Former Pro StarCraft II Player Greg "IdrA" Fields Quits Streaming

[MarlaDesat]

Former Pro StarCraft II Player Greg "IdrA" Fields Quits Streaming

Greg "IdrA" Fields, a fan favorite who turned to streaming games after Team EG released him from his contract over disrespectful comments made to fans, will be returning to school and no longer streaming.

If you have spent any time watching professional Starcraft II, you have heard of Greg "IdrA" Fields. Fields has been a fan favorite for years, and he developed notoriety for his anger when losing and a tendency to leave games he believed were lost, often earlier than many other professional players would concede a loss. Fields played for Team announced January 31 [http://evilgeniuses.gg/] on Twitter that he would no longer be streaming StarCraft II.

Today, Fields offers his fans a further explanation. In a message on the Team Liquid forums [http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=442589], Fields says, "Over the last 6 months or so streaming revenue has been nearly nonexistent, in part because of awful ad rates and in part because of continually declining viewership. Casting [StarCraft II] tournaments pays very poorly, when considered a significant part of a full time job. A couple thousand dollars for a weekend of talking about a game seems nice, but when it happens maybe once a month it is not a good way to live." Fields will be returning to school, and has no plans to stream any games at this time. "It is possible I'll stream other games in the future, or be involved with esports in general if something interesting and practical pops up," says Fields, "But for the time being that's it for me. Thank you all."

Fields' Rise of the ESports Hero [http://www.esportsearnings.com/players/1060-idra-greg-fields] documentary.

Source: Team Liquid Forums [http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=442589]

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[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Fields' Rise of the ESports Hero [http://www.esportsearnings.com/players/1060-idra-greg-fields] documentary.

Thats not much compensation, and he gave up a scholarship to play pro. Thats a lesson in risk management folks. While it would be nice to see folk succeed in their endeavors, it also sucks to see people lose out on greater opportunities for something that might not be as long-term rewarding as a "free-ride" education.
I'm not trying to down the guy for doing something he obviously loved but it seems like a waste to give up something like that to go pro in Starcraft. I mean the pro-gaming circuit is so niche it can't be seen as lucrative enough to warrant giving up a scholarship for.

 

[Gali]

I'm not trying to down the guy for doing something he obviously loved but it seems like a waste to give up something like that to go pro in Starcraft. I mean the pro-gaming circuit is so niche it can't be seen as lucrative enough to warrant giving up a scholarship for.

Yeah I kinda agree.

But still, Idra is one of the few foreign (not-Korean)Starcraft players I have much respect for because he actually managed to get on a KeSPA/Korean team in his Broodwar-days. Before he switched to Starcraft 2 he was so close to play in a televised match of Proleague (Korean team league), an opportunity that you only get after like a year of functioning just as a practice partner for the other players. In the end, it's a shame that he switched because it seems that he never liked Star2 as much as BW.

BTW: I'd propose to add in the news article that he was a member of a Korean Starcraft team (CJ Entus) since it's a very rare feat for a foreigner, especially in the BW era. As far as I know, only two other Western players managed that (Grrr at the beginning of BW and Major in Star2).
There is much more to him than his rage.

Anyway, I wish Western progamers would get some kind of infrastructure like most Koreans have through KeSPA (Korean eSports Association). Then "going pro" wouldn't be such a risky move.

 

[Draconalis]

A couple thousand dollars for a weekend of talking about a game seems nice, but when it happens maybe once a month it is not a good way to live.

Meanwhile... I make less than "a couple thousand" in a month. How does he live, that he can't survive?

 

[Aikayai]

IdrA is no stranger to quitting when he's winning.

There, I said it.

 

[Vivi22]

Thats not much compensation, and he gave up a scholarship to play pro.

The thing you need to keep in mind is that that's his winnings in tournaments only. It doesn't include any money received from companies sponsoring him, any salary from his pro-gaming team, streaming revenues in between tournaments, etc. I'd bet he was making quite a bit more than that in his prime.

That said, I'm not particularly sad to see him leaving the scene. The guy always came off as a massive dick when he was competing and in interviews so I never really cared for him and I think the pro SC2 scene is probably better off without him. Still, I wish him the best in going back to school and finding something that he'll find enjoyable to do with the rest of his life. Whether that's getting back into eSports in a few years or doing something else entirely.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Thats not much compensation, and he gave up a scholarship to play pro.

The thing you need to keep in mind is that that's his winnings in tournaments only. It doesn't include any money received from companies sponsoring him, any salary from his pro-gaming team, streaming revenues in between tournaments, etc. I'd bet he was making quite a bit more than that in his prime.

That said, I'm not particularly sad to see him leaving the scene. The guy always came off as a massive dick when he was competing and in interviews so I never really cared for him and I think the pro SC2 scene is probably better off without him. Still, I wish him the best in going back to school and finding something that he'll find enjoyable to do with the rest of his life. Whether that's getting back into eSports in a few years or doing something else entirely.

