Video Gamers May Soon Be Paid More than Top Pro Athletes

Flexion said:

Strange strange thing.... There are some twitch streamers with elite private hacks costing $1000/month apparently according to some gossip I've heard on a couple of aimbot discords. At first I thought it was a bit insane for someone to pay $1000/month to cheat in a $60 video game, but apparently these streamers can earn $10,000 to $100,000 monthly from twitch subs, so it's worth it... Of course, there was no actual proof offered during the discussion, but it's just interesting to hear about this and I wonder how it'll affect the whole e-sports thing.

Click to expand...

$1000 hacks? Wut?

I used to wonder why people would want to watch other people play video games until I started playing Street Fighter 4 and now 5. Watching somebody play Street Fighter on twitch offers more than a typical sportscast, as there is often direct interaction with the person playing and the others watching. You can learn from people who are extremely talented and even get to know them personally. Big tournaments have become incredibly exciting for me, and I now often know some of the people competing personally, and have learned enough from watching many of them play that I myself have gained sufficient skills to even consider entering some local tournaments myself.

I never in a million years thought I'd watch others playing games over watching professional sports, but more often than not these days I'd much prefer to watch a Street Fighter tournament or individual streamer than my usual NHL and MLB teams. The tournaments can be incredibly exciting, even my wife and non-gamer friends get in on the hype.

Esports, professional gaming, whatever you prefer to call it, is an unstoppable movement at this point. If you don't understand it, or doubt it's potential to compete with traditional sports, you're probably out of touch. It's okay, until a couple years ago, I was too.

westrock2000 said:

It does make you question what you find intriguing about "athletes". Is it the physical strength, or is it the fast thinking and strategy? Does having physical strength give you a better chance at being a successful athlete, or does mental strength? Obviously, centered between the two is good. But are the really good athletes off center more towards the strength, or more towards the ingenuity? And what is stimulating the viewer.

Click to expand...

I'm not demeaning the skill of eSports gamers. I also don't generally find athletes intriguing. But athletic competitions are physical and mental, but not in the same way eSports are. Athletes spend time in the gym honing their bodies and practice their sport to hone their skills.

No disrespect to eSports, but it's not the same thing.

Dan_D said:

I'm not demeaning the skill of eSports gamers. I also don't generally find athletes intriguing. But athletic competitions are physical and mental, but not in the same way eSports are. Athletes spend time in the gym honing their bodies and practice their sport to hone their skills.

No disrespect to eSports, but it's not the same thing.

Click to expand...

eSports atheletes spend countless hours in front of their gaming rigs honing their index fingers, WASD fingers and wrists, to develop gamer skills too! Many will get serious cases of carpal tunnel in their autumn years... ever think about that? XD

(i'm not serious in my reply.)