Pro Gamers Can't Scrape By?

An anonymous reader points to a Wired News article discussing the harsh nature of professional gaming. According to the piece, "Professional gaming is in its infancy, providing few players with the means to live without any other job. Still, the competition for those sponsorships is cutthroat." Even for the elite team covered in the article, there are issues: "Game Point lost in QuakeCon's Wolfenstein finals, which cut their prize money down to $12,000. It was disheartening for the team, particularly since five members said the time constraints necessary to maintain this high level would most likely force them to retire." So, is pro gaming really semi-pro gaming? A player points out: "If you work for eight months and you divide up your hours, the amount of money that you make is minimal."

Comments

look...

[Anonymous Coward]

It was never ment to be made money on playing games, so don't whine when it doesn't.

professional gaming..

[Tirel]

an oxymoron.

Marketing...

[darkov]

Is gaming such an interesting spectator sport? It's more interesting to play than watch someone else. And if you want to watch someone else play well you can do that using your own screen and some server on the net. If someone gets promotional dollars out of games it's going to be the game makers not the players.

And what about the players themselves. Can you see yourself (or anyone) worshiping someone for their their ability to click really fast for endless hours in front of a screen? It's all about personalities and their ability to promote products.

Why is there no money in gaming?

[secolactico]

Easy... it's not an spectator game. It's fun for the players and that's it. You can't fill an amphitheater of people paying $15 bucks to see five or ten guys duke it out in a Quake deathmatch. You can't sell pay-per-view rights for the same reason.

Why not? Maybe it's because people somehow admire the performers at some level, and a computer game screams neither physical fitness/skill (sports) nor brain power (chess, etc).

It will always have it's admirers, but so will horseshoe tossing.

Ehm maybe gaming will be on tv

[SmallFurryCreature]

With fightbox coming soon and timecommanders perhaps gaming will get that TV audience?

The first is a game you can download and train with. It is an okay animated slighly odd to use fight game. The second is lot less clear but the ads for it make it looks a bit like the total war series. Lots of formations of soldiers fighting it out. (nice animation)

But yeah I think that current games make extremly poor TV entertainment. But then again quake? That is like a drunk punchup compared to a thightly regulated boxing match. Just try to make a running commentary on a quake match

Player [34_the()_[t53]] just picked up the gun. oh and got fragged. and he is back and he frags that guy and he gets fragged.

So though luck guys but it looks like you have the following options

• Get a real job and see this as a hobby with occasinal perks when you win a couple of bucks. Just like any other hobby.
• Make the game more attractive to view for bystanders. Lose the stupid nicks to something people who have had sex can read and just try not to be complete assholes. Top soccer players may get away with it. Niche sports players can't. Remember entertainment means entertaining people, not looking down on them.
• Turn semi-pro and make your living teaching others how to play. How do you think most golfers make their living?

So in short I find this article to be in the trend of "Hey we made millions in the dotcom days. But now people seem to expect us to make real products". Yeah cry me a river. Oh well at least they are not aimbot cheaters.