Xxio Profile Blog Joined July 2009 Canada 5556 Posts Last Edited: 2012-11-28 10:53:33 #1 Sources: Korea Content Creative Agency, Korea Gaming Industry Agency, and Korea's Online Gaming Empire.

Thanks to: Antoine, Waxangel, Nazgul, SirJolt, Riptide and Heyoka for proofreading.

Graphics by: .epnp-wrap { background: #ffffff url('http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Meko/articles/epnp/background.png') center center repeat; width: 700px; clear: both; margin: 6px auto; display: block; box-shadow: 0 1px 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); } .epnp-wrap img { box-shadow: 0 1px 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); } .epnp-header { background: url('http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Meko/articles/epnp/header.jpg') center top no-repeat; width: 660px; clear: both; padding: 300px 20px 20px; display: block; } .epnp-header, .epnp-header p { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; color: #2e3031; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; line-height: normal; } .epnp-header p { margin: 0 0 20px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 90%; line-height: 180%; } .epnp-header h1, .epnp-header h2, .epnp-header h3, .epnp-header h4, .epnp-header h5, .epnp-header h6 { margin: 0; padding: 4px 0 10px 0; font-family: Abel, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; color: #2e3031; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; } .epnp-header h3 { font-size: 180%; } .epnp-header table { width: 700px; clear: both; margin: 0 0 20px -20px; } .epnp-header table tr th, .epnp-header table tr td { width: 160px; height: 40px; border: none; text-align: center; } .epnp-header table tr:nth-child(even), .epnp-header table tr.tableheader { background: url('http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Meko/articles/epnp/tablebackground.png') center center repeat; } .epnp-header table .yearcol { width: 220px; } The organization of video games into a spectacle for mainstream entertainment is a new phenomenon. As much as our lives and interests may revolve around competitive gaming, its position as an industry, if not tenuous, is still in the process of formation. Recently there has been a homogenization of esports culture and competition. The fighting game, RTS, MOBA, and FPS genres are all jostling within the category of esports and sharing fans, whether they like it or not. This conflation has come to the forefront of our community's consciousness and is advocated by many. Indeed, it is a concept with much merit. But while it promotes a synthesis between competitive games by positing for the greater importance of esports as a whole, it derives value from a demographic rather than a specific long-term fan base. Within this framework, there is potential for both growth and decline. The shift away from Brood War over the past two years has made long-time fans despondent and cast doubt on the longevity of any future game and fan base. With contemporary game developers realizing the potential of esports, competitive games will become more frequently produced, and Brood War's lifespan within the industry may perhaps remain unsurpassed. Conversely, the influx of competing games will bring more exposure to the esports industry and provide new opportunities for professionals and organizations to stabilize and expand. Unlike their foreign counterparts, Korea had little access to games and gaming culture prior to StarCraft. Japan's long and brutal occupation of Korea in the beginning of the 20th century gave cause for the Korean government to ban Japanese media after World War II, a policy which stunted the growth of the domestic gaming industry and culture. The products of Nintendo, Sega and Sony that helped pioneer the global gaming industry were all absent from Korea until the ban was completely lifted in 2004. By then, however, StarCraft and PC gaming had already become popular and entrenched. For Korea, the ban gave the government the ability to manipulate the development of gaming. This opportunity, however, was not realized until the Asian Economic Crisis in the late 1990s. Sources:andThanks to:andfor proofreading.Graphics by: Meko . KTY

GhandiEAGLE Profile Blog Joined March 2011 United States 11450 Posts #2 wow, this was very interesting!



Thank you for putting a lot of effort into a write-up like this Oh, my achin' hands, from rakin' in grands, and breakin' in mic stands

Dodgin Profile Blog Joined July 2011 Canada 38851 Posts #3 A very enjoyable read, thanks Xxio.

Eee Profile Joined August 2011 Sweden 2709 Posts #4 Good read, thank you!

Jaaaaasper Profile Blog Joined April 2012 United States 5668 Posts #5 Very interesting, thank you for the time and effort put into this to make it a great read. Hey do you want to hear a joke? Chinese production value. | I thought he had a aegis- Ayesee | When did 7ing mad last have a good game, 2012?

XaCez Profile Joined May 2010 Sweden 4682 Posts #6 Really insightful read and well written, definitely something to bare in mind and think of. People get too easily offended by people getting too easily offended by the word rape.

supernovamaniac Profile Blog Joined December 2009 United States 3003 Posts #7 Correction: I'm not sure if there was ban on ALL Japanese products till 2004, including games. PS2/GameCube started their marketing when they came out, and it was legal for people to sell these games (afaik).



But yes, before that consoles like PS wasn't sold in Korea legally afaik, and Koreans stuck to arcades/PC Bangs to play games. ppp

Ichabod Profile Joined May 2010 United States 1657 Posts #8 Wow, a lot of depth that I had no idea about, thanks for taking the time to write this piece.

Xxio Profile Blog Joined July 2009 Canada 5556 Posts #9 On April 29 2012 08:48 supernovamaniac wrote:

Correction: I'm not sure if there was ban on ALL Japanese products till 2004, including games. PS2/GameCube started their marketing when they came out, and it was legal for people to sell these games (afaik).



