Recently you may of read an article online or posted locally about a million dollar competitive gaming tournament. That's right folks you read it correctly. One million dollar main prize and a total of almost
Two million dollars USD prize pool for performing well in a video game. Sounds a bit unbelievable doesn't it? Especially when you think about some mildly popular authentic sports not being played for anything near that kind amount. Other than the Olympics and crowd favorites such as Football , Basketball and even Golf a rich man's game. Two million dollars in prizes is still nothing to snuff at. The last time this author heard Two million and game it was in reference to the amount of carrots on someone's farm in the very well known facebook game Farm-ville
This is becoming a norm in the technologically advanced world we live in now. And this norm has developed its own name and following. "
Its called E-Sports." A local gamer responded when asked. "
Trinidadian Gamers gather for a local event to compete in fan favorites, namely Fifa Soccer and Street Fighter. There was a stigma long ago about when video games first hit the shelves. Prior to popular belief there are many advantages to being a gamer. It increases your hand eye co-ordination, teaches puzzle solving, improves your creativity, allows you to practice social skills, improves your strategical mind and long term thinking and beyond all of this of course for the most part, its fun!
This is our world now. Instead of spending hours outside having a nice
sweat, gamers are inside on their computers ,cell phones or game consoles playing their favorite game. This world they call E-sports or competitive gaming can be compared to or associated with normal sports. Players play a game that they find fun and fair. Depending on the game it is either single player or team based. There are of course set rules, terms of conduct, prize money and of course spectators. Where would any sport be without it's spectators? This is what fuels E-sports, its avid spectator base which attracts attention.
This is not a new phenomenon and the sensation of it has already breached out shores. Giving children and young adults a new outlet for their time. Instead of breaking bones on a field or staying out all night partaking in illegal activities such as under-aged drinking and illegal drugs. Youths are at home honing their skills and getting ready for the next tournament. Where they wish not only to earn a hefty prize pool but to earn the pride and respect of knowing they are the best at what they do.
Local gamers accepting prizes at Digital ImmersionFortunately for us we were able to catch up with one of our local gaming stars. And have a quick interview.
Can you please tell us a little about yourself ?Hello my name is Emir Ali , I am currently a student in Costatt earning my degree in psychology but local gamers may know me as my online username Ryuzaki.
Emir”Ryuzaki” Ali at Graduation What game do you play ?League of legends
What is league of legends? League of Legends is a team game with 3 or 5 man teams where you and your opponents select different in game characters , each with their own unique abilities. You then compete to eliminate the other team's base. It can be considered as real time team chess if you can wrap your head around that.
What makes this game so special?League of legends is by far one of the most popular games in the world. It is also a hugely successful eSport. It has over 32.5 million registered users. 11 million of which log in each month and at least 4 million people are logged in at any time.
League of Legends finals being played at the Nokia center in Los Angeles
with millions of dollars on the line.You are the top player in Trinidad and Tobago and also top ranked internationally is that correct?League of legends uses the popular system known as the elo rating system to rank and challenge players to determines who are the best. This system was originally created for chess but is used in many sports on or offline.
As an individual player I am ranked Gold. This does not mean first place in League of Legends, what it means is that I am rated in roughly the Top 1 percentile of players in the world. In my 3v3 team , me and my teammates are diamond . This means we are in the Top 0.1% of players in the world.
How does this make you feel?It makes me feel quite proud. It feels like a real accomplishment especially when I think about that its an international ranking and not just local.
What do you think attributes to your high ranking?A lot of practice and hard work. You may not think a game takes such a serious level of concentration and commitment but I take every win and loss as a learning experience so that I continue to grow. I also want to thank my local friends who support me in game. The same way in real life friendship,bonds and team work takes you further , its the same with gaming. So I would like to thank my friends because I wouldn't be where I am without them.
Do you find gaming productive?Yes , I myself find it very productive. Especially when you think about the amount of young people on the street wondering aimless partaking in illegal activities such as underage drinking and drugs. There is also a stigma that gamers spend all their time on gaming. That's a myth. I don't drink that often or go to many parties however I hang out with my friends at school and I go to the movies with friends and family as well along with many other activities.
Thank you for your time Emir.
Initially this article was written at the end of season 2. However season 3 has already begun. That being said, lots of new competitors have stepped up to the plate. We definitely note their current struggles and are eager to interview them as well as Season 3 continues.
Carigamers is and has always been very invested in the local gaming community. And the gaming community is nothing without individuals like this who rise above the norms and strive for excellence. As a writer in the gaming community I also wanted to highlight this phenomenal game and the players locally involved. We will do many more interviews with local gamers across different platforms in the near future which will be published both online and in the press. Thank you for your attention and be sure to look out for our next tournament event.
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