Is eSports real sports? Can pro gamers consider themselves professional athletes? What is the opinion of MeinMMO readers on this topic?
That’s why it’s currently a topic: This weekend, the World Championship in Fortnite took place, where players competed for a large amount of money.
The event was huge and received a lot of coverage not only from gaming sites but also from more traditional media like television.
But due to a disparaging comment from German sports moderator Julia Scharf, the debate has resurfaced about whether eSports championships can actually be considered sports. She called the participants of the championship “kids who sit in front of the PC day and night and can no longer tie their shoes themselves.”
What is the purpose of this survey? Opinions on the topic “eSports as real sports” vary greatly. Therefore, we want to know what MeinMMO readers think about it.
The eSports industry has grown significantly in recent years. Prize money for tournaments of DOTA, Fortnite, and other eSports titles is reaching millions. The events are followed by tens of thousands of viewers on Twitch. But can it be considered real sports?
The result of the survey will also be evaluated in a separate article, taking your comments into account.
These are the viewpoints: A general definition of the term “sports” states:
The term sports encompasses various forms of movement, play, and competition, which are usually related to human physical activities, without primarily serving the purpose of production, military conflict, the transport of goods or luggage, or mere location change.
In the debate, two camps face each other, both presenting strong arguments as to why eSports is not real sports or why it is.
Arguments in favor:
- Players compete against each other in competitive matches under fixed rules
- They must invest a lot of time in training to improve their reaction time, concentration, and hand-eye coordination
- There are already mind sports, such as chess
Arguments against:
- Traditional sports are always closely linked to movement and the exertion of physical performances
- “Killer games,” in which the goal is to kill opponents, are unethical and do not align with the values that sports should convey
- Just because something requires training does not make it a sport. For example, competitive eating
What do you think? Are eSports athletes and pro gamers who make money from gaming real athletes to you? Or is it nonsense because eSports lack physical performance?
If you can’t see the survey, then visit the Apester.com site and vote there.
