Should video games be considered a Sport?
Introduction
A new type of competition known as eSports has emerged as a result of the rise of commuters and of whether video games should be considered sports has arisen as a games and traditional sports have characteristics in common. However, video games should not be considered sports because there are insufficient similarities. Due to their lack of athletic ability and physical exertion, video games are not considered sports.
Currently, playing computer games is only a pastime, a movement that people participate in as a distraction when they are tired or need to unwind. The amount of actual effort required is what sets a game apart from a serious side interest (Cashmore, 2010). Due to the lack of actual development, computer games are frequently chosen as side interests by many people. According to the World Health Organization, one of the challenges that young people face is the negative impact that adopting sedentary lifestyles have on their well-being, as these practices encourage the development of diseases like diabetes and obesity. In today’s society, only actual challenges requiring cooperation and endurance are included in global competitions. The term “eSports” was coined following the rise of the personal computer to refer to games played with electronic devices (Newman, 2008).
Computer games cannot be considered games because they do not require actual effort. According to Vorderer and Bryant (2012), computer games are consistently becoming the most well-known form of entertainment for both children and some adults.
According to Consalvo, Mitgutsch, and Stein (2013), despite their similarity to standard video games, they lack actual development. As a result, they should not be considered games. Sports are beneficial because they support the development of smart dieting habits, aid in weight loss, strengthen the body, and improve actual wellness. Playing video games has no effect on any of these benefits. According to Baronowski et al. (2012), researchers, computer game players do not improve or become more grounded as a result of the lack of actual effort. Both traditional games and computer games require a significant amount of planning, technique, responsibility, and intelligence (Berger, 2002). In any case, computer games are not eligible for the game status because they do not involve actual work. According to Brookey and Oates (2015), dominating a game like football or a ball takes time, effort, and energy.
In addition to the fact that people fail to recognize that computer games cannot be considered games because they do not require actual effort, they also fail to properly utilize athletic ability. To participate in competitions, players do not need to be athletic. According to Cashmore (2010), traditional sports like football, basketball, tennis, swimming, and cycling require a great deal of responsibility and preparation. Serious mental and physical conditioning are required to develop extraordinary athletic ability. Because it requires no athletic ability, anyone can become an expert at playing computer games (Berger, 2002). The development of fingers when squeezing regulator buttons is the primary actual development associated with gaming. According to Vorderer and Bryant (2012), the skills required to play computer games are developed intellectually rather than actually. According to Cashmore (2010), developing athletic ability requires intense physical and mental training sessions over a predetermined amount of time. Competitors frequently put their capabilities to the test by enduring the agony of sustaining potentially fatal wounds. Additionally, traditional games cause physical and mental exhaustion, which has
effort or athletic ability, computer games should not be considered games. In any case, many people believe that playing computer games requires the same amount of preparation, procedure, and mental effort as playing other games (Young, 2016). According to a few scientists (Consalvo et al., 2013), computer games, like traditional games, draw large crowds, are extremely serious, bring in a lot of money from skilled players, and have become an important part of standard satellite broadcasting companies’ customizing. For instance, the League of Legends Championship in 2013 brought in more than 32 million fans and generated millions of dollars in revenue.
The growing popularity of eSports is a sign that video games will eventually become an essential part of people’s daily lives. More people are getting into video games and using their time and effort to improve their skills. According to Newman (2008), acquiring authority in computer games necessitates the same level of preparation and expertise as in traditional games. Because of this, computer games ought to be considered games because they have some similarities to traditional games. Some experts might argue that playing dynamic computer games allows players to engage in moderately intense active work and reap the benefits of it (Consalvo et al., 2013). They argue that dynamic video games, unlike uninvolved video games, require actual effort.
Ebb and flow research demonstrates the opposite, despite the widespread perception that dynamic video games feature varying levels of moderate and intense actual work. A review conducted by Baronowski et al. (2012), for instance, found no connection between dynamic computer games and actual work. Active work is one of a game’s primary characteristics, as previously mentioned. As technology develops and eSports become a form of revenue, computer games are becoming increasingly common (Young, 2016). However, it is extremely unlikely that computer games, including traditional games, will be played on any global occasion.
An issue is the debate surrounding the classification of video games as sports. Video games and sports share some similarities, but these are not sufficient to justify. The study found that video games lack athletic ability and physical exertion. A video game does not require athletic ability. As a result, video games should not be categorized as sports. In video games, all you do is sit in a chair, look at a screen, and press buttons. You should be required to participate in some form of physical activity each day in a sport. Similar to running the bases in baseball, running the ball down the field or blocking the opposing team in football requires actual physical strength and activity. We feel compelled to play or watch more video games because of the intoxicating feeling they give us.
References
Berger, A. A. (2002). Video games: A popular culture phenomenon. New York, NY: Transaction
Publishers.
Baranowski, T., Abdelsamad, D., Baranowski, J., O’Connor, T. M., Thompson, D., Barnett,
, 129(3), 636-642.
Borg, O. J. (2015). Is computer gaming a sport? Web.
Brookey, R. A., & Oates, T. P. (2015). Playing to win: sports, video games, and the culture of
play. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Cashmore, E. (2010). Making sense of sports. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Consalvo, M., Mitgutsch, K., & Stein, A. (2013). Sports videogames. New York, NY: Routledge.
Newman, J. (2008). Playing video games. New York, NY: Routledge.
Vorderer, P., & Bryant, J. (2012). Playing video games: motives, responses, and consequences.
New York, NY: Routledge.
Reflection Questions:
- Provide one example of a place where you have used rhetorical appeals or source
material to support your argument. How does this enhance your essay? (2-3 sentences)
Throughout the essay, I was able to source material. The part that I included was that video games do not require the physical energy as real sports. This was to keep in perspective and also help the reader in terms of how different video games are from sports.
- Touchstone 4 is a revision of this draft. What kind of feedback would be helpful for you
as you revise? Are there parts of your draft that you’re uncertain of? (3-4 sentences)
I believe that different people would have a different perspectives on my essay which would be beneficial for me to ensure that I create something better. Sometimes when I write, I tend to be narrowly focused thus missing the bigger picture. A critique of my essay is going to help me a lot to come up with a better draft.
Hi Shavonna! I’m Ryan. I look forward to reading your essay.
Indent each line in a reference list entry after the first line in that entry. To do so in Word, highlight the text, right-click, and select “paragraph.” Then, under “indentation” and “special,” select “hanging.”
