eSports Part 4: The Heartache of the Game

If you have not read part 1, part 2, or part 3 of this five part weekly series, click the respective number for which part you wish to read.

"Promise" : One of the top Korean gamers.

According to Vice, all across Seoul, South Korea and other various Asian cities, lies computer cafés devoted to gaming known as "PC bangs." In such PC bangs, players may not even leave their seats. Some players even fall asleep in their chairs. However, if a gamer is beginning to feel a bit drowsy in the middle of a game, there is a large assortment of energy drinks at the PC bang to keep the players awake and active. Also, numerous types of food are available for hungry gamers that skip dinner at home to play that "one more game" at the 24 hour PC bang. Most gamers have no need to leave their seats, as there is even an attendant calling button. Once pushed, an attendant will walk over to the gamer that pushed the button and they will be given a task to accomplish, such as fetching food or drinks for the gamer. Many younger people in South Korea believe that this is a more enjoyable experience than hanging out with friends at bars and clubs. One individual that Matt Shea, the reporter for Vice, had spent time with had admitted to never going to a club in a city that thrives on night life. While the gamer was obviously enjoying himself at the club, he stated that there was one time that he actually wished to go to a PC bang instead of the club. However, these PC bangs have been known to lead many on the path to professional gaming. Professional gaming leads to teams and teams lead to fame, but that fame can lead to great stress and anxiety. Many professional gamers end up in places called "professional gaming houses." In these houses, gamers eat, sleep, train, and live in these houses with many other gamers. For many gamers, these houses will provide the first time away from parents, so coaches will be forced to provide parental models as well as train the gamers on how to play the games more effectively so they make a profit. While some coaches are very compassionate to their team, there are others who are in it for nothing except the money. A gamer by the alias "Promise" knows this better than anyone. Due to his coach's failure to accumulate money, his coach began to borrow money without the teams knowledge of it. When he could not pay the money back, he attempted to settle his debts through match fixing. "Promise" did not wish to do so, but he was told that if he did not do so, he would have no career in professional gaming. "Promise" threw the game. This hit him hard. The rest of his story is one of great sadness and if you wish to know it, watch Vice's video (just be wary of an extremely touchy subject). He survived, but just barely. All because of a couch's terrible decision, a twenty-one year old's life was destroyed. While professional gaming can make people like KSI rich and famous, if can also rip people apart. For most gamers, they think their lives will become great, but for many, things are not as the media displays. PC bangs cause people to forget what time of day it is, if not what day it is altogether. A study showed that numerous accounts of murder and other deaths had occurred because of gaming addiction, and many Koreans' gaming addictions begin at PC bangs. While eSports can be a great and wonderful world that creates millionaires, there is a dark side to it that causes depression and death.

Extremely touchy subject involved.

Viewer discretion greatly advised.