Well, I've come to the end of My Video Game Library series. I have played a lot of games over the year, losing a lot of times, but winning quite a bit too. Not as much as I would have liked, but I won.
I remember a television series on TBS in the 80s. It was a "game show" involving people competing on arcade games. Each round, one of the players would win the chance to determine which of the arcade games they would be playing and who they would play against. While they would usually pick games they would be good at, they would occasionally choose a game they had never played before. One time, the contestant chose one of those animated style games, like Dragon's Lair, only this one involved these two thieves trying to make a getaway. Both players were wrecking their cars all over the place. Neither one gained any points that round, I think. The player who did the best over the show won the prizes. It has been so long since this show was on that I can't remember much else about it.
Flash forward to the 2000s. I was just flipping through the channels, when I caught a computer game competition on one of the ESPN channels. One of the games was the Aztec/Mayan-themed one where you have to shoot balls at a series of other balls as they spiral inward towards the center to eliminate them. I am guessing that whoever got the largest cumulative score over all the games they played would win. While I never tuned in, I've even heard about shows about teams competing in these massive battle Royale style games, such as Fortnite, for real life prizes.
Nowadays, students in both college and high school can compete in video games for actual recognition, as if it were varsity sports. When I decided to try to get into gaming, I had no idea that it could turn into something for real money. The idea is so alien to me. However, the realization is also scary for me. It's similar to how I felt when I realized in my mid 20s that I could have been an athlete in school. I had the ability to compete, but not the compulsion to do so. I mean, I only have played basketball once outside of gym class once in my life. I just don't have the right body type to enjoy it. However, with just a little push, I could have gotten into baseball, maybe even football. Heck, if my school had track, I would have tried out immediately. Unfortunately, it didn't start until after I graduated.
Now, I could get money just for playing games. It feels wrong on some level. While I don't play those battle-style variety of game (too violent), I have seen contests for other games that I do play. Unfortunately, I never seem to be able to make it far in those. I almost qualified in a Candy Crush contest but I could never play enough to make it far. In just the past week, Golf Clash has started a competition for money, tied to various gameplay features. I have both of my accounts registered, but I don't think it will amount to anything. I am still unsure about the rules, but I doubt that I am skillful enough to contribute much to it. Still, I guess I'll try.
The idea of playing for money, though. Just beyond me, but if that's what I can add to gaming to change the experience, so be it.
Come back this Saturday for one final post in this series focusing on errata and bonus information.
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