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[Nanashrew]

If you regard a doughnut as a worthy opponent then yes.



Only if you apply some arbitrary definition of what constitutes a sport. Sport is competition, that's the the only definition that really matters.

Competition is anything. Sure there is a lot of crossover between competition and sport in their definition but that wouldn't make something like doughnut eating a sport or games a sport. Sport is usually put under athleticism while competition can even be as simple as a rival at a work place competing who gets their work done faster or whatever.

Magic the Gathering and Pokemon Trading Card Game aren't sports either, just a competition.

1. You act like competitive games aren't doing their own thing and that X-Games didn't ask for these games to be there.

2. EVO wants nothing to do with anything else. The FGC has made it clear they don't want to be "esports" and they don't want money.

Exactly. Many in the FGC do not like the term e-sports and would rather be called competitive gaming.

 

[Nerokis]

And they started their own competition. Which is what games/eSports should do and not latch on to other existing physical sporting events. Why not build out EVO into something bigger and all encompassing?

I'm not sure it's valid to frame this as eSports "latching onto" X Games. People see there's a growing audience for eSports, see the potential to make more money, and so we see more and more cases like this one. It's not like there's a Committee for eSports deciding where video game tournaments are going to show up; so long as companies like ESPN decide it makes business sense to pursue that audience, chances are we're going to continue to see this weird overlap between eSports and real sports.

 

[Its Quite Toasty]

I remember my dad reading articles in papers 20 years ago about how extreme sports athletes weren't real athletes. And weren't collegiate sports in the 70s considered lesser sports or not worth watching?

So, yeah, I'd say it's a bit ironic.

Not that it matters, though. Extreme sports are lame as hell.

I mean they're pulling a lot of shit off that could break their backs or worse. I can't say that I know your definition of lame, but that in no way satisfies mine.

 

[Quonny]

I mean they're pulling a lot of shit off that could break their backs or worse. I can't say that I know your definition of lame, but that in no way satisfies mine.

Lame to watch. I'm not questioning their athleticism or work ethic.

 

[Its Quite Toasty]

Lame to watch. I'm not questioning their athleticism or work ethic.

I can give you that but admittedly watching anything sports related video gaming, extreme or otherwise puts me sleep.

 

[Village]

1. You act like competitive games aren't doing their own thing and that X-Games didn't ask for these games to be there.

2. EVO wants nothing to do with anything else. The FGC has made it clear they don't want to be "esports" and they don't want money.

Evo is esports

Fighting games nowadays are made with that in mind. Sf5, pokken, tekken 7, killer insticy. even smash bros. Fgc is esports, its been that way for a while.what some people hold on to is irrelevant

 

[Zomba13]

1. You act like competitive games aren't doing their own thing and that X-Games didn't ask for these games to be there.

2. EVO wants nothing to do with anything else. The FGC has made it clear they don't want to be "esports" and they don't want money.

1. There are things like the International and what LoL does and the stuff for Halo and whatever but I'm thinking more of a collection of things and different styles. Like a proper Olympics of games or something. A wide variety of games and play styles that come together in a big competition of skill with a bunch of events. Rather than MS throwing money at the X-Games to get Halo there after Activision did the same with CoD.

2. And that is their problem. I just used it as an example because it's the biggest multi-game video game competition I can think of. Even though they are all fighting games there is still a huge amount of variety on offer with a bunch of different players. I was thinking taking that idea and building on it by adding different genres and categories (like speed runs of a short game, racking up points in an action game, FIFA/Madden etc).

I'm not sure it's valid to frame this as eSports "latching onto" X Games. People see there's a growing audience for eSports, see the potential to make more money, and so we see more and more cases like this one. It's not like there's a Committee for eSports deciding where video game tournaments are going to show up; so long as companies like ESPN decide it makes business sense to pursue that audience, chances are we're going to continue to see this weird overlap between eSports and real sports.

True, it isn't fair. eSports doesn't need to latch on to other sporting competitions, it's already big and getting bigger. I guess I just mean it's like the publisher (MS) throwing money and their game at a sporting event to get more publicity and people talking about Halo after they went through the lengths to eSports the franchise up.

 

[TheBrain76]

Wasn't the X-Games created as an alternative to "the establishment" though? Like all the extreme sports (skateboarding, motocross, etc.) weren't going to get olympic style recognition so they started their own thing to provide their own validation.
Esports are in the mind of the mainstream public where extreme sports were back in the 90's, i.e. struggling for mainstream validation. So it makes a certain kind of sense that esports would be welcomed and recognized at an event that was originally created to recognize those who are largely ignored by the mainstream.

 

[Compsiox]

VR will make it okay for e-sports to exist.

I can just see it now, omnis in a row as players run furiously through a collapsing skyscraper trying to eliminate each other.

