No Right Answer: Is Gaming A Sport?
- Thread starter Firefilm
- Start date
Video Games aren't a sport unless they make use of motion controls. But those aren't the games being referred to as Sports when it comes to competitive gaming. Calling all games sports seems way too broad as games tend to be competitive.
I'm afraid that the majority of Gamers just want to call Video Games, sports not because of actual competition. But because Sports sounds more prestigious. Like how calling Video Games, Art sounds more prestigious.
And I think overall it makes Gamers seem kind of mentally weak. Because we want some kind of recognition for not who we are. But who we try to act like we are.
I'm afraid that the majority of Gamers just want to call Video Games, sports not because of actual competition. But because Sports sounds more prestigious. Like how calling Video Games, Art sounds more prestigious.
And I think overall it makes Gamers seem kind of mentally weak. Because we want some kind of recognition for not who we are. But who we try to act like we are.
Gaming is seriously not a sport. You can't just make everything a sport. Just like what many have said above, music isn't a sport, reading isn't a sport. You can come up with excuses about "oh, we need to use our brain more", You sure about that? Gaming is a fun hobby and past time.
Do you know what isn't a sport either? Darts. All you are doing is looking at something and moving your left or right arm up and down, releasing an object. Many of us do that on a daily basis and that's not a sport.
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Yep.
Do you know what isn't a sport either? Darts. All you are doing is looking at something and moving your left or right arm up and down, releasing an object. Many of us do that on a daily basis and that's not a sport.
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Yep.
I tested out my heart rate playing a rhythm game once. My heart rate only went up to 85, even on the hardest songs. Those usually require a **** ton of button presses. 85 is less than I get STANDING UP! Standing up is hardly considered physically active either. You burn more calories walking to the fridge than playing Smash, Halo, or any type of non-motion control game.
I'm all for calling it competitive. I'm all for saying people can make legitimate careers out of it, but anyone who says it is a sport is an idiot.
I'm all for calling it competitive. I'm all for saying people can make legitimate careers out of it, but anyone who says it is a sport is an idiot.
It's not a sport. Maybe a JOB for some.
Anyway, who care's about what's just in a name?
A rose by any other name etc...
What *I* care about are those super special anouncements!!!
I hope it's all good news!!! (Like Drinking Games coming back to crush it's enemies, to see them driven before it's splendor, and to solicit the joyful squeeling of many happy women. Just like Conan does it!)
Anyway, who care's about what's just in a name?
A rose by any other name etc...
What *I* care about are those super special anouncements!!!
I hope it's all good news!!! (Like Drinking Games coming back to crush it's enemies, to see them driven before it's splendor, and to solicit the joyful squeeling of many happy women. Just like Conan does it!)
I would instead compare it to chess. Chess isn't really considered a sport despite being a game of incredible skill and forethought.Aptspire said:
However, some games actually require significant coordination and reaction times to the point where the physical element of control is that. So instead of being a competition in running ability like track, balance in things like gymnastics, or other such skills, this would be a competition in things that can be considered physical sports related traits.
Do I personally consider it to be a sport? Hell no. That's laughable in my opinion as I don't believe it requires enough physical exertion. But I can understand why it might be considered that way if you consider those traits to be physical traits. For example, why should sports surrounding the ability to throw something long distances be considered more highly than something demanding extreme coordination and dexterity? I will say that if bowling is a sport then you've got a big ol' slippery slope of other things that should be more of a sport.
My thought on the matter has always been this...
If you can play it IN a bar it's not a sport.
Darts, pool, shuffleboard, not sports. Chess, poker, trivia. Not sports. I don't know of any bar that will let you hook up a PS3 and play a game but you COULD play it in a bar. So no sport.
If you can play it IN a bar it's not a sport.
Darts, pool, shuffleboard, not sports. Chess, poker, trivia. Not sports. I don't know of any bar that will let you hook up a PS3 and play a game but you COULD play it in a bar. So no sport.
Except, like the video pointed out, the Olympic Committee (who would be the final word on what is and is not a sport, if there's debate) DOES, in fact, classify chess as a sport. Therefore, there is precedent for games that rely on primarily mental abilities to also be a sport.Lightknight said:
I personally don't view video game as a legit sport since to me sport is about physical fitness which video game does not provide.
Example, sport training may consist of doing the said sport hours on end in a single day and it has the bonus benefits from the fitness you get, gaming on the other hand does not since the result will be damaging your eyes even if you do the 20/ 20/ 20/ (I will say that both sport and gaming all day can result in straining one or more of your bodypart like hands). Before you asked what the 20 is, it's a guideline to taking better care of your eyes when on the computer (every 20 minutes look away from the pc, look at something 20 feets away and count to 20 before looking back at the pc).
