OneUpWithNichole
Week 4 Blog Post
Letâs be real, gaming has come a long way from the days of blowing into cartridges and arguing with your sibling over who gets next turn. What weâre seeing now, especially in Esports, is something much bigger. The gaming world isnât just about entertainment anymore, itâs shaping how we learn, communicate, and even connect across borders. Two things from this weekâs content really hit me: one, how Esports can be used for good (like seriously good), and two, how online behavior like trolling isnât just annoying, itâs disruptive at a competitive and professional level.
One example of gaming doing actual good is Gamers Outreach, a nonprofit that turns gaming into a lifeline for kids in hospitals. Their projects, like Project Go Kart (gaming kiosks for hospitalized kids) and Player 2 (volunteer gamers who give back), show how play can promote healing, distraction, and a sense of normalcy in tough environments. According to their data, they were supporting over 1.25 million kids per year as of 2020, with volunteers in 10 U.S. hospitals (Hedlund, Fried, & Smith, 2020). Thatâs not just entertainment. Thatâs education, empathy, and human connection powered by gamin
But while the community can lift people up, the flip side is darker. Trolling in Esports, especially during ladder-based ranked matchesâcan seriously hinder pro players. Unlike traditional sports where you can walk off the court, online games often penalize leaving, even in toxic situations. This means players can be trapped with trolls who spam hate speech or sabotage the game. Since many esports pros use ranked ladders to practice and build reputation, this harassment directly impacts their career progression and mental health (Hedlund, Fried, & Smith, 2020). Itâs a powerful reminder that digital spaces need better tools for safety and accountability.
Now, letâs zoom out to compare gaming culture in the U.S. versus South Korea, a country whose Esports scene basically went pro before most of us knew what âTwitchâ was.
đŽ Three Key Differences Between U.S. and Korean Gaming Industries:
Professional Infrastructure:
In South Korea, Esports isnât just a pastime, itâs a professionally supported industry. Players are treated like athletes, with rigorous training schedules, coaches, media appearances, and even government support (Wired, 2012). Meanwhile, in the U.S., although Esports is growing, itâs still fighting for the same recognition and stability that Korea has normalized for years.
Cultural Legitimacy:
Korean society tends to respect gaming as a legitimate career path, whereas in the U.S., many still see it as a hobby or âwasted time.â That cultural difference influences everything, from media coverage to parental support.
Access and Infrastructure:
Korea has long invested in nationwide broadband and PC bangs (gaming cafes), which created accessible entry points for all social classes to participate in Esports. In contrast, U.S. infrastructure, especially in rural areas, lags behind, limiting who can realistically enter the Esports pipeline.
đ Gaming as Cultural Bridge
As DaĹĄiÄ et al. (2024) explain, Esports promotes global interaction that breaks through geographic and linguistic barriers. In-game communication, forums, and live streaming platforms allow players from all over the world to interact in real time, building community, trading strategies, and sharing cultural perspectives. Itâs a form of digital diplomacy, if you think about it.
Ĺ isler et al. (2017) also highlight how games reflect and export culture. For instance, Iranian developers work around strict political constraints to share their narratives globally, while Czech games often embrace European history and moral complexity. Games are cultural artifacts just like film or literature, only interactive.
But thereâs a twist: the âglobalizationâ of gaming also risks cultural flattening. While U.S. companies dominate platform ownership, Korean and Chinese developers are shaping gameplay innovations, and smaller countries are often left to localize whatever global juggernauts produce. The power dynamics here are worth watching.
â ď¸ Challenges and Room for Growth
Esports still faces major hurdles:
Digital divide: Not everyone has equal access to the tools needed to participate.
Health risks: Misconceptions persist that gaming = laziness. But ironically, the physical demands of competitive Esports are higher than most people think (McGee et al., 2021).
Cheating and âboostingâ: When high-ranked players are paid to improve othersâ ranks, it undermines the whole system (Conroy et al., 2021).
If Esports wants to continue growing as a force for education and cultural communication, the industry needs to invest in both equity and integrity.
đŹ Question to the Audience:
What do you think, should Esports be integrated into high school and college programs the same way traditional sports are? Would you support your child going âproâ in gaming?
đ References
DaĹĄiÄ, D., VitkoviÄ, B., & KostadinoviÄ, M. I. (2024). The Influence of E-Sports on Economy, Education, and Cultural Communication. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering & Education (IJCRSEE), 12(3), 647â655. https://doi-org.postu.idm.oclc.org/10.23947/2334-8496-2024-12-3-647-655
Ĺ isler, V., Ĺ velch, J., & Ĺ lerka, J. (2017). Video Games and the Asymmetry of Global Cultural Flows: The Game Industry and Game Culture in Iran and the Czech Republic. International Journal of Communication (19328036), 11, 3857â3879.
Wired: Gaming, hacking, and cyber assaults in Korea. (2012). In Films On Demand. Films Media Group. https://fod-infobase-com.postu.idm.oclc.org/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=106411&xtid=51872
McGee, C., DiFrancisco-Donoghue, J., Werner, W. G., & et al. (2021). Physical Health in Esports: Comparing Physical Demands of Gaming to Office Work. Journal of Esports Health & Performance.
Conroy, R., Holden, J. T., & Rodenberg, R. M. (2021). Boosting and Cheating in Esports: Emerging Legal and Ethical Concerns. Gaming Law Review.
Hedlund, D., Fried, G., & Smith, R. (2020). Esports Business Management. Human Kinetics Publishers. https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9781492597230
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