Roundtable 4: Pro Gaming and the Handheld Market - Features

Pulling off a successful Roundtable is tough when the Armchair Empire staff is spread across the North American continent like so much cream cheese. But we recently got together to chat about pro gaming – the viability of calling it a sport, advertising, and cyber-athletes. For whatever reason we spiraled into a discussion of the handheld market, both games and hardware. In actuality, it was the most on-topic Roundtable yet.

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Roundtable 4: Pro Gaming and the Handheld Market

Omni: Okay, as we're talking about Pro Gaming as sport, maybe we should all give our definition of what "sport" actually is.

Element: A "sport" is anything that requires skill and talent. Then again, a "sport" requires athletes. Is Chess a sport?

Omni: Let's try to stay on topic for at least a minute! Let's define "sport."

Element: Hehe, sorry.

Lee: I think a prerequisite for "sport" is physical activity; is sitting down at a keyboard or with a controller in hand considered physical?

Sidd: A sport is any "physical activity" that requires skill.

Tolen: A game that has physical requirements not every person could meet.

Omni: I'd have to concur with Sidd and Tolen’s definition, but then you'd have to further define "physical activity.” Could we all agree that events like football, basketball, darts, bowling, skeet shooting, etc. are sports?

Element: Yes.

Sidd: Yup.

Tolen: Sure.

Omni: So does sitting at ones computer with mouse and keyboard meet the requirements of 1) physical activity and 2) having physical requirements not every person could meet?

Tolen: I don't think so. Professional gaming is an event, not a sport.

Element: Not in my book. Anyone can play games. It's a skill that is learned, nothing natural found inside people.

Omni: If pro gaming isn't a sport why do participants refer to themselves as cyber-athletes?

Tolen: Hubris.

Element: Perhaps because of the competition involved. Referring to themselves as "cyber-athletes" might make the experience fiercer.

Tolen: Or, what else are they going to call themselves?

Element: Unemployed?

Sidd: They probably call themselves Cyber Athletes because in their own mind, they are professional athletes in the field of gaming.

Tolen: I wonder if poker players refer to themselves as athletes.

Element: Probably not.

Omni: Will gaming "events" ever go mainstream? Be shown on ESPN? (I know the National Spelling Bee gets some play on ESPN but I'd hardly call it a sport.) Or get it's own "highlight" reel? Or will pro gaming be restricted to LAN centers with a hardcore following?

Element: I'm sure it will [go mainstream], someday. ESPN sometimes shows snail races so anything can happen.

Lee: Well, the Madden Challenge had extensive coverage on G4. That wasn't a "professional" event, but still had plenty of exposure nonetheless.

Omni: For those of us in the frozen North, what was the Madden Challenge?

Lee: EA sponsored a Madden Challenge for the third year in a row. Hit major cities. 500 people got to play at each city. (Many more milling around to watch.) The winner from each city got to go to Vegas in a playoff. The winner won $50,000. The year before, it was in Jamaica.

Tolen: I have no doubt that networks will eventually pick up on videogame competition. As the games get more realistic and dynamic, they get more fun to watch. I love sitting at the LAN place near my house and watching good players go at it.

Element: But not all games are as mainstream as Madden.

Omni: Kind of like South Korea... they seem to be nuts for the gaming competitions.

Lee: G4 had a feature on how popular "professional" gaming is in Korea. One of the big fan-favorite games is StarCraft – even after it's been out so long. Microsoft has been holding quite a few Xbox Live tournaments, too.

Element: Still, no one considers the events as a "sport."

Lee: On of G4's main shows is Arena, an online competition (LAN) between two teams. They square off in games like MechWarrior and Unreal Tournament.

Tolen: Online gaming tournaments are definitely on the upswing. We'll be seeing more and more of them. But, no, not a sport – just a competition.

But before we cement the idea that pro gamers are amorphous blobs…

Element: Have any of you seen the "Tekken" stations in arcades where you actually "fight"? You throw kicks and punches and it depicts your moves on the screen.

