English 4.0
Weltweit spielen es mehr als 250 Millionen Spieler allein oder in Gruppen. Es lässt sich viel Geld damit verdienen, und es kann süchtig machen. EAMONN FITZGERALD erklärt, warum das Computerspiel als Zeichen des Wandels betrachtet werden kann.
Why Archie won’t be playing Fortnite
Here’s one person who won’t be playing Fortnite: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-windsor. “The game shouldn’t be allowed,” said Prince Harry, his father, back in April. Why? “It’s created to addict, an addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible,” the Duke of Sussex added. Fortnite is a global gaming phenomenon with more than 250 million registered players. It’s successful because it’s free to download and can be played on every gaming and computing platform. That’s important because we live in a world of platforms now.
Then, there are networks. You can play Fortnite alone, but most people play as part
of a four-person group or a 20-member team, either with friends or with people they don’t know. That’s important, too, because we live in a world of networks.
The most skilled Fortnite player in the world today is Richard Tyler Blevins, from Detroit, who’s better known by his online name, Ninja. Now, I’m sure you’ll find the next two statistics hard to believe, but they’re true: Ninja makes more than $500,000 (€447,000) a month playing Fortnite on the video-streaming social network Twitch. And, in March, Reuters reported that Ninja was paid $1 million by Electronic Arts to promote the Apex Legends game.
Yes, it all sounds crazy, and maybe it is, but 250 million people, which is more than the combined populations of Germany and Japan, play Fortnite.
So, can the success of Fortnite teach us anything about the changing world of work and play? Perhaps. Let’s consider skills and networks.
Like the footballer Lionel Messi or the singer Ariana Grande, Ninja’s success is a
“It sounds crazy, but more than 250 million people play Fortnite”
result of years of practising, performing and learning new skills. In the same way that Ninja had to upgrade his skills for Fortnite, our careers now require many of us to continually develop new skills to stay competitive.
Workers and jobseekers must also understand the art of managing and scaling their real-world and digital networks. If you’re looking for a job that best suits your skill set, Xing and Linkedin can help. Both networks allow you to see which skills are in demand. As I write this, a company in Vienna is looking for a “Product Manager — Social Gaming” and a company in Munich is hiring an “E-sports and Alliance Manager Gaming”.
Quick question: what’s the difference between “gaming” and “e-sports”? Gaming means “playing games”, while e-sports is a shortened form of “electronic sports” and refers to individual and team-based competitive (video) gaming competitions held on multiplayer platforms. Both terms will be used when describing the Fortnite World Cup, which takes place in New York from 26 to 28 July. There’s a total of $30 million to play for, including $3 million for the champion.
Parents should note that participants of the Fortnite World Cup must be at least 13 years old. If the Duke of Sussex has his way, Archie MountbattenWindsor will never become an e-sports Messi. But his mother, Meghan Markle, who has her own opinions, might give the boy a phone some day when Harry isn’t looking and he might grow up to be the king of gaming.
For non-royal children and their parents, gaming and e-sports will soon be a serious business. Along with the prospect of interesting jobs, there’s always the chance that little Jack or Jill could be the next Ninja.
“For non-royal children, gaming and e-sports will soon be a serious business”