E-Sports’ Role in Why We Game
Gaming is a relatively young phenomenon. In the earliest days of the Gaming revolution, arcades would be flooded with all gamers alike as they competed for the high score on all the machines. Even today we find ourselves dropping quarter after quarter into the machine so that we could beat the high score. With the invention of the internet, competitive gaming has spread itself to find the attention of sports media. Chapter 6 of “Understanding Video Games” outlines the major permeates behind the question about why we game. Although the chapter tackles solid points on why we game, it fails to mention the draw that E-Sports and competitive gaming bring to gamer’s motives to play.
For my argument, I will show how 2k’s NBA 2k19’s online neighborhood, that serves as the hub for competitive matchmaking, exhibit the characteristics that generate the euphoric flow that the chapter argues for a reason as to why we game. Chapter six states the feeling associated behind flow is “the ability to lose oneself and the experience ecstasy, understood as a total detachment from the world outside the activity” (170). Life can be a real drag and the ability to detach for a while as we recharge is undeniably needed. Video games that provide the fundamentals that will put players in the flow profit heavily due this fact. E-sports like NBA 2k19 inhibit the five characteristics labeled in “Understanding Video Games” to attribute to why video gaming is becoming more popular.
The first characteristic involves the game having a challenging activity to requires skill to succeed. Sure, you could set you difficulty to “Pro” and win games, but to succeed in the competitive neighborhood you will need skill and basketball IQ. These skills are developed as you play the game. The virtual open world type neighborhood you load in gives you the option to compete in the park, or play against the computer to hone your skills.
With the competitive portion of E-sports requiring online access, constant attention and awareness is required in order to be successful. Online players don’t take breaks and are more prone to making mistakes since humans are programmed to make mistakes and computers aren’t. The game also provides clear goals and feedback. When you make a good shot or play a good defensive play the game will upgrade your grade which associates to more award points at the completion of each game. This reward system compels the player to focus and play to their best ability in order to gain the best reward.
Playing in an E-Sport environment provides players with the paradox of control. You could go against a player who performs 1000–10 and still have the ability to win. The player does have control over the outcome of the game for the most part. If you play good defense you upgrade your chance to win, but some offensive players have special offensive stats that will activate to make your hard work meaningless.
Chapter Six highlights flow’s role in the reason behind why we game. Video Gaming has always been most fun when we are competing for high scores. Now that we have the internet, we are competing with more than just the locals who play the same machine as you. To succeed in competitive gaming and E-sports you must get into a flow to win. The draw to play video games professionally compel players to put countless hours into their craft as to one day reach the top of the worldwide leader-board.
