Hearthstone Player's Dad Makes Him Pick College or Game Tournament

[CrystalShadow]

Ouch. It'd suck to have to make a choice like that...

Still, you think that's bad, you should've seen the absurd judgemental comments I was getting the other day for having a box of lego. (in a plastic shopping bag no less, suggesting I just bought it. Which I had)

To begin with, the incredibly judgemental idea they were using about the thought of an adult playing with that stuff is insulting in and of itself.

But even more so is the assumption they immediately leapt to that it even was for myself...
OK, yes, it turns out to be true in this case,
but seriously, at what point do you see an adult with something like that and immediately leap to the conclusion they bought it for themselves?

I mean, I could have a daughter at my age (it was lego elves stuff. ... What? )
Or, a little sister.
A cousin.
A niece...

Anything.
But no, apparently the first assumption people leap to upon seeing me with a brand new, unopened box of lego, is that I bought it for myself...
I mean, seriously?
Do I look that childish? XD

... Don't answer that... XD

Anyway, as for this... Tournament or education...
That seems like a really unfair choice.
It was an all expenses paid trip after all.

Obviously without any further context there's no way to know if there was anything else going on on top of that...
But it still sounds incredibly harsh and mean to force a choice like that...

 

[Bob_McMillan]

While I haven't gone to college yet, from what I hear from my sister, missing even a day will fuck you up big time. Something like this? He chose right in my opinion, but I have to wonder what made that dad so anti-gamer.

 

[Elijin]

People need to read this article.

He wasnt literally choosing between classes and exams, or a tournament. He had a tournament offer and his dad said 'If you go play videogames, I wont pay for your final year of schooling.'

Thats just a dick move. There is no detail about it actually costing this kid time away from classes or anything. Simply a 'Do what I want. If you dont do what I want, I wont help you.'

The subject matter could have been freaking ballet, for all it alters the decision making process here.

 

[marioandsonic]

I'm going to need some more information here. How are the guy's grades?

If his grades are good, then I don't see the harm in going to one tournament during the summer (especially if it's all expenses paid), and the parents are pulling a dick move.

If his grades are poor, however, then I'm more inclined to side with the parents.

 

[Chefsbrian]

Erm, good? At what point did it become acceptable to question whether or not computer games were a viable alternative to education?

Good. His education is more important than a pro gaming career. His parents have the right idea.

Normally I'd agree with both of you, but classes in most post secondary area's are either wrapping up or finished now. I don't know his exact school, but its likely the same deal, he's probably done classes and is just home now, so frankly this makes little sense to me. Sounds like many parents I deal with at work, just disliking video games because the media they consume dislikes them.

It might sound cruel but if his parents are paying for his education and he lives at home for free. His parents call the shots. That is the price you pay for living at home. Also, I feel like going down the road of 'pro-gamer' is one he'll regret later. The average 'pro-gamer' will earn far less than someone with even a decent career elsewhere. It is also something that while it might seem cool to do now, will rapidly fall out of later.

And not everyone goes pro as a full time 24/7 thing. A lot of people play competitive scenes while still having regular lives and commitments. Its not just about the money here, its about the passion. He's smart enough to pass it up given the current options, so I'd imagine he's smart enough to turn in his hat when real life requires more attention than the games.

Its totally in his parents control to say no, but he's losing out on a great opportunity to travel, have fun and meet people, in return for... ???

 

[Meinos Kaen]

Erm, good? At what point did it become acceptable to question whether or not computer games were a viable alternative to education?

Good.
His parents payed for his education and supported him up to this point, as he says, this is his final year, if he fucks it up that was a life time of money wasted, just for a stupid virtual card game. He can still play this professionally after he's finished his education. There is absolutely no point in jeopardizing his education for a tournament, even if it's as awesome as this.

Plus, he stated he started playing seriously in December, which coupled with the fact that he qualified for this tournament, I believe he's been concentrating more on this than his studies.

Another captcha? Seriously, every time I post I get one of these.

Good. His education is more important than a pro gaming career. His parents have the right idea.

Did you guys even read the article? This was not an either or thing until his parents made it so. It was a 1 week all expenses paid trip in the middle of the summer semester. And we know for sure this guy was not going to school during the summer because he is going to be moving back home for the summer to live with his parents.

This is not a case of his parents preventing him throwing away his education, this is a case of his parents preventing him doing something productive and fun with that week instead of sitting on his ass doing nothing. There is absolutely no threat to his education here, so that excuse is total bullshit. The trip is all expenses paid so neither the parents or the student have anything to lose. The only possible motivation here is an attempt to sabotage this guys prospects as a pro, either because they do not approve and are embarrassed of him (which is an extremely likely scenario) or from some misguided attempt to force him down the proper path in life, which never ends well.

Now, the guy made the right choice, finishing the degree is more important than going to one tournament. But the parents are morons, especially the dad.

PS. As for this guy compromising his studies to qualify for this tourney, I don't buy it. Even a full time student has a ton of free time if he doesn't have a job or any other responsibilities, and hearthstone is a relatively simple game compared to most esport titles. If this was LOL or Starcraft, then probably. But hearthstone is not like those.

What this guy said. Most of the people in here got another thing from the article. The choice between Tournament and College was imposed on him by HIS PARENTS. It wasn't a problem until his dad made it! The trip was all expenses paid, AND during summer! With no classes or finals, and by his own admission during that time he would be moving back for the summer with his parents!