But yes, before that consoles like PS wasn't sold in Korea legally afaik, and Koreans stuck to arcades/PC Bangs to play games.



The ban on Japanese media (not all products) was partially lifted a few years before 2004. Maybe you referring to that? The ban on Japanese media (not all products) was partially lifted a few years before 2004. Maybe you referring to that? KTY

udgnim Profile Blog Joined April 2009 United States 7482 Posts Last Edited: 2012-04-29 02:26:54 #10 great read



I did not know that BW broadcasting was so profitable/valuable for the parties involved



I wonder how badly interest in BW has dropped off for team owners to stop sponsoring teams and MBC to switch to music focused broadcasting E-Sports is competitive video gaming with a spectator fan base. Do not take the word "Sports" literally.

Man with a Plan Profile Joined January 2012 United States 401 Posts #11 This is a well research well written article. Informative and pleasant to read.

Thanks for this. Yo!

supernovamaniac Profile Blog Joined December 2009 United States 3003 Posts #12 On April 29 2012 09:25 Xxio wrote:

Show nested quote +

On April 29 2012 08:48 supernovamaniac wrote:

Correction: I'm not sure if there was ban on ALL Japanese products till 2004, including games. PS2/GameCube started their marketing when they came out, and it was legal for people to sell these games (afaik).



But yes, before that consoles like PS wasn't sold in Korea legally afaik, and Koreans stuck to arcades/PC Bangs to play games.



The ban on Japanese media (not all products) was partially lifted a few years before 2004. Maybe you referring to that? The ban on Japanese media (not all products) was partially lifted a few years before 2004. Maybe you referring to that?

I guess so, I wasn't too aware of the ban until recently because I was a child with a Playstation (bought from US) back in the late 90's.



Everyone in my neighborhood who knew about it was jelly =P I guess so, I wasn't too aware of the ban until recently because I was a child with a Playstation (bought from US) back in the late 90's.Everyone in my neighborhood who knew about it was jelly =P ppp

Chef Profile Blog Joined August 2005 10797 Posts Last Edited: 2012-04-29 03:55:18 #13 What I want to know is how many of the games in 'esports' today really have a right to call themselves a sport. At this point I'm not even sure I would call the current state of Brood War a sport.



The word sport has a necessarily subjective quality to it in this context, but I think a sport necessarily has to transcend itself from being an advertisement to even begin to be up for consideration. It has to be taken seriously. It's hard to take something seriously when you don't expect it to be around for much longer (that's not a commentary on Brood War though, which I think will be around for awhile yet at least as a matured hobby).



ESPORTS is a bit of a mockery of the word sport. We took the idea of video games being a sport for granted because BW had been such an incredible success, but now I think it's worth reevaluating. LEGEND!! LEGEND!!

DivinO Profile Blog Joined July 2009 United States 4781 Posts #14 I usually enjoy your writing too, but especially this bit.



More than anything else it's your tone in this article that brings a smile to my face.



Cheers mate. Liquipedia Brain in my filth.

jenzebubble Profile Blog Joined May 2010 United States 183 Posts #15 This should not be titled "Esports, past and present." "It's like waxing your balls, it hurts like a biiiitch but after they are silky smooth...." -Kennigit

c3rberUs Profile Blog Joined December 2010 Japan 11276 Posts #16 Will read again. Thanks Xxio, I didn't know it was that profitable. Must really suck now, profit-wise or at least in the long term for the companies involved.



The term 'sport' needs to be defined properly for 'esport' to be evaluated. Writer Movie, 진영화 : "StarCraft will never die".

DarkGeneral Profile Blog Joined September 2003 Canada 316 Posts #17 This is why I love TLnet. thank you "Everybody gotta die some time, righ'?" - Wraith Pilot

d3_crescentia Profile Blog Joined May 2009 United States 4038 Posts #18 I demand footnotes



great writeup xxio; setting the trend for featured blogs :3 once, not long ago, there was a moon here

ShadeR Profile Blog Joined December 2009 Australia 6925 Posts #19 Really insightful. Nice read.

Pigzyf5 Profile Joined November 2009 Australia 131 Posts #20 You say in the post that you think E-sports attracts only the demographic of teenagers and young adults and for this reason there will be few long term and loyal fans. At the moment this is true, but i see no reason why in a few years we will see more older people enjoying E-sports. Of-course there are not many older people involved they didn't grow up with games. We are the first generation to grow up with games and we are the ones making E-sports happen. I don't think i will stop watching and playing games when i get older (whether it be starcraft or not). And i know people will share the past time of E-sports on to there children, I have seen many pictures on TL with farther teaching their sons how to play and countless more jokes about how Artosis child and mini wheat are going to grow up to be gaming prodigies. Maybe it wont be those two, but im sure any child being brought of with E-sports as part of their lives will have a much better chance of being a long term viewer than our parents generation.

So yea, i think e-sports has a chance of being a family friendly thing and will move away from being something that teenage kid watches alone in his room at 4am.

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