Kaizen Resolve

It was only a matter of time that another player in traditional media cast their gaze on esports but my first guess was not going to be CBS interactive. Though in hindsight their play makes perfect sense, they own Gamespot after all and recently acquired Giantbomb. 

News of CBS jumping in the ring has sent a ripple effect of heightened emotions across the interwebs and twitterverse, many praising the deal as some sort fulfilled prophecy. CBS hasn’t clearly stated its expectations of this new deal or really what rules content providers will have adhere to in order to maintain the premium ad buys they are looking to acquire.

So let’s take a look at what this deal might actually mean

Read More

So you want to learn about the other side of eSports , the side that doesn’t make it onto the live streams? What goes on behind the hype and lights? 

Believe it or not there are several awesome documentries done about competitive gaming, below are a few that I have watched, and others that I have been recommended.

It’s something to do on a boring Sunday afternoon.

Read More

$20 Pay Per View? Are we watching WWE ? or UFC perhaps? Nope! MLG winter arena which is the latest news that has the twitterverse up in arms and industry participates split into camps. 

Its no secrete that esports leagues are heavily dependant on 3rd party sponsor support, so much so that when major sponsors pull out, juggurnaughts vanish into thin air taking majority of the industry with it. This has caused regression in the industry several times over.

“What about advertising?”, What about it?  The audience size isn’t large enough on a medium that commands poor CPMs , which means advertising is a bust when you have large prize money prize pools on your balance sheet.  This revelation has prompted for many in the industry to seek new forms of direct to consumer business model.  Though many have  hummed and hawed about it , MLG is the first to venture out and try a full out PPV only experiment. (anyone else most likely would of imploded as they hit the submit button on their press release), This means  a few things for the industry. 

could sundance be the dana white of esports? 

Discover if market can support a PPV only product

This is the model that entertainment giants like UFC and WWE were born on, propelling them into history for what seems like generations to come. Though Competitive Gaming hasn’t been around as nearly as long as either sport it still begs to question whether their secrete sauce could work for esports, Assuming the quality of content warrants it, this revelation could  give esports the solid foundation it needs. 

Soften the impact for other experiment models

Most people don’t like being first in uncharted areas, being roasted by customers, competitors , and analysts. But people don’t mind learning from the guy who went first, tweaking and moddifying where he went wrong. I am willing to bet that leagues like the IEM and IPL will begin to experiment with new product offerings based on the knowledge they gain from either MLG’s success or failure.  

Pave the way for a more stable ecosystem

regardless of the outcome its a sign that leagues are looking for alternatives from the sponsorship heavy model, bringing the industry closer to the model that will allow for sustainable growth, so that when advertising budgets shrink, the entire industry doesn’t shrink with it. 

Love it or hate it, the PPV MLG Winter Arena will definetly be a catalyst to change, for better or worse.

Thoughts? How do you think it will impact the industry? 

*note: I wrote this awhile back but now I am trying to consolidate my blog posts into one place*

So the headline of this article may sound harsh, but it’s something I strongly believe is a reality. Arcades and LAN centres are all but extinct in North America, their numbers a mere skeleton of what they were in the 80s & 90s. Despite the polarized manner of operation of the establishments, they were indeed vital to the growth of eSports, if not the key to its break into a stronger audience.

These havens of electronic entertainment were public grounds in which people could socialize and play video games. But instead of writing an article about why arcades died, I am going to write about the impact their loss on eSports and competitive gaming as a whole.  I am convinced that their decline is one of major hindrances to eSports in North America.

Grassroots Development

People who have developed their skills at LAN centre or an arcade can attest that the people you meet at these facilities become your comrades or rivals - and sometimes both- for life.  The key was the exchange of information and fresh skill sets brought to the collective.  Because these places were publicly located, a fresh reoccurring cycle of skilled players would come strolling through the doors. In traditional sports this would be your park basketball court, recreational center or  hockey rink. Rank battles and match making have become the de facto replacement, the quarter replaced with battlepoints/rank and the face to face experience replaced with a microphone.  You log on , beat a chump and never really think twice about whether or not he was relevant — whereas in the arcade scene I have experienced my fair share of mentorship from a would-be rival.

Natural Venues For Tournaments

For organizers , these already turnkey venues came (most of the time) complete with all the equipment one needs to run a basic tournament.  Creating a basis for a synergistic relationship. The owner not only gets auxiliary promotional benefits from the event, he also gets a cut of the sales, and the organizer usually gets a financial break on the use of the venue, a win-win scenario. This kind of relationship allowed for more events to happen more often and relieve additional stress on event organizers.

Focal Point Of Which Competitive Meets Casual

Arcades and LAN centres were at one point where many people gained their digital kicks. Whether they were just checking their email or they were playing Time Crisis, it was a perfect forum to cultivate would-be-spectators. The establishments were usually located in easily accessible, very visible , high traffic locations, making for a steady stream of walk-by traffic.

The Point? The point is that these now-defunct venues share the  same properties as a local sports center, dirt track or golf course. They also share the same vital traits that help each venue’s respective sport to get to where it is today.  It is clear that any country that has a healthy eSports community also has a healthy LAN centre and Arcade industry.  If you are one of the lucky few people who live close to these dying venues , turn off your Xbox live or PSN for an afternoon and spend at least 1 hour in these establishments -  the future of eSports could depend on it.

If you grew up in the arcade / LAN centre era or got some thoughts on subject let me know what you think in the comments

Julius Ceasar is someone I have always admired, a general of Rome who made the career jump to politician and eventaully seized the title of dictator , if though only for a short while. It wasn’t his career that caught my attention but his attitude towards life.

Reviewing history there are many lessons take away and apply present day life.

 Be a person of your word

 When Cesar said he would do something, he ment it. When Caesar was captured as a youth, he told the pirates that once the ransom was paid he would come back and kill them. He did. 

People never doubted what Ceasar said after that, now I am not suggesting you let everyone know you are going to hunt pirates, but instead if you say you are going to do something by a certain date and time, then do it. You will not only build a strong reputation for trust  you will also find your plate will only keep what you can handle. 

Confidence can go along way in overcoming obstacles

Ceasar didn’t have  a crystal ball to tell him the future when he went to cross the Rubicon. He knew the consequence of  crossing the river would mean but he did it with confidence. Confidence of not just himself  but in his men as

well. So much so, the senate fled long before he arrived.

Being confident doesn’t mean you loose touch with reality (that’s just hubris) but it does mean having faith in your skills and abilities. You are better than you think you are. 

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/Drekkonis