Playing Video Games for a Living

It's hard to believe but there are people out there doing it right now. While the rest of us deal with paper jams and using the wrong cover sheets on our TPS reports, there are peeps out there getting PAID to play games. Notice the emphasis on the word, paid. It's enough to bring a tear to your eye. I know it's a hard concept for people to reconcile with, but video games are becoming a sport. These people see themselves as athletes and there will be a day when society doesn't snicker at the idea. Mark my words! I'm willing to bet that within the next 3 years, gaming championships will be televised. ESPN may have to create another channel and it may be shown along with professional Bingo, but it WILL be on TV.

Here's an interview with Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel that I think is really interesting. He's like the Michael Jordan of the gaming world and the guy talks like an athlete. What impresses me the most is to see him acknowledge the fact that he's getting older and there will be a day when his reflexes aren't what they used to be. Which is why the guy has taken a business approach to it all by starting his own company and basically doing endorsements. It's really quite brilliant when you think about it.

Personally, I think I would get tired of playing the same damn game 8 hours a day. I love playing games but as soon as it becomes work for me, forget about it. That pretty much sums up why I left WoW. The competitive aspect of it doesn't really thrill me either. Don't get me wrong, I like playing competitively and look forward to the day when I can actually be in a tournament. I just don't like the idea of that being my primary source of income. I don't want my inability to get that crucial frag dictate whether or not my family starves. Maybe that makes me old-fashioned. (shrugs)