I found gaming as a way to have fun and be separated from the world for a moment. There is also the multiplayer aspect that increases the activity of a video game. With interaction with other players in online and multiplayer, this has become social gaming as people play with each other or they watch other people play while they game. Due to this, it has spread to other form of media as people connect with each other. From video games, it went to forums, blogs, and creative works and so on. It is called the convergence culture which is coined by Watkins in We Play. One of the things that gaming has spread to is the competitive tournaments.
From the outsider view that I had, I saw these tournaments as just fun way to express people’s competitive nature. They played the game to earn cash and respect. With team-based games, people created groups or clans to participate in these tournaments. Since the players knew each other, teamwork was essential in winning everything. In Kane’s Game Boys, it presents a different side of competitive gaming that I did not realize before. The gaming tournaments are business. As seen with Craig Levine of Team 3D, it has become a sports-like business. The teams are managed like sports teams. Especially with Team 3D, all the players have contracts and salaries. If someone is not performing up to the standards of team, they would be expected to be cut from the team. As well, the team dynamics is important to success. If there is not any synergy, the team is most likely fail. This was seen with Team 3D as there was team in-fighting during a Counterstrike tournament that led to their demise. Another aspect to think about is the sponsorship of the teams and of the tournaments. As much I would expect it, does it seem like it is not about gaming anymore. Also, has the fun been taken away?
-Vircell Dayap
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