AMD Sponsors Pro Gaming Team

Dillon Hamilton writes "AMD has chosen to sponsor Team NoA, a 6-member professional Counter-Strike team, with their latest hardware along with other unspecified support. NoA (Norwegians of America) is composed of three Norwegian players, two Americans, and one Canadian. All but one of the players (the newest addition and a Norwegian) currently live together in California to practice for the upcoming Cyberathlete Professional League championship tournament in Grapevine, TX, as well as the E-Sports World Cup in Toulouse, France. AMD will presumably be flying Ola Moum, the new member, from his home in Horten, Norway to the States as part of the deal. This is definitely a huge step forward for the concept of professional gaming, not only in the United States but worldwide. With teams like Team 3D and Schroet Kommando getting sponsored by bigger companies, (Subway, NVIDIA, and Shuttle in 3D's case) who knows where this might be in the next few years?"

Not directly related..

[ADRA]

but if you want to get people more hyped over gaming contests, it'd be cool to see a playback option in FPS's where you can replay the entire battle. It'd increase the competative analysis, plus it would be fun for spectators.

And during live events, it'd be nice if there was a seperate spectator server where people can login see the activity from the match in real-time without directly affecting the match.

Pro gaming has really taken off when...

[hal2814]

A. Large numbers of tickets are sold to the events.
B. Average Joe buys team-related merchandise.
C. Non-computer companies sponsor the teams.

Never a game I'm good at

[Fake Trout]

I've played and beat probably close to 50 people in various WI game tournaments for Mario Kart: Double Dash!! I always see prizes and big contests for FPS, but I've won little more than I've put in if you added up the value of the prizes. Professional gaming will come of age as soon as its more than just PC deathmatch games getting big prizes.

Re:Lies!

[fireduck]

computer gaming as a mass market spectator sport probably won't succeed for the exact reasons you cited: lots of action spread out with no obvious focal point. However, I think post-game editing can make viewing computer games an enjoyable pasttime. An initial run through of the playing field and commentary on what to look for in specific zone. Some nice split screen action showing how each team is advancing; full screen shots with alternating point of view at conflicts, etc. Essentially turn the game into a coherent cinematic, emphasizing the escalating tension between the teams, and perhaps you've got something. The G4 channel has a show that does this to an extent and it's mildly interesting. Perhaps with a snazzier format and some better editting it would be more enjoyable. Sure, it moves it from a live spectator sport into more of a TV show, but it's probably a lot more interesting. Unless you had some really on knowledgable "camera" people who knew what likely conflicts were going to occur and where (which really isn't too hard), and essentially broadcast the game like a live sporting event (where you hopefully have a camera on the good action and someone in charge switching camera views as necessary).

Re:You have got to be kidding me

[The Kow]

I have actually heard people call chess a 'sport' before. On TV. On ESPN in fact. Still, I doubt you or anyone else would be satisfied by that justification - I wouldn't. So let's get deeper.

A preliminary look at dictionary.com reveals this as a definition for sport:

Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

This would seem to further your point, but upon a closer look, you'll see this, as well:

Of, relating to, or appropriate for sports: sport fishing; sports equipment.

The important part: sport fishing! Fishing is not a sport that requires intense conditioning. In fact, neither does bowling, or auto-racing. None of these require conditioning, and therein lies the point.

Conditioning is not requisite to whether or not an activity can be considered 'physical', only that the action in question implement some sort of physical faculties. Reaction and coordination are as fundamental as you can get when it comes to sports, and since reaction time and hand-eye coordination are two of the fundamental necessities for any 'cyberathlete' (I really hate that term, mind you, because I *DO* maintain that being an athlete requires some sense of conditioning), then I think you have, right there, a perfect case for why 'esports' is indeed a sport.

It's not a substitute for getting off your ass and going to the gym, however. In fact, several of the top 'esports' personalities do maintain some sense of physical shape. It's an undeniable fact that being in shape can only benefit you, physically as well as mentally. You're a lot less likely to be exhausted after a day-long tournament if you're in good shape.

Re:

[obeythefist]

I've seen some of these players go at it. I've played a few rounds of CS in my time, I'm not a bad gamer, better than most of my friends, but I'm certainly not a pro.

So I would say that I am in AWE of these players, because they are so much better at something I enjoy than I am. They deserve some respect for this.

Skeet shooting is an olympic sport. It's serious, standing still and shooting clay pigeons is one of the mainstays of the contemporary olympiad. Is it a sport? Yes. Does it require athleticism? Not really. Standing up and pointing a gun is not particularly athletic, but it does require tremendous amounts of skill. Only the best in the world, the absolute elite amongst humanity can win a gold medal. Would you then say that these people, much like video game players, don't deserve to compete in a recognised competition?