Also video game rely on electric to contine to run its course which phyiscal sport in its primal form doesn't. Example, a freak blackout happen in the middle of a video game tournament (don't asked how) so the game is cancel. Well ok the same is apply to phyiscal sport aswell but if they didn't care so much about the media, they can still continue the game including bowling (get someone to picked up the fallen pins).
Example, sport training may consist of doing the said sport hours on end in a single day and it has the bonus benefits from the fitness you get, gaming on the other hand does not since the result will be damaging your eyes even if you do the 20/ 20/ 20/ (I will say that both sport and gaming all day can result in straining one or more of your bodypart like hands). Before you asked what the 20 is, it's a guideline to taking better care of your eyes when on the computer (every 20 minutes look away from the pc, look at something 20 feets away and count to 20 before looking back at the pc).
Also video game rely on electric to contine to run its course which phyiscal sport in its primal form doesn't. Example, a freak blackout happen in the middle of a video game tournament (don't asked how) so the game is cancel. Well ok the same is apply to phyiscal sport aswell but if they didn't care so much about the media, they can still continue the game including bowling (get someone to picked up the fallen pins).
To accept it outright as a sport as in the common vernacular of sport would mean that ANYTHING can be considered a sport.JackgarPrime said:
Don't get me wrong, I'm an avid chess player and am exceptionally good at it to the point of having visited and beaten entire chess teams of multiple universities.
But it isn't a sport in as much as society thinks of them. It is a game and it is highly competitive.
Perhaps this is why the Olympics are considered the Olympic Games rather than the Olympic Sports.
In any event, the Olympics are not the authoritative source. They are "An" authoritative source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport#Definition
So if things like driving, chess, and the like can be considered sport, then sure, throw games right in there, why not? But I'm pretty sure when the "is it a sport" conversation is being had that people are really asking 'is it athletic' and the answer is likely no.
Chess is not athletic. You know?
So someone like you and I could agree on the notion that a sport are types of competitions that don't rely on chance because we understand language but the person on the other side from us is likely using the common vernacular that equates to an athletic competition.
And neither of us are wrong. Common usage is a valid means of wording something. Just because people in top hats and monocles (joke) say that a word means something and write it as such in a book does not mean that linguistic drift of common usage will agree with them. Language belongs to society and is unfortunately a moving target (I say unfortunately because I want it to be set in stone).
The exact same argument prevails around chess as well.Skeleon said:
It's because some people define sport as athletic competition with a few qualifications (like lack of a luck factor) while others drop the athletic portion from it altogether.
So at the end of the day we're having a regional semantics argument.
However, gaming is so controversial right now because some of the components that people claim make it a sport are more athletic as well.
I guess a question to ask yourself (royal you, not you as in Skeleon) if you believe or don't believe in the athletics of competitive gaming is this: If you believe football is a sport, would you agree that football played by giant-mechas controlled by people is still a sport?
The word sport literally means: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
I would consider darts, snooker and pool spectator sports, even though physicality is barely present in these games.
I would argue that the term sport(which itself is a shortening of the middle english word disport, which literally meant recreation/amusement) is so old that it doesn't take into consideration the idea of mind sports and mental exertion.
Would I consider it a sport?; I think it certainly fits the bill as a spectator sport, and if chess is considered a mind sport, then why shouldn't professional gaming be given the same courtesy.
I would consider darts, snooker and pool spectator sports, even though physicality is barely present in these games.
I would argue that the term sport(which itself is a shortening of the middle english word disport, which literally meant recreation/amusement) is so old that it doesn't take into consideration the idea of mind sports and mental exertion.
Would I consider it a sport?; I think it certainly fits the bill as a spectator sport, and if chess is considered a mind sport, then why shouldn't professional gaming be given the same courtesy.
You can play table tennis in a bar, and that is a sport by any reasonable definition and is an Olympic event. And that's not just something that can hypothetically be done in a bar, there are actual bars with suitable tables that you can play on.2HF said:
It was a nice try, there aren't many exceptions, but it isn't watertight.
That's the first time anyone has mentioned ping pong to me. While I'd personally prefer to classify it with the likes of air hockey and foosball I imagine the vast majority would agree that it counts as a sport. Olympic event or not isn't going to weigh heavily with me. Dressage is an Olympic event too after all, but your argument about ping pong is unassailable.Bad Jim said:
A tip of the hat to you.