Should gamers be treated as pro athletes?

[Celista]

Not even pro athletes should be treated like pro athletes, in my opinion.

[Mormolyce]

Should gamers be treated as pro athletes ? : definitely not

being pro athlete makes you healthy and social

And a gang rapist role model for young people.

[Orkwuzhere]

Just the same kind of recognition someone who plays golf, or even to start - chess can get.

No, They shouldn't be treated like Chess players because spamming a combo or mashing a button is a lot different from getting a checkmate. Chess has class. Fighting games and MMO games don't have class*.

*We're not going to argue about this. You can't take a game like Street Fighter vs. Tekken or Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate seriously.

[Edge-]

No, They shouldn't be treated like Chess players because spamming a combo or mashing a button is a lot different from getting a checkmate. Chess has class. Fighting games and MMO games don't have class*.

*We're not going to argue about this. You can't take a game like Street Fighter vs. Tekken or Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate seriously.

Good thing those are both absolutely terrible fighting games. How about I pick some awful games that are similar to chess and say that because they're bad that, they invalidate every other similar game, chess included?

However look at some of the proper Street Fighter games, some of the Arksys games (Blazblue, Arcana Heart, and Guilty Gear), look at Marvel vs. Capcom. There are plenty of fighting games that require an in depth knowledge of each character and their matchups, not to mention a technical mastery of the play of those characters (being able to consistently finish combo's without dropping them) and a strategic eye to try to predict your opponents moves, in order to play competitively.

If you're arguing that fighting games are just "spamming a combo or massing a button", then you're showing how ignorant you are of the genre.

[Orkwuzhere]

Arksys games

I stopped reading your post after you mentioned Blazblue and trying to say it's competitive. Out of weeabos and japanophiles, no one gives a shit about Blazblue let alone most Arksys games.

This is Tekken tourney play - dash dash juggle juggle dash dash. Sorry, there's nothing in most fighting games that makes it amazing like Chess. And the pro scene in most fighting games is a joke because everyone and their grandma uses a top tier unless a schmuck like Justin Wong wants to be cocky or something.

[PenguinChan]

And that's the question... is this enough to treat them on the same level as athletes, or does physical prowess trump all?

They should have their own classification. They are not athletes, unless using your arms and hands in combination with your mind while sitting down is now considered a physical sport.

[Seegtease]

They should have their own classification. They are not athletes, unless using your arms and hands in combination with your mind while sitting down is now considered a physical sport.

They don't need to be athletes to get the same treatment.

[Ceetee]

If you just look at the definition of "athlete" you would see that pro-gamers are not athletes at all. However, I do feel that for activities, competitions or championships, that require international travel and the such they should have the same "rights". That part, to me, only makes sense. For reference, here is the definition of "athlete".

ath·lete
noun \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\

: a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength

[Chain Chungus]

If you just look at the definition of "athlete" you would see that pro-gamers are not athletes at all. However, I do feel that for activities, competitions or championships, that require international travel and the such they should have the same "rights". That part, to me, only makes sense. For reference, here is the definition of "athlete".

ath·lete
noun \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\

: a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength

Your post is contradictory.

The definition clearly says games. As for the physical part, you use your hands for both skill and strength. Dexterity and muscle memory: same thing as a sport. Unless a video game is somehow controlled by your mind alone, there will always be a physical element. Whether or not that physical element uses the whole body or just one part makes no difference.

Therefore by your own definition gamers are athletes.

[Fencers]

I enjoy esports quite a bit and love competitive gaming as a spectator activity. However, I must admit that I do not feel professional gamers are athletes.

I do believe they are professionals. Deserve a salary, work visa and so forth. Also I believe and know many professional gamers commit themselves to their profession in a very focused and demanding regiment that is both physical and mental.

Though professional gamers are not athletes. They are professionals at various games certainly. Just as a professional chess or poker player.

The moniker of "esports" is somewhat juvenile and simply is the name that stuck. In reality, it's just professional gaming. And that is enough for the "sport" and "athletes" of these games.

There doesn't have to be any scramble for credibility and equality by way of, "B-b-b-ut this DOTA player runs 5 miles everyday before 4 hour sessions of DOTA2!"

It's just cloying. These gamers are pros at games.

Nothing wrong with that as it's own thing.

[Shadee]

This is just silly. No they shouldn't be.

[Valeron]

Exactly Fencers

I think it's just the terminology that a lot of folks are hung up on for some reason.

[Ceetee]

Your post is contradictory.

The definition clearly says games. As for the physical part, you use your hands for both skill and strength. Dexterity and muscle memory: same thing as a sport. Unless a video game is somehow controlled by your mind alone, there will always be a physical element. Whether or not that physical element uses the whole body or just one part makes no difference.

Therefore by your own definition gamers are athletes.

You are completely twisting a definition to suit your own needs. No one should delude themselves into believing typing on a keyboard requires the enormous amount of strength and skill a sport requires. Your mind may be used to coordinate in raids or 1v5 people in league but that isn't what a sport is.

You need to learn context.

[NickCageFanatic]

Military service is bull**** so good for him.

Also isnt starcraft some kind of a training tool for a strategist in a military?

If SC2 is used as military training, then it is being used by a really shitty military.

Video Games are absolutely NOTHING like physical sports. If they were, you'd be seeing top Madden players in the NFL. This summer I was waking up at 3:30-4:00 am to run 10-17 miles in 70 degree heat and 90% humidity in order to avoid 95-100 degree heat and 90% humidity. Each run followed with a half hour stretching session followed by a good hours worth of calisthenics although sometimes less depending on the day. Overall training days consisted of roughly 5 hours worth of physical activity. And that is all just summer conditioning, actual workouts that take place sometimes have athletes throw-up mid sessions, gargle water and you're back at it with more intervals.
Competition day comes and you do nothing but press your body to the absolute limit it can go.

All that vs. a day of sitting and playing video games...there is no such comparision, no justification, and no formal research that shows how video games (especially Starcraft) press your body to any physical or mental limit at all. Being a pro Gamer is just like being a pro chess player, you can sit around eat hotdogs, smoke, get as fat as you want and it won't hamper your game play.

Source: I am an NCAA Division 1 Athlete, Champion and All-American, who also plays video games.

[Palinn]

If you're good at something and people want that something then you should get paid for it, doesn't matter what it is. Giving temp-visas to video game players for the purpose of training/playing for/in tournaments is certainly okay with me.

Should a gamer be called an "athlete" - not yet. Athlete, to me, still has a physical prowess connection. Gamers, though, are no less professional at their sport than an athlete is at his/hers.

[Manhands]

No. Come up with a new category for poker players and gamers. The word athlete throws people off.

[sxefluff]

What does "proffesional" mean to you?:-o

It means they get paid. To play a game.

Same with Pro Gamers, eg pro athletes.

It checks out.

[Deleted]

Athlete(s) may refer to:

- A person who is involved in Athletics (sport), which involves track and field events, long distance, cross-country and road running, and race walking
- Sportsperson, a person who participates regularly in a sport

Sooooooo, NO

[Hraklea]

From a dictionary: ath-lete - A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

So where exactly it mentions that living with your parentes, being 26 years old, or being fat makes you not an athlete?

Also, not all sports requires strenght, agility and endurance. Some requires just one or two of these.

[Stacie]

This again really? Darts, snooker, pool, bowling should also be considered before a computer game imo.