Tolen: No, but I played the Konami motion sensor boxing game, and that sure felt athletic. I almost passed out in the third round.

Element: If gaming evolves towards that, than yes, gaming can be considered a sport.

Omni: Tolen brings up a good point... those dancing, boxing -- physical games -- could be considered sport.

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Lee: Look how much effort and stamina is needed for Dance, Dance Revolution contests! (of course that's probably the total exception!!)

Element: I'll agree with you on that. NASCAR is considered a sport and all they do is drive around in circles. You don't need to be athletic for NASCAR.

Sidd: It does require skill though, and is extremely dangerous.

Omni: Oh man, don't talk to me about NASCAR!

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Element: Haven't multiple people died from playing MMORPGS too long? Sidd: I read a story about a guy in China who committed suicide after losing his character in a MMORPG game.

Tolen: I almost died of boredom watching a roommate kill rats while levelling up in Everquest. Does that count?

Omni: Don't talk to me about killing rats!

Lee brings up the idea that what professional gaming needs is a figure to rally around, along the lines of Tony Hawk bringing skateboarding to the mainstream, to create public awareness and acceptance of the pro gaming field.

Lee: I think one of the only ways that professional gaming becomes popular is if someone in the circuit becomes an iconic figure. Look at the X-Games and how they've gained acceptance, albeit after being around for a long time. It took an icon like Tony Hawk that drew attention from the outside-extreme-sports world. It could take the same for gaming.

Omni: Yikes! Then who would be that iconic figure? Has she/he just not appeared yet?

Tolen: Yeah, there are some known gamers within the geek world, but no breakout star. It's kind of hard to imagine one, but there was a great Esquire article last year about a dad who took his kids to meet their gaming heroes to see if they could beat them at Halo.

Lee: And it has to avoid the pratfalls of "professional" wrestling. Yes, I know it's popular, but due to the fake, set-up beforehand results, its not taken seriously outside the select fanbase it has.

Tolen: Punkbuster will take care of that.

Omni: Would Stevie Case count as an iconic figure?

Element: Sorry but who is Stevie Case?

Omni: Stevie Case famously beat John Romero in a Doom (or was it Quake?) deathmatch. They went on to work together then get married. Then she posed for Playboy.

Element: Wow. She gets my vote!

Omni: But I wouldn't classify her as a cyber-athlete. A cult figure in the gaming industry and a game designer, yes.

Tolen: Emphasis, apparently, on "figure."

Lee: It's going to take a concerted effort by one of these leagues to get the "activity" of professional gaming into the mainstream; they need to get players on shows like Good Morning America; start a gaming magazine based on tournaments; get a real grass roots effort going; and most of all, give players incentive; if you're a great gamer, why would you travel to a gaming contest across the country unless there was a payoff i.e. cash/prizes/etc.

Like football players with bad knees…

Omni: And what would be the lifespan of a gamer involved in pro gaming? A couple of years?

Element: I would say 5 or 6 years, unless they are extremely passionate about gaming.

Lee: How long does it take for hand-eye coordination to go?

Omni: If you were practicing for 8 hours a day (as some of the best players do), not long.

Lee: Hell, if the X-gamers can bust up dozens of bones and come back, I'm sure a professional gamer could survive a couple of carpal tunnel injuries.

Omni: If you practiced basketball for 8 hours a day, at least you'd be in shape. Really muscled fingers after practicing gaming...?

Lee: Hey, those new Budweiser commercials feature those mini weight benches for toes, I'm sure it can be configured for fingers!!

Lets face it, there are more sports watchers than players. We talk about the likelihood of spectators watching gamers play video and computer games, and the possibility that this would attract advertisers.

Element: If you came home from work Monday night, which would you rather watch: Monday Night Football or Counter-Strike?

Sidd: Depends whose playing.

