Videogames Consoles: The Wii, Playstation 4 and Xbox One
Videogames are an integral part of many people’s lives, as they provide an output through which people can blow off steam, relax, have fun, kill boredom and compete in a non-serious environment. What allows many players to get these benefits out of videogames is the fact that what happens in the virtual world typically has no effect on the real world.
However, in recent years a new trend, Major League Gaming, has gained considerable popularity, though not nearly the level of popularity seen in most major sports. The key difference between the Major League Gamers and other players is that these professionals compete against each other for money.
Major League Gaming: Call of Duty Ghosts
So, one might ask themselves, ‘What’s the big deal?’ Well, the big deal is that now, gamers are losing the playful environment that once existed within most videogames, and it has now been replaced by an ultra-serious environment through which professionals train and compete to better themselves. This means that if one was to go play a game online, they would be forced to play against other gamers who make their living playing videogames. This difference in how the game is viewed, as a way to have fun versus a way to make money, often leads to a difference in skill level as well, leading to the game no longer being fun for players who don’t have the time to invest in becoming a professional gamer (which is most of us).
Essentially, the amateurism that once existed within the world of videogames is being destroyed by players who have taken the gaming world and turn it into a job instead of a hobby. This has led to increasing dissatisfaction with these so called ‘professionals’ as many gamers would rather play against others who see videogames as hobbies, as this tends to lead to more fair and more fun games.
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare is the newest game in the Call of Duty series
This has led to a response by many gamers, myself included, who have abandoned playing certain games online because it is no longer an joyful experience. For example, in Call of Duty, players have taken to making clans through which they attempt to decimate the other team through camping and serious tactics, instead of playing the game as a way to have fun. Instead many gamers would rather play against others who view the game as a source of enjoyment as well.
This gaming revolution is eerily similar to what Eric Dunning describes in his essay “The Dynamics of Modern Sport” (in the anthology Quest for Excitement: Sport and Leisure in the Civilizing Process, Blackwell, 1986), in which he describes the loss of the value of sports due to the rising professionalism within sports. Dunning first describes how players who once played the game are no longer able to compete at the new level. He then goes on to explain how games lose their true purpose, especially for the players, as the level of play increases from competitive to serious. This leads players to no longer enjoy the games as they play, but instead to insure top performance, as anything less can lead to a loss of a job, or a drop in salary. Once this type of attitude is adopted the game is no longer a game, and instead it becomes work.
Dunning also discusses how when a sport becomes too serious there is an amateur backlash towards the sport, through which amateurs decide to ignore the serious players of the game and compete against each other in an attempt to have fun. This is what the gaming community is currently experiencing. As professional gamers attempt to take over the gaming scene, amateurs are politely telling them to leave them alone, and to keep to themselves instead.
It will be interesting to see over the next couple of years how the gaming world reacts to this shift in attitude towards gaming. If Dunning is correct, chances are the major league gaming circuit will hopefully create their own ‘elite’ circle and leave other players to compete against each other in a less serious environment. If this doesn’t happen it could spell disaster for the gaming world, as many gamers may decide to stop playing videogames altogether.
Touchdown Theory 