance in eSports. Let's hope for their own good, it occurs before they're forcibly removed. Their importance is not because of innovation, intelligence, respect or achievement. There is no sentiment, and no one will care where the sponsor money is coming from. Integrity can only be lost once after all.
"White folks ain't trying to keep you down. White folks just don't like to be pushed into a corner. They'll come around. You just got to make it look like it was their idea, like they're the ones that thought of it. They need to feel like they're the great emancipators. Like it was theirs to give in the first place. Let'em have it. I mean, if that's all it takes, let them have it."
Keeping this strictly within context, Americanism is the favoritism of American values and tastes, when deciding what rules, games, and locations to use for competitive events.
Why is America so important?
With a population of 301,139,947 and the second highest purchasing power parity in the world – 21% compared to 22% for the European Union. America's strength comes from Europe's weakness. 85% of European money comes from six separate countries (Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, France, Italy, and Spain – in that order). Yet only one of them has a significant pedigree in eSports.
Oh, and there's the small matter of Intel, AMD (ATi is owned by AMD), nvidia and Microsoft all being North American as well. Scary thought, eh?
Need proof of Americanism?
Electronic Sports League's (ESL) 'recent' Extreme Masters event in Los Angeles seemed a strange location, considering the best 'local' talent only managed sixth in both the Counter Strike 1.6 (eMazing Gaming ) and Warcraft III (mTw.Nilknarf) tournaments. Why not save everyone some air miles and host the event in Europe? You're after all a European organisation.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
After five years in France, the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) decided to move its main event to North America. The timing was significant as they once again signed with the graphics giant nvidia. The event will be held in California and guess where nvidia's corporate office is...go on guess...that's right, California.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
More subtle examples of interference can be found with a little digging. Take for example last years World Cyber Games. Microsoft started sponsoring the organisation in 2006, and the 2007 event saw the number of console titles double, whilst the event itself was in Seattle, a mere 15 miles away from Microsoft's Redmond base.
DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship!
Why Americanism is dangerous?
Before you start watching YouTube videos like I did, I am by no means Anti-American, I love Bush as much as the next guy... but everyone has limits!
The harsh reality is, why market towards elitist European tastes? You can make more short term profit from the Halo playing, Mc'Donalds chomping, AK-47 toting natives anyway. American publishers and developers continually undermine our fragile existence for a quick buck.
Competition wise, the World Series of Video Games (WSVG) and Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) might have kick started World of Warcraft and Counter Strike 1.6's career, but they've on the whole remained relative failures. The number of unsuitable competitive titles being 'endorsed' and pushed forward because of them was highly suspect, and both choose to soil their own reputations in order to survive.
This is the decline of competition and integrity I fear. There are games better suited to show the true capability of eSports, and there are people better able to run our competitions. Their aren't always the most popular or lucrative, but nevertheless, must be protected ferociously.
The Future?
America will eventually learn that they can't buy their own significance in eSports. Let's hope for their own good, it occurs before they're forcibly removed. Their importance is not because of innovation, intelligence, respect or achievement. There is no sentiment, and no one will care where the sponsor money is coming from. Integrity can only be lost once after all.
"White folks ain't trying to keep you down. White folks just don't like to be pushed into a corner. They'll come around. You just got to make it look like it was their idea, like they're the ones that thought of it. They need to feel like they're the great emancipators. Like it was theirs to give in the first place. Let'em have it. I mean, if that's all it takes, let them have it."
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DUM, DUM, DUM, American sponsorship! "
- Really poor example bringing warcraft 3 into things with regards to this event. The entire point of the tournament is to give people from the countries that aren't able to participate in the regular EM tournament a chance to qualify for the EM finals. Yes, the highest ranked American got 6th, but spots 1-4 were all Korean. ... let's save all the Koreans airfare and host it in Germany or France instead of the Western Coast of the USA.... oh wait....
If your theory about American firms wanting to make a quick dollar rather than helping develop eSports then maybe, if we see the USA continuing to suffer in their economic downturn, we might see these companies begin to want to sponsor events in the EU where individuals would have a higher level or disposable income to spend on their products.
In an ideal world i'd love european leagues to just say "fuck it, who needs em" but that won't happen. As you rightly said in your article, the spending power of America is just too lucrative for companies to ignore and like any other sport, and any endeavour for that matter, money rules.
I don't like it either, but it's not like Ameria is some kind of evil overlord we ought to fight against. A little bit less biased column would be lovely. Thanks.
"I can tell you that SupCom Video Casts are very popular, I also can tell you people in America are setting their alarms to watch this weekends ClanWar matches between SupCom-Live(European) and Rendezvous in Pain(French) which has…wait for it…no prize at all. While this maybe an alien prospect to some Pro-Teams these days it does not mean it isn’t E-Sports. E-Sports is not about the biggest cash prize, it’s about being the best at your game(s)."
Not sure if its relevant to this article or discussion but its worth thinking about when flaming new "not competitive games".
It appears that the word "fun" has lost all meaning to a lot of gamers and is something which i personally think is WRONG about esports in general.
I don't think they will. As sad as it is PC Gaming has probably already reached it's peak. Console games are outselling PC games heavily. Consoles are far less expensive, way more accessible, and now also have good internet multiplayer support. PC games require a good expensive computer, patches, mappacks, mods etc. As most things come from USA to Europe the next thing will probably be a MLG-type organisation in some european countries.
Yes the USA have got an important role in eSport, but cant follow your argument suddenly ending in this conclusion:
“America will eventually learn that they can't buy their own significance in eSports. Let's hope for their own good, it occurs before they're forcibly removed. Their importance is not because of innovation, intelligence, respect or achievement.”
What's more disturbing is someone like Evan who acts with such an air of righteousness can't see past his own bigoted view of Americans. The seething anti-Americanism that exists on European eSports sites is disturbing as is the ignorance many of the enlightened euros have while accusing Americans of the same thing.
It's a Global Economy with a Global Culture ... eSports should have taught you that much. Who cares where the events are held especially if they have a qualifier. If the prize money is right and the conditions are professional, then who cares if it is in Dallas, Beijing, Cologne, Sydney, Rio, Cape Town, or Mumbai?
Get over yourself.
PS: Everyone who thinks the US is in some 1930's recession obviously doesn't live here or hasn't visited recently.
I dont have to go there to see my poker money cut in half :
"America will eventually learn that they can't buy their own significance in eSports."
- This is pretty much true, not only in eSports but other areas too. However, it is unlikely that this will happen because for some reason it seems like America always wants to be the one to make the difference and the one to change it all and the impact player in the world.
While America may not be the leader in eSports now (even though we may want it to be) we still have an effect on the market that cannot be ignored. You do list a few events hosted in the USA, but there are still probably a lot more in Europe than are hosted here. I think this all needs to be put into perspective and that America's impact on eSports today is, in fact, larger than should be. With the direction eSports is going, while many people may not like it, it is progressing and evolving...
please try to be balanced!
In EVERY country there is clever and dumb people; nice and aggressive;
come on.