 

[Nanashrew]

1. There are things like the International and what LoL does and the stuff for Halo and whatever but I'm thinking more of a collection of things and different styles. Like a proper Olympics of games or something. A wide variety of games and play styles that come together in a big competition of skill with a bunch of events. Rather than MS throwing money at the X-Games to get Halo there after Activision did the same with CoD.

2. And that is their problem. I just used it as an example because it's the biggest multi-game video game competition I can think of. Even though they are all fighting games there is still a huge amount of variety on offer with a bunch of different players. I was thinking taking that idea and building on it by adding different genres and categories (like speed runs of a short game, racking up points in an action game, FIFA/Madden etc).

Reminds me of the days of early G4 with Arena and how they had teams of players playing a variety of different competitive games. I would definitely be into something like that and an Olympic style gathering of different players playing in their best genres for their own gold medals.

VR will make it okay for e-sports to exist.

I can just see it now, omnis in a row as players run furiously through a collapsing skyscraper trying to eliminate each other.

Nick Arcade?

 

[Metfanant]

She's absolutely right

 

[CaptainGyro]

Throw me in with the people who agree with her

 

[Tragicomedy]

I don't think they pained themselves into any corner. The "X" always referred to "extreme sports," something gaming isn't.

Yeah, at the Chess Olympiad.

There's also the Olympic Games.

X stands for extreme and it's filled with a lot of extreme/action/adventure sports where people put their bodies on the line in death defying races, stunts, etc.

What about the Olympic Games? Having "game" in the title doesn't mean video games have a logical place in the event.

I was being sarcastic. I failed!

 

[potatohead]

Well I agree with her.

.

 

[BizzyBum]

Guys, it's the fucking X-Games, not the Olympics. I understand where she's coming from but she also needs to get over herself.

 

[stan423321]

I don't see how it's relative. If you host a competition about extreme sports, I think it makes sense to limit the contestants to extreme sports athletes.

E-sports have their place. And it's not there.

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. The organisers let H5 in. It's ultimately their event and their decisions what they want their event to be about - and by what means it should stay afloat. Contrary to what seems to be popular opinion here, I don't really find it a problem that there's a side event with something else; perhaps because I've seen what I would roughly describe as forcing main contestants of certain non-sport event to get a third of their score in sponsored competition. It's essentially a very weird sort of merchandise here - an X-Games flavour Halo 5 tourney. Is this annoying to main contestants? Perhaps. I think there are worse alternatives.

 

[Stiler]

Those medals...ugh, look like someone just took some old license plates off a car and slapped gold paint over it and wrote x-games.

Regardless, didn't people say the same type of things about Skateboarders and things when they came around? "Oh that's stupid, they shouldn't be able to compete or have medals yada yada."

 

[davepoobond]

winning pointless medals is totally a zero sum game

 

[shmoglish]

I Hope we see videogames at Olympia soon. A gamer running with The torch. Beautiful

 

[knkng]

She's right.

I have no problem with e-sports, but that doesn't mean that they are automatically welcome at every single sporting event. Even though a lot of people in this thread seem to be making fun of the X-Games, it doesn't change the fact that they are designed to award athletes participating in extreme (high risk) activities.

To make things easier, just ask yourself this: Should an award be given out for Halo at the World's Strongest Man Competition? Should Halo players be given the same accolades as people doing squat lifts and dumbbell presses? Probably not.

 

[Head.spawn]

They just need to stop trying to force feed gaming related stuff onto their typical ESPN viewers. Clearly there is a disconnect on some level for some of them because they cannot relate, a bit of a superiority complex and in some cases of complete disdain coming from the other side.

Competitive gaming doesn't need ESPN to validate itself.

Twitch, along with MLG, HCS, ESL, WCG, EVO etc etc should just all get together and start a few international channels to showcase the best tournament coverage, ongoing news, profiles and related stuff.

 

[KingJ2002]

I agree... gaming shouldn't be apart of x-games. Competitive gaming should really be it's own thing

 

[stan423321]

They just need to stop trying to force feed gaming related stuff onto their typical ESPN viewers. Clearly there is a disconnect on some level for some of them because they cannot relate, a bit of a superiority complex and in some cases of complete disdain coming from the other side.

Competitive gaming doesn't need ESPN to validate itself.

I think that the consensus was that it's ESPN that thinks it needs competitive games, not other way around.

 

[ForsakenLotus]

They shouldn't, because there is such a huge difference between athletes performing in these events, often at legitimate risk to their health, and people playing games. It's just incongruous.

It's cool that E-Sports are getting more recognition (I saw a lengthy spot on ESPN for a Halo tournament), but having them become part of something like the X-Games to me is too far and farcical if I'm being honest.

 

[Head.spawn]

I think that the consensus was that it's ESPN that thinks it needs competitive games, not other way around.