Oh yeah. The guy used to be pretty loaded. Maybe he still has a lot of money stashed in a bank somewhere and now he's trying to live a normal life.

 

[synobal]

Lets look at the other side of that, he is very young still got to do something many people only dream about doing and has already had success in life outside of getting a college degree. I think it was a wise move, to many kids rush from high school to college to career where they plan to spend the rest of their lives.

Live a little folks.

 

[misg]

I wish the best for him. Hopefully we'll hear from him again in what ever field he moves into.

 

[AJey]

Probably the least respectable SC2 player ever. He will also be the worst SC2 player on my list just for the inability to lose with some dignity. The tantrums and rage that this guy displays after his losses are very unprofessional, not to mention just quitting in the middle of the game for no good reason. Competitive scene of any kind is not for him, because he does not know how to be a part of it.

 

[Micalas]

He should just go to LoL. He'd probably get a decent viewership there.

 

[shintakie10]

Good riddance. IdrA was a complete douchebag in games. Disrespectful of his opponents, disrespectful to the fans, disrespectful to the tournaments he was in, disrespectful to his teammates and sponsors. The guy thrived on being a complete jerk.

The moment that will always stand out in my mind as the defining moment of just how much I despised him as a pro was when, in the middle of a national tournament he rage quit. Not whoops I screwed up enough and there's no way I can respond so gg, but outright fuck you guys I'm going home. Quits the match and just walks out on his opponent.

Maybe he mellowed out after he quit the pro scene. Maybe he's really a stand up guy in real life. Either way I'll always remember him as one of the biggest names in esports and an absolutely terrible ambassador for the US esports scene.

 

[matrix3509]

Fields' Rise of the ESports Hero [http://www.esportsearnings.com/players/1060-idra-greg-fields] documentary.

Thats not much compensation, and he gave up a scholarship to play pro. Thats a lesson in risk management folks. While it would be nice to see folk succeed in their endeavors, it also sucks to see people lose out on greater opportunities for something that might not be as long-term rewarding as a "free-ride" education.
I'm not trying to down the guy for doing something he obviously loved but it seems like a waste to give up something like that to go pro in Starcraft. I mean the pro-gaming circuit is so niche it can't be seen as lucrative enough to warrant giving up a scholarship for.

Its not that esports is niche, because that is provably false. Its that Starcraft 2 is slowing dying because of Blizzard incompetence.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

A couple thousand dollars for a weekend of talking about a game seems nice, but when it happens maybe once a month it is not a good way to live.

Meanwhile... I make less than "a couple thousand" in a month. How does he live, that he can't survive?

Agreed. I'm lucky if I make only a thousand dollars in one month. Usually I fall somewhere around eight hundred. I am curious as to what he spends his money on. I suppose paying for the top-notch tech gear would cost a pretty penny, but still...

 

[lancar]

So.. I'm guessing this means he'll no longer co-cast tournaments with Totalbiscuit anymore either?

 

[Isalan]

IdrA is no stranger to quitting when he's winning.

There, I said it.

Heh, nice.

I'll never forget the game where he straight quit at the sight of the approaching Protoss army, made up of about 2/3rds hallucinated Void Rays. The rage was Legendary.

Seriously though, as has been mentioned before, the guy doesn't have the character for competitive gaming. He loses his shit far too easily, and other players learn to take advantage of that. Break out some annoying hit and run tactics, keep him chasing low value, hard to kill enemies and eventually he'll defeat himself. Still, best of luck to him in his studies. Maybe he'll invent a teleporter or something.

 

[Weaver]

I make a "couple thousand" for a month straight of work. If he thinks talking into a mic over the weekend for a few grand is a bad deal, he's going to shit his pants when he finds out how much grad students are paid.

Imagining him working 80 hours a week in a small, windowless room for an angry Russian prof who doesn't take any bullshit brings a tear of joy to my eyes.

Moreover, who is going to hire him with his obviously well known and documented anger issues?

 

[Ubiquitous Duck]

Idra one was of the few interesting players on sc2 for me.

It's disappointing that, even with the work ethic he'd developed from playing brood war, he could not really break into sc2 as one of the top players.

I stopped watching sc2 a while ago though and I think it will slowly die out in European viewership, especially with the decline of big name players to follow, like Greg. I don't really feel bad for Blizzard though, because I really think that their expansion was not good for the game or the esports scene.

I don't know why people are jumping on him for his gripes with how he would have to continue working in e-sports if he stayed. I don't think he was saying 2,000 dollars for a weekend was bad, but more that it was good if it was predictable and regular enough - but it is so sporadic and unpredictable that it is frustrating to live on. I'm sure any self-employed or freelance people could relate to that.