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The Life of a South Korean Pro Gamer
chajath writes with this excerpt from a South Korean newspaper about the lives of professional StarCraft players:
"Prospective gamers take tests based on the skills they have picked up in PC rooms, and passing scores allow them entry into 'clans,' or guilds. Those who aspire to become pro gamers pay move-in fees and go to live at group dormitories, where they practice playing games all day long. Following a 'courage match' for semi-pro certification, the hopefuls must take a test to become apprentices in a pro-gaming group. ... 'The standard in pro gaming groups is for people to live together 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no traveling to or from work, and for those ranked Group 2 or lower, their entire daily routine consists of eating, cleaning, laundry, and games,' said Kim Jeong-geun. 'Because of this structure of bringing in young people, developing them, and then replacing them when their lifespan is spent and they have been squeezed dry, it has earned the name of "the chicken coop."'"
....their entire daily routine consists of eating, cleaning, laundry and games
It's like amateur gamers I know, except without the cleaning and laundry.
This sounds more like work then "an amusement or pastime" which games usually are. To be honest, even if I had the skill to play at that level I don't think I would want to since I like to play games in spare time. What do these guys do in their spare time if any... code?
Pfft, you're just jealous that you don't have their l33t game skillz. You know you'd trade it all in just to beat one of them someday.
"It reminds me how porn works."
Citation needed.
"This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
Sounds a bit like working at a games company. except with better hours and food.
"This is my Sig. there are many like it but this one is mine."
*starts packing for South Korea*
Keke.
Leave it to the gambling/entertainment industry to take a leisure activity and make it into an uber-competitive hellscape.
Oh, to your query, I don't think they are allowed "spare time."
Gambling Industry? What are you on about, this sounds pretty much exactly what my World of Warcraft guild was like - except we didn't get paid, and I don't think half of then knew what fresh laundry was...
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
Ha, you bastard, you're just like my auto mechanic. When he was in-between jobs, he'd replace a fuel pump for 20 bucks and a 12-pack. Now he works 10 hours a day servicing big-ass diesels and won't even give me a tune-up for any price.