Definitely agree. They see the viewership numbers for these big tournaments easily rivaling their biggest productions and are trying to get a piece of that pie.

My only issue is that, the "sport" semantic issue will never go away and it clearly annoys both sides and it just feels forced... like, NFL games are being covered and then they start talking about a DOTA tournament? They should just stop the limp dick effort and start a specialized ESPN station instead of trying to integrate it into what they already have. There is certainly cross-over coming from gamers side, but your typical NFL, NHL or Baseball fan is going to feel a major disconnect the way they're currently trying to do things.

 

[CaptainGyro]

If curling and golf are considered real sports, I don't see how something like Halo requires any less fine motor skill.

uh you can pick up halo and be playing it fine enough within a few minutes. You can't come close to doing that with golf

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

I Hope we see videogames at Olympia soon. A gamer running with The torch. Beautiful

Yeah fucking right...cut to ad break this gamer is gonna have a heart attack on the stairs with our torch

 

[Dash Kappei]

What?! Why?
If they're called Xbox Games then why wouldn't you give gold to the most X game there is, Halo

Halo should not be at the X-Games. What's extreme about hitting buttons on a controller?

People died from Maximum carpal tunnel you know

There's also that MvsC3 pro player bluriver who's living' the John Rambo's vagrant life to be the best in the world like Ryu did, if that ain't Extreme than what it is, freakin' Mega Man?

 

[smokeandmirrors]

I agree. fuck the name "e-sports". They are competitions. not sports. They are legitimate competitions and it's cool but I refuse to call them a sport.

 

[geomon]

People used to say the same about all the sports at the X-Games. We certainly have come full circle.

Was just thinking the same thing. Hot damn, sometimes it's interesting getting older.

 

[Shalashaska161]

She's right.

I have no problem with e-sports, but that doesn't mean that they are automatically welcome at every single sporting event. Even though a lot of people in this thread seem to be making fun of the X-Games, it doesn't change the fact that they are designed to award athletes participating in extreme (high risk) activities.

To make things easier, just ask yourself this: Should an award be given out for Halo at the World's Strongest Man Competition? Should Halo players be given the same accolades as people doing squat lifts and dumbbell presses? Probably not.

I agree. The idea that we need to shoehorn e-sports into physical sport competitions doesn't really make much sense to me. I see them as two totally different things, that despite both having the word sport in them don't really belong together in the same event.

 

[Teletraan1]

I agree with her. Some dismissive smug gamers might not as they debate semantics but people have died training and performing for the X-Games and while that might not mean much to dismissive smug gamers who can hide behind internet anonymity it does to the people who put their livelihood on the line for the sports they love. It is a slap in the face to these people and their community to have a bunch of tools sitting on their asses playing xbox being given the same accolades as Sarah Burke or Caleb Moore.

If eSports wants to give out medals start your own thing just like X-Games did. What is next complaining that Troy Baker isn't up for an Oscar or Uematsu isn't up for a Grammy. Just because people on this site like gaming doesn't mean it should infest every facet of society.

 

[IHaveIce]

uh you can pick up halo and be playing it fine enough within a few minutes. You can't come close to doing that with golf

You can't. You think you can but believe me that even the best on GAF wouldn't come close to the xgames Halo players.

I do play golf, after one year of playing golf I'm pretty good not in a competive setting but same like in Halo.


The discussion in here boiled again down to bash Esports or even to bash Halo, yes even microsoft (never change gaf, you are so smart and witty)

But it was about if games have a place at xgames, COD was there for the last years and now Halo, you know why? Cause Xgames knows they have to get more viewers and see how Esports for shooters is a coming trend that is also fast and action paced. Xgames invited them and Xgames decides what qualifies for theor competitions and if you win one you get a medal, easy as it is.

Back then everyone laughed about giving the 'original' xgames sports an extra event with giving out medals.

 

[old]

I agree in that esports and X games are different worlds. There's nothing extreme or dangerous about sitting around camping a flag.

Really if ESPN is going in on esports then they should create the E-Games for halo and such.

 

[Omnii-chan]

X-Games organisers:
"Fuck it, call the motor registration and get them to print "X-Games" on a gold car plate, that'll do.

 

[Rembrandt]

That's a new one. You press buttons with your fingers or other body part of choice, how is that not physical?

Next time your doctor asks about physical activity, tell them you play video games.

 

[CaptainGyro]

You can't. You think you can but believe me that even the best on GAF wouldn't come close to the xgames Halo players.

I didn't say anything about playing against the xgames halo players and winning against them. Learning how to play golf is far more difficult than learning how to play Halo

 

[Northeastmonk]

You know they could have a tournament during the X Games or even the Olympics. There has to be down time for the crowd. It beats loading up on concession stands. If you think about it, receiving an X Games award for that isn't about redefining sports. It's acknowledging competition.

