An Ceannaire said:
Has there ever been any theory developed as to why Asians are so good at games like LoL?
These are the theories I've heard:
1. They are more disciplined. They train an absolutely insane number of hours per day, and practice does make perfect.
2. Their organization is superior, and clubs are more tightly managed.
3. Online gaming is less stigmatized than it is in the west and young people are more willing to take the risk of not going to college to instead pursue a full-time career of playing games like Starcraft and LoL.
My take on them:
1. I wouldn't be surprised. I only have anecdotal evidence from interviews, but by all accounts the training regimen is intense. And from what I know of Asian culture, this doesn't sound far-fetched.
2. Korea started with this earlier than anyone when Starcraft became big, so it's hardly surprising that Europa and America are playing catch-up. But this seems like a hurdle that could be overcome.
3. I definitely know that even if I had these kinds of skills, I would never make it a career, and that my family and friends would criticize such a decision strongly if I were to try. And to be honest, I'm not sure they're wrong. Sure, a few of the most successful teams are making it work, but what about the ones we don't hear about, the ones that spend years of their lives chasing this dream? Granted, this goes for traditional sports as well, but with E-sports the instability is far greater. Will people even watch LoL in 5 years, or will they watch something else? Will the skills they built up be transferable at all, or useless? These youngsters are making big decisions, with unclear consequences.
