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Paid to Play Video Games

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the pay-me-to-play-the-sims dept.

acehole writes "This would have to be every gamer's dream, to get paid for playing games. In South Korea gaming has taken off to an extent that companies sponsor gaming teams (some earn up to $100k per year) to play games up to 12 hours a day."

4 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. ill pass... by i88i · · Score: 5, Insightful

    there's no way i'd like to earn my money playing games. I play em for fun, not to pay the bills.
    Imagine getting evicted just because you missed that headshot in the tournament playoffs. That sort of pressure would stop me enjoying the games, which sort of defeats the purpose of playing them in the first place.

    1. Re:ill pass... by cowscows · · Score: 4, Insightful
      You don't even have to be a professional to stop having fun, it's just when these things become such a huge part of your life that when they don't go well, you're depressed.

      I went bowling yesterday with a couple friends, and we all suck, but we had lots of fun. A couple lanes down, there was a teenager there all by himself, scoring 230+, but getting all pissed off at himself whenever he missed a strike. He didn't look like he was having a good time.

      --

      One time I threw a brick at a duck.

    2. Re:ill pass... by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful
      People always say this about computer shit and I never get it, I guess they're not geeks. They say that they work on computers all day and don't even want to look at one when they get home. Well, okay, I can see not coming home and doing your systems administration shit, which is why there's perl and cron etc etc etc, but avoiding extracurricular websurfing, playing games, or downloading porn, because you spent the day fighting with lookout express? That's just madness. In my opinion, it's the mark of someone for whom computer geekery is not an adventure, it's just a job.

      I think it's safe to say that the same goes for games, whether it's computer games, or pro sports. You just probably wouldn't typically play the same shit in your off time as you do for money. (Though I know that pro football (no, not soccer) players who don't hate each other will play on the beach or whatever as well as for money.

      Besides, any decent manager of any team in any sport, on or offline, knows that it's not one person who makes or breaks a game, it's a whole team. If it comes down to that one headshot, then the rest of the team hasn't been doing THEIR job. If you're missing all your shots all day, then that's one thing, but if it's just one miss, it could happen to anyone. Video gaming has one thing in common with auto racing (besides that you might be playing a racing game) in that there is a lot of hardware between you and your goal, and it has to cooperate with you as well. In soccer you might blow out a shoe, but in racing you might lose any one of many critical parts, and in the case of a computer there are just as many things which could go wrong, on both sides of the hardware/software barrier.

      The definition of a great job is one in which you do what you love.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Job wanted! Will make games, not play, for $100K by mustangdavis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They get paid $100k/yr to PLAY games .... Hell, I wish I could make $100k just programming them!!!

    I'd be willing to provide something tangible for my salary!!!!

    --
    HallmarkOrnaments.Com