Gamers face down retirement in their 20s
Print Edition
As the first generation of professional gamers enters retirement, eSports is forced to confront a vexed question 鈥 after years spent killing rivals in a virtual world, what next?
It is a quandary that comes far earlier than in most sports. In the most frenzied eSports games, players can be finished by 23 because reactions supposedly slow after that.
Milliseconds can be fatal in the online battlegrounds of eSports, a fast-emerging world where the financial rewards are rocketing.
There is a record prize pot of US$33.7 million, and still growing, this week in Shanghai at The International, a world championship where players compete in Dota 2.
In Dota 2, a multi-player game featuring a 鈥淧hantom Lancer鈥 and a 鈥淐haos Knight,鈥 players often talk about a comparatively late cut-off point of age 30.
鈥淧eople think that at that age you鈥檙e slow, you鈥檙e not good enough, but I think it鈥檚 a mythical number,鈥 Jingjun 鈥淪neyking鈥 Wu, 24, of the Newbee team, said.
Michael 鈥淣injaboogie鈥 Ross, of Dota 2 rivals Mineski, hopes to defy the age barrier.
He has spent more than half his life gaming, but at 27, retirement is already looming.
鈥淗mm, now that鈥檚 the one thing I鈥檝e never really thought about,鈥 he said, when asked what he plans to do next.
According to those with knowledge of the scene, the 鈥淲hat next?鈥 question is a hot topic among pro gamers.
Coaching an eSports team or becoming a commentator or analyst are prime among the options after hanging up their keyboards.
But a few say that after spending up to 12 hours a day practicing, and in some cases with their eyes and wrists suffering, they are looking forward to escaping the sport.
Duncan 鈥淭horin鈥 Shields, a self-styled eSports historian, said that burnout is a major reason why gamers tend to retire so early.
But he also told his YouTube channel on a segment about retirement that teams have been too quick to dispose of older players and experience has been undervalued.
The good news for the likes of Wu and Ross is that this seems to be changing and retirement ages are creeping up.
鈥淢ost people鈥檚 peak probably was when they were 21 or 22,鈥 said Shields.
鈥淏ut from an objective sense, it鈥檚 absolutely not true.
鈥淭he idea that in your late 20s you鈥檙e just completely done ... it doesn鈥檛 seem to fit with sport.鈥
Kurtis 鈥淎ui_2000鈥 Ling said that growing riches in eSports 鈥 the best players are multi-millionaires 鈥 are keeping gamers playing longer than ever.
The 26-year-old has earned close to US$2 million, according to esportsearnings.com, and is now coach of Newbee having retired as a player after injury.
鈥淔ive or 10 years ago you retired because you wanted to settle down and you couldn鈥檛 support yourself in eSports,鈥 said the Canadian.
鈥淣ow we鈥檝e clearly reached the point where you can begin to do that (support yourself).
鈥淪ports players can play into their 40s so I don鈥檛 see why you can鈥檛 in eSports.鈥
As the scene matures and money tumbles in, there will be growing opportunities for retired gamers in the business, management and media of eSports, said Roman Dvoryankin, general manager of Virtus.pro.
Dvoryankin wants to employ a sporting director but there simply is not a candidate out there because many of the first generation of gamers are still playing.
He dismissed accusations that many eSports players lack the social skills to thrive after they stop pro gaming.
鈥淭hey are totally fine at communicating with other people, just not face to face,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not a unique eSports thing, it鈥檚 a generational thing.
鈥淧eople think they are just sitting at their computers, but the fact is they are talking a lot 鈥 but they are just chatting (online).鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