Lee: Counter-Strike, unless my team (Eagles) was playing

Omni: I'd rather watch hockey.

Element: Playoff Hockey is second to none.

Lee: Monday Night Football has actually been considered by the NFL for elimination or shifted to another night (Thursday); it's not drawing the way it used to.

Element: Unless gaming gets major support from, not only their fans, but sponsors as well, then they are screwed. I can't imagine a Budweiser commercial saluting gamers.

Omni: There's another question: Who the hell would throw their money behind a Counter-Strike match (besides Vivendi and Valve)?

Lee: Hey, I can't TELL you how many times I've kicked back with a Bud (or two or three or…) for some long Xbox gaming sessions.

Tolen: Any advertiser who thought the right age group of viewers was watching would sponsor an event.

Omni: Would that lead to more advertising in games?

Element: The ESRB bans everything. They wouldn't let the Red Cross sponsor a game.

Lee: Don't you think GameStop or EB would ante up cash for a tournament? They would have people interested in buying featured games, and could also feature accessories (controllers/PCs/etc.) that the tournament would enhance its awareness factor. Alienware already provides all the PCs on Arena (with plenty of plugs by the show's hosts throughout).

Omni: The retailers throwing in some prize money and advertising does make sense.

Here is the turning point of the Roundtable. Element brings up Nokia’s announcement earlier in the week regarding the N-Gage QD.

Element: Did you guys hear Nokia is releasing another N-Gage? The retail price of this one is $200!

Lee: It's a new, revamped N-Gage… but the fact is, the PSP [Playstation Portable] blows it out of the water, graphics-wise… although it's [release has] been pushed back.

Omni: I was on the horn today with the Nokia people about the N-Gage QD. They actually listened to the complaints!

Element: With the PSP, Sony will deliver the final blow to Nintendo.

Omni: I doubt it, Element.

Element: Do you think the GBA will fight off the PSP? I don't think so. Playstation took out Sega Saturn. Playstation 2 took out Sega Dreamcast. PSP will take out GBA.

Omni: That's kind of a simplistic series of events, Element. If Sony were going to wipe out everyone they would have done it by now. Nintendo is still making profit. And comparing the N-Gage, GBA and PSP seems more and more like comparing apples and oranges.

Lee: We'll have to see what the NEW Game Boy will look like next month... Dual screens and a whole lot of other promised techy features.

Element: It seems like they are trying to accomplish too much with the DS.

Tolen: The PSP will be huge, without doubt. Like Nintendo, Sony just has too many franchises that they can pimp out over the next few years.

Omni: The PSP will be huge – to match the price.

Mr. Nash: They can just re-release old franchises like Nintendo has on the GBA

Omni: It looks like Nintendo is finally starting to get that out of their system. I want more titles like WarioWare!

Mr. Nash: Sony can get away with the PSP being pricey. It's meant for an older market that can justify spending a ton of cash on the thing.

And how much will the PSP cost? Will handhelds gain more attention from adult gamers? Do you play your handheld in public?

Element: How much do you think it will be priced at? I'm guessing $200.

Mr. Nash: Last I heard the MSRP was going to clock in at $300US.

Element: $300! Wow. Isn't the PSP coming out in Japan later this year?

Mr. Nash: Simultaneous release was what one of the recently retired SCEE execs was saying.

Omni: Without region encoding like with the GBA.

Tolen: I'll be lining up at any price, but I'm an early adopter from the Colecovision days.

Omni: I'd love to collect all off them -- but disposable income is next to nil. Does anyone besides the most hardcore get every platform?

Element: Besides the "casual" gamer, I would say there are a handful of gamers that buy around 2 or 3.

Omni: Except Tolen -- I know you've got every platform released since The Beginning.

Tolen: .Well, that disposable income is harder to come by now. But, I think I'll manage to keep up the trend

Omni: Are handhelds the wave of the future?

Element: In Japan, yes.