We've gone from professional Guitar Hero players to Forza. How many of these people are friends with Tony Hawk? You had competitions with your friends maybe? What about people who are gifted in video games and not real sports?

I personally feel like they are allowing real sports, special olympics, X Games, but not video games. Just because we sit down doesn't mean anything. You could be playing a game besides watching a ball game or a TV show. You might not win, but there's a lot of money on the line at large scale tournaments. A lot of these celebrities make multi millions skiing down snow or skateboarding.

Idolization in sports is huge. Kids playing ball all their life, hoping that one day they'll be just like their hero. The professional athlete whose shoes or cologne they have to buy. The person on every sports magazine who never has to find a real job because now they're famous. It's a bit sad if you look at it all. What's the percentage of kids playing pro? Isn't the male ratio like 1 in 10,000 or something? If even less.

Sports have their own problems. Look at how much coaches for NCAA make. They make more than teachers do and their players get nothing. Look at how they spend the money on athletics and not the educational side. Arguing rather or not an Artifical Intelligence is controlled by a person is a sport or not shouldn't be hard to do. It's sad when we condemn Television because we have to sit in front of it or a computer screen.

A lot of sports fans sit in front of the TV for hours, yet they blame video games for problems. I find that their celebrity status as a sports professional makes them part of the problem. Heightened or unobtainable goals are easily increased by sports than they are video games. At least with a video game you can come back to it at night. Some kids will spend multiple days at practice and their education takes a hit. At least with games you can limit your time and do it when you're free.

 

[Head.spawn]

I didn't say anything about playing against the xgames halo players and winning against them. Learning how to play golf is far more difficult than learning how to play Halo

Clearly you mean "play golf at a pro level", right?

 

[Dennis]

Browsing GAF is a bloodsport.

I deserve a medal.

 

[IHaveIce]

I didn't say anything about playing against the xgames halo players and winning against them. Learning how to play golf is far more difficult than learning how to play Halo

Only the first part was directed at you.
And only if you mean on a super proffessional level of global scale.

Playing golf for fun or just even for club tournaments is not really hard and depends on the competitions.

Same with Halo.

 

[Oddduck]

I agree with her to be honest. *Shrugs*

 

[Head.spawn]

Only the first part was directed at you.
And only if you mean on a super proffessional level of global scale.

Playing golf for fun or just even for club tournaments is not really hard and depends on the competitions.

Same with Halo.

Exactly, I'm not sure what he is going on about. I play golf drunk with friends (mini and on an actual course, I got the hookup) and Halo, with those same exact friends... I'm still not holding a candle to Tiger Woods or winning a 1v1 with Ogre 2.

 

[patapuf]

I agree with her. Some dismissive smug gamers might not as they debate semantics but people have died training and performing for the X-Games and while that might not mean much to dismissive smug gamers who can hide behind internet anonymity it does to the people who put their livelihood on the line for the sports they love. It is a slap in the face to these people and their community to have a bunch of tools sitting on their asses playing xbox being given the same accolades as Sarah Burke or Caleb Moore.

If eSports wants to give out medals start your own thing just like X-Games did. What is next complaining that Troy Baker isn't up for an Oscar or Uematsu isn't up for a Grammy. Just because people on this site like gaming doesn't mean it should infest every facet of society.

This is X-game integrating e-sports, not the other way round. I'd guess the organisers were hoping to gain higher viewership.

I mean, videogames are probably a pretty good fit with their demographic.

 

[Onivulk]

Poor phrasing on her part still. The "gamers" did nothing wrong by showing up and being handed gold squares.

The management of the Xgames should be her target.

 

[CaptainGyro]

Only the first part was directed at you.
And only if you mean on a super proffessional level of global scale.

Playing golf for fun or just even for club tournaments is not really hard and depends on the competitions.

Same with Halo.

Bullshit. You just don't start knocking balls off tees with the same degree of success like you have in shooting some dudes in halo.

 

[WaterAstro]

Chess is an olympic sport

X-games isn't the Olympics.

 

[CaptainGyro]

Exactly, I'm not sure what he is going on about. I play golf drunk with friends (mini and on an actual course, I got the hookup) and Halo, with those same exact friends... I'm still not holding a candle to Tiger Woods or winning a 1v1 with Ogre 2.

Where are you guys even getting that I think you can compete against pros? Read what i said.

 

[patapuf]

Bullshit. You just don't start knocking balls off tees with the same degree of success like you have in shooting some dudes in halo.

Meh, you can compare it to soccer, or Basketball. Some sports are more pick up and play than others.

And i guarantee you someone that's never had a dualshock in their hands won't do shit in Halo for a long while.

 

[CaptainGyro]

Meh, you can compare it to soccer, or Basketball. .

Uh..ok. We were specifically talking about golf though