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Co-Opinion: How sporty are eSports?
This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience. This edition focuses on the merits of eSports and how they fit with traditional sports. .portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Jess Conditt: Let's lay out the foundation here: I'm a fan of eSports and sports in the same way. I play games from both categories, but I'm far from a professional in any sense (though I shoot a mean three-pointer). When I see sports fans lashing out at eSports players, or saying that these games don't require any sports-like skill, I'm equally surprised and confused. Those who argue that eSports aren't "real" sports are not simply stripping professional players of a title; they're de-legitimizing the time and talent it takes to compete on that level. The word "sport" itself may not matter that much, but the intent of those withholding it does. Many of the arguments feel like bullying, or at the very least, caustic comments from those wary of change. Obviously, eSports require different skills than those needed to play physical sports, but they take skill nonetheless: strategy, quick thinking, fast reflexes, communication, perseverance, creativity, teamwork. I understand that these are not necessarily physical attributes, but I don't think that negates their value. I wonder if "athleticism" is the issue here, rather than whether eSports are, in fact, sports.
iG wins DOTA 2 International, takes home a million dollars
DOTA 2 isn't even available for real yet, but there are already massive competitions in it, which strikes us as insane.The Grand Final of the International 2012 tournament took place over the weekend, awarding Chinese team Invictus Gaming (above) $1,000,000 for successfully defeating Natus Vincere in a best-of-five battle. NaVi gets $250k, which seems like great compensation for being good at a game.The video is not available yet, but soon you'll be able to go here to watch all the matches, and to prepare yourself for when DOTA 2 is out of beta.
PSA: Valve's Dota 2 championships begin prelims today, watch live
The International Dota 2 Championships begin today with preliminary rounds, running through August 28. The preliminary rounds don't eliminate any teams, but they decide the seed for the main competition starting Friday, August 31, at PAX Prime. The International runs through September 2, offering a first-place prize of $1 million.The preliminary rounds begin at 9 a.m. PDT each day from August 26 - 28, while the main event will begin at 10 a.m. PDT August 31 - September 2. Watch all the action of the preliminary rounds here, with main event streams to be posted as those games start.