Omni: That's more cell phones, isn't it?

Tolen: I think they've peaked as far as percentage of the market. The power of the console systems and PC's will always make handhelds seem a bit outdated, graphically and gameplay wise.

Omni: Yeah, I think there will always be that game of catch-up on the part of the handhelds. Besides, who wants to squint at a little screen if you can sit in front of 21" monitor or big TV? Of course, that could all change when they all plug directly into our brains.

Tolen: I really think handhelds will always be for kids and geeks. I can't imagine the average person hauling around a PSP and playing it at line at the DMV.

Element: I wouldn't go as far to say that, Tolen. I know lots of people who aren't "geeks" or "kids' who are aficionados of handheld gaming.

Mr. Nash: It's weird, I've only ever played handhelds at home. When I'm out and about I'd much rather read a book/magazine, or listen to a Discman while gazing off into space.

Omni: But would you stand in a line somewhere and play a few minutes of a game? For me, not a chance.

Sidd: Me neither.

Omni: I'd go with Jeff on the "gazing off into space."

Mr. Nash: Handhelds are better suited to road trips and the like.

Tolen: That's probably true, but how big a percentage of the market do you think "normal" adults represent?

Element: You’re right about that, Tolen. The market is small.

Omni: Oh man, classify "normal."

Tolen: In this case, just not a geek or hardcore gamer.

Omni: Adults probably rank about 15% of the handheld market... and I think I'm being generous.

Element: That is quite generous. 10% seems more realistic.

Mr. Nash: That's another thing for the PSP to capitalize on, making sure its library has more consistent hits than the GBA which is very reliant on first party titles and a few others scattered in from the big third parties.

Tolen: I bought Crazy Taxi for the GBA while Christmas shopping. Otherwise, I haven't played anything on it in about a year.

Omni: WarioWare is an awesome title for GBA.

Tolen: I need to get WarioWare; it seems perfect for my short attention span.

Element: Sony always has a great library. The PSP won't be any different.

Omni: But, once again, Sony is making it all about 3D. What about 2D shooters and platformers?

Mr. Nash: It's more of a case of "What about 2D shooters and platformers in North America?" overseas a lot more of those games get released but they get denied by SCEA.

Tolen: The GBA hasn't seen much success with shooters, despite some good ones. That genre seems to be dead. Platformers, however, seem the perfect game for handhelds.

The Gaming Industry may be more political and business-like than anyone ever likes to think about… Then Mr. Nash almost loses it.

Omni: I'll never understand that whole deal... bringing titles from overseas, etc.

Mr. Nash: The approval process?

Omni: Yep, the approval process.

Mr. Nash: I think it involves voodoo...

Omni: Or a dart board.... darts, now there's a sport!

Tolen: I think it is as simple as "will this sell in middle America. If not, it doesn't get regionalized." And Sony has very narrow ideas about what Americans will by. Not that I'm looking forward to any dating sims or Mah Jong titles, mind you.

Omni: Does it even hurt the North American gamer if they aren't released here?

Mr. Nash: Well, Sony Japan doesn't decide what games get released in the US, it's up to SCEA.

Tolen: I guess I'd like to see some of the better RPG's brought over, but it's hard to play all the good ones that are released as is.

Omni: Executives always seem a little distant when it comes to the taste of gamers. Most of them don't play game – I ask them every chance I get.

Mr. Nash: I think putting such tight restrictions on games just homogenizes the market. You get so many of these sequels now and games that only differ in the color of pants the hero wears while we're bombarded by PR BS that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Omni: PR BS... mmmmm, the staple food of E3.

Mr. Nash: Why is it that I can get music from overseas no problem, and movies from abroad no problem, but once you hit the game market you hit restrictions. Are we too stupid in the eyes of execs to want to embrace something different? I'm about to head into "The whole game industry is one big sham/total BS/MAKES ME SOOOOO MAD mode: anyway.

(April 18, 2004)