Is Gaming A Sport?
This question has plagued many a gamer for some time. Should gaming be considered a sport? Well first we have to define what a sport actually is. Should Multiplayer Gaming be considered a sport? I mean, there is a distinct difference playing with yourself and playing with others, right? This debate will unquestionably go on for some time, but with the recent resurgence of gaming competitions and some of the largest gaming purses up for grabs in 2007 maybe it is high time gaming is redesignated.
TheCGS has a great write up analyzing this question.
Major League Gaming also takes a look at this question.
As recently as 2006 there was a push to try to make “gaming” part of the Olympics.
Where will all this lead? Who knows. I for one see the face of gaming changing in the next few years. Many of the old school gamers are now in adulthood, and we see more adults playing casual games and online games than ever before. With the recent bandwidth increases in the United States and across the world gaming is becoming better and easier. I believe that we will see competitive gaming at a national level sometime within the next decade. I do not think gamin will make it into the Olympics anytime soon though.
What do you think? Is gaming a sport?
Friday 9 November 2007 12:19 am
Nope. Look–I’m a lifelong gamer, but gaming as a sport? It’s just plain silly. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing).
If one considers twitching of the arms and thumbs as a physical activity, then he needs to get his head checked.
Monday 19 November 2007 7:15 am
[…] make me want to revisit my question originally posted on Multiplayer Games about whether or not gaming is a sport. I think for a $1,000,000 prize pool to win from it definitely raises the argument that gaming is […]
Saturday 23 February 2008 11:14 am
[…] It was only a matter of time before the biggest name in gaming and the biggest name in sports crossed paths. ESPN just uploaded a video featuring the top ten Halo 3 kills, complete with commentary from Chris Puckett of Major League Gaming. I guess it’s official; gaming is a sport. […]