Finding common ground
Athletes, pro video game players not so different: esport insiders
From horse riding to weight lifting and soccer to sailing, what is defined as “sports” includes a broad variety of activities. But whether professional video gaming falls under that wide umbrella remains up for debate. Esports has ballooned in popularity in recent years, drawing fans and professional video game players from around the globe. This weekend, thousands of people are expected to attend the International Dota 2 Championships in Vancouver, while millions more stream the event online. Anyone tuning in will see similarities with traditional sporting events, from a stadium packed with cheering fans to well-dressed analysts in headsets offering commentary between matches. Some of that structure has been borrowed from other sports, said Erik Johnson of Valve, the company that created the “Dota 2” game and runs the tournament. But there’s a difference when it comes to competition. High-level gamers are being tested on how they handle the pressure of being watched by millions of people as they compete for enormous amounts of money, Johnson said “It’s not a physical test, it’s a mental test for a lot of these players,” he said. Victor Goossens is the co-CEO of Team Liquid, which won the “Dota 2” championship last year. He said his players spend up to 12 hours a day practising and studying their game, and take care of their physical and mental health in the same way a traditional athlete does. Like any pro team, Goossens’ group is always looking for a competitive advantage, so earlier this year they teamed up with technology company SAP to develop software that would allow them to analyze their training and in-game performances. SAP’s Milan Cerny worked with competitors in sailing and tennis before turning to the esports project. Gamers and traditional athletes have a lot in common, he said, including that both are “really, really good at what they’re doing.”