This is not about a parent putting his foot down because his son was thinking about flunking out of college. This is about a parent putting him in front of that choice because, even with NO financial expenses on his part and with no effect whatsoever on the guy's college life, he decided 'NO SON OF MINE WILL GO AND DO VIDJAGAMMES TOURNAMENTS! GARBLEGARBLEGARBLE!'.

 

[Alar]

He made the right choice, but it seems a lot like his parents are being assholes. Unless his gaming has been majorly cutting into his grades and performance at school, there's no reason they shouldn't let him attend a free, week-long trip with a chance to earn a lot of money in the summer. It would earn several times more than any summer job could, if he won. And if he didn't? Well, just a vacation that no one had to pay for.

 

[Dr. Crawver]

The only thing I could think of is that maybe his grades were slipping badly, and his parents blamed his games (rightly or wrongly, who knows). They could well have seen this as a final straw sort of deal, where they wanted to put an end to it.

Just speculation though, could have just been they're dicks. Guess we'll never know.

 

[Scow2]

Erm, good? At what point did it become acceptable to question whether or not computer games were a viable alternative to education?

Except that wasn't the situation until his parents made it one. It could, and should have been "Go to tournament, then finish college (And possibly reduce the financial burden on his parents if he won anything there). Instead, his parents pulled a Stupid tried forcing an "Either/Or" situation that should have been a "Both".

And hey if he wins that's free money.

That's the deal breaking. If he had lost then quiting college was all for nothing well he got next year but it would be a struggle college wise.

He wouldn't have to quit to attend the tournament if his parent's weren't spiteful dicks. The choice should have been between "Go on a free travel trip, see more of the world, meet new people, and possibly win a free $25,000, then come back home and finish college while possibly easing his parent's financial burden" vs. "do nothing, achieve nothing, finish college, and be out a significant life experience".

 

[LetalisK]

Unless this kid was seriously falling behind and needed summer school to make up credits in order to graduate in time, the tournament would have been when classes were out. So it would have had no more impact on his schooling than a summer vacation to Cancun.

But, as has been said, "needs more data". It's possible his academics were suffering and this was the line in the sand his dad drew. It's also possible his dad is a dick.

 

[ecoho]

Erm, good? At what point did it become acceptable to question whether or not computer games were a viable alternative to education?

Seems that the only chance for loss of said education was because his parents threatened to cut him off.

Sounds like he could have done both, and had the chance to win a sizable amount of money if they were more open minded.

As I've said, this tournament position didn't just fall from the lap of the gods. He must have put in substantial downtime to become skilled enough to qualify, and while that is in and of itself no bad thing it's not what his folks are paying for him to do.

You can be good at something without putting a vast amount of time in to it. Also, playing games does not immediately mean your schooling suffers. Both CAN coexist. They didn't even have to pay for the trip. Like I said, I fully expect if he was a Basketball or Football player, any physical sport, people who view this entire thing completely differently.

You can, but I doubt you can rise high enough through the online leaderboards enough to be noticed and selected for tournaments through casual play. But that's speculation on my part.

....I watched a heathstone caster go from rank 25 to legend in a course of 24 hours. It has nothing to do with time it has everything to do with luck and a good deck, like most card games. Whats more really good decks that everyone can use are listed online for anyone to look at all you need to be is smart enough to figure out how and since hes in his final year of college im guessing hes pretty smart.

what im surprised by is that blizzard hasn't offered to give him a scholarship to finish school and come to the tournament as its win-win they get publicity and a tax wright off and he gets to finish school.

 

[Misterian]

This does remind me of the time I tried competing in a game tournament which was that Smash Bros Brawl tournament Gamestop was running.

Oddly enough, I had the opposite deal happen to me, my dad was perfectly cool with me signing up, and even said he'd help fund my trip to Seattle if I won the first tournament.

The only problem? I lost after the first two rounds.

 

[Verrik]

Meh. People can bash on the parents all they want, but see, thing is... we don't have all the facts. We only have one side to this story: the college kid's story. There could easily be more to this.

We don't know how this kid behaves at home. Maybe he's got a shitty attitude. Maybe he's spoiled, and taking his parents' generosity for granted. Or maybe it's just as it seems. No one can really judge unless they KNOW what goes on in this household.

 

[SAMAS]

Erm, good? At what point did it become acceptable to question whether or not computer games were a viable alternative to education?

only in the assuming that it was an alternative in the first place.

The article didn't leave the impression that his gaming had negatively affected his grades(which certainly would have justified it), just that his parents didn't like it.

 

[zumbledum]

bit of an over the top title , i think HS will still be around in a year when he finishes his studies.

...For one tournament? Is that really going to ruin his education? I can safely presume my parents know I'm mature enough to manage both things.

And hey if he wins that's free money.

I find it odd that they made him choose like he was going down some dark path to card games all day everyday like some bad joke yu-gi-oh villain.

you think hes a casual player that got into a tourney? i have no idea myself but i would of presumed he was hitting it pretty hardcore myself.

 

[themilo504]

This article is missing some pretty big details, would the hearthstone player be unable to finish college if he joined the tournament? the article seems to imply that?s the case but it?s not completely clear, it seems unlikely since I?m assuming a tournament would probably only take a few days, I know college is hard but it seems unlikely that a few days is all it takes to irreversibly destroy any chance of graduating.

If he really did have to pick either college or hearthstone I would say the parents were right, if he?s a good enough player he will probably get a shot at joining a tournament again, I do think their reaction was perhaps a bit overblown, a simple no would have sufficed.

If he could have just done both the parents were just being ignorant jerks, it?s not a disaster since like I said he will probably get another shot in the future, but it?s still a dick move that might have prevented him from earning a decent amount of money.