CPL World Tour 2006 Cancelled

InsaneLampshade writes "BBC News reports pro-gamers are mourning the loss of the most lucrative tournament in computer gaming. In 2005 the World Tour organized by the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) gave away $1m in prizes to pro-gamers at 10 events held around the globe. But the tour has been canceled for 2006, leaving many pro-gamers wondering how to make their lifestyle pay."

Comments

Oh I dunno....

[numbski]

Mickey-D's is usually hiring. ;P

Okay, it was coming, you knew it was, get the first post out of the way and make way for the insightful ones.

What?

Oh, there's nothing insightful to be said here?

Oops.

Get a job

[RoadDoggFL]

"leaving many pro-gamers wondering how to make their lifestyle pay."

Uhh, they could get fucking jobs. And aren't there other tournaments? If anything, the fewer prizes should mean that competition will only get more fierce. It sucks that it's cancelled for the year, but the world of competetive gaming isn't exactly over because of this.

Re:Get a job

[blackcoot]

i think you're right -- i don't think the economics of pro-gaming as a spectator sport make any sense, other than advertising ("oooh, ($new_fps|$new_gaming_box|$new_mouse)... must.buy.now!"). i'm willing to wager that the vast majority of people (i.e. not 0.00001% that the slashdot crowd comprises) would rather play games than watch them, which means no ad revenue, which means no sponsors, which means no sustainable leagues that can support professional play.

Re:Get a job

[Total_Wimp]

You're right, but so are they.

Look at it this way, yes, working at the Chevy plant is honest, respectable work, but when the plant shuts down you best find some other job.

I consider pro gaming at least as respectable as pro baseball (maybe more if you count in steroid usage). But just like when that XFL league shut down a few years ago, these pros need to stop moaning and go look elseware for employment.

Yeah, I know it's hard. Buddy, it's hard for all of us. My NT4.0 skills go completely unused these days. But I've since found work that doesnt' include NT4.0 and I'm doing more than ok. So will f@+@!1+i (or however you spell his name).

TW

Re:Get a job

[badasscat]

The "pro" prefix in the term "pro-gamers" means profesional. That means those tournaments are their job

No, it means that's how they make money. There's a difference.

If they can no longer make money doing it, then there is nothing "pro" about what they do. They are simply gamers, like everybody else.

You can't just take any leisure activity and call it a professional activity and have it be sustainable. Hey, look at me, I'm a professional lemonade drinker! Just because someone gave me a dollar once to watch me drink a glass of lemonade doesn't mean I can actually sustain myself doing it for the long term. Same applies here. There needs to be an actual market for it, along with a level of skill that can both be easily appreciated and incredibly difficult to match. Otherwise nobody's going to be interested, even if the activity itself is interesting. And honestly, watching other people play video or computer games has never even been interesting to begin with.

(Now, you could argue that the same is true for a lot of major sports, but the market has proven you wrong.)

In closing, let me agree with the "get a job" sentiment, etc. etc.

Re:Anyone interested in this?

[hurfy]

hehe, i am still trying to figure out why we think of true pro athletes as true pro athletes ;) Most of them are just playing games too :)

ok, a little broad but still....

I think they need to work on building teams more and find some billionaire owners and cool $20 mil arena to watch them in and.... nah

These kids got beat up a lot in school.

[BecomingLumberg]

Cyberathlete

*snicker snicker*