you're right. my bad.
Maybe they should be more professional like Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and Patrick Kane (to name a few)
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Player Names and eSports
- Thread starter Robin64
- Start date
you're right. my bad.
Maybe they should be more professional like Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and Patrick Kane (to name a few)
What a weirdly defensive post. I'm sure the players are fine, but good looking out.
The names are pretty silly, but it comes with the territory I guess. The whole "it makes it easier for people to pronounce" thing I'm seeing some people say is ridiculous. It's a person's name and it comes off as weirdly jingoistic to say "well that there's too tough to pronounce so make it something snappier."
That aside, I think if it does continue to grow in mainstream popularity, nicknames will go away.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
Robin64
He be mad.
He be mad.
This happens in other sports too, plenty of footballers go by shorter/easier names.
Shai-Tan
Banned
It also seems important in a gaming community or twitch because using full names is silly relative to normal conventions in conversation. Using first name is vague especially when it's two people talking about a person when they aren't present. In real life the scope of contact is often small enough from context - not so in a big online community. A unique nickname solves that problem while satisfying the drive to reduce the amount of syllables/economy in typing that is a normal part of conversation
Blak_Status
Member
If we're not using real names on GAF, then we're not using real names anywhere
Yeah? I guess I'm fairly unfamiliar with that since "football" only brings 'Merican football to mind. Didn't know that.
PsychoSoldier
Banned
There are a lot of dumb names in eSports but ultimately I think the nicknames are a good thing in terms of helping make names more universal.
I mean, for example, these are the world champions of LoL.
http://lol.gamepedia.com/SK_Telecom_T1
Everyone who follows the game knows these guys handles/nicknames, but very few would even be able to remember their real name.
I mean, for example, these are the world champions of LoL.
http://lol.gamepedia.com/SK_Telecom_T1
Everyone who follows the game knows these guys handles/nicknames, but very few would even be able to remember their real name.
Turin Turambar
Member
The other day I was killed a few times in BF4 by a player called xXAssGrinderXx.
I kid you not.
Unless he was a pro player I don't see what's surprising. That's a classic I fucked yo mom player`s username.
eSports is just a different culture overall. And nicknames and code names have been used since pro (video) gaming is starting, so why change what's been a tradition since the beginning?
If anything, the main hindrance of eSports not being considered "professional" by "experts" is because they don't consider video games as a medium for serious professional sport.
If anything, the main hindrance of eSports not being considered "professional" by "experts" is because they don't consider video games as a medium for serious professional sport.
The Blackrose
Member
I must have missed the time he used Bryheem Key's Father.
Then again, I wouldn't want to have any relation to him after the 10-0 and subsequent clowning he took in that FT10.
Considering a number of games follow the First Name "Callsign" Last Name convention for casting at higher levels, and how players continue to build brand around their handle, I see no need to steer from it.
KojiKnight
Member
So because most gamers go by nicknames, that means they automatically say "I raped that guy" when they win? Interesting hypothesis.... no wait I'm sorry. Stupid. Stupid hypothesis.
Has this actually happened though in a major gaming tournament??
ebullientprism
Member
God. Damn.
Ahahahahaha. As opposed to the mature soccer, football, basketball etc players?
Robin64
Member
The only thing I ever remember was one guy tweeting he was going to rape some girl (his opponent) and was disqualified for it.
I can only speak for Melee, since that's all I know. But it was super common at Melee tournaments around 2009-2011ish, from players and in commentary. I remember Mango took a picture after some win, with him spelling out "Ahh, rape" in the cash he won.
LincolnSixVacano
Banned
And it is absolutely impossible for two people to have the same name right?
In fact, due to "cultural boundaries and limitations" the chance that irl people have a similar name is bigger than online.
Also, they will not change the use of "gamertags". It is part of the whole esports/gaming culture. You get an alter ego, and there's nothing wrong with that.
There are also already rules in place about what you can and cannot do. there have been cases where someone had to change his/her nickname because it was inappropriate.
Unfortunately, I don't see players using their real names for a while. And I agree with the sentiment here that it's a potential barrier to mainstream adoption. From what I've seen in competitive League of Legends, e-sports is relatively immature - both for players and organizations as a whole. Hopefully time will fix that.
Wow.
It's one thing for players to trash talk on the field (eSports or not), that's to be expected. But to do something like that off the field? Not cool.
Some of my further thoughts about Naming:
Gamers have typically always gone by their handle, going back to the original D&D tabletop games people would sometimes go by their character name. That's continued on and it's become a way for people to identify themselves online. Unless we suddenly went to the 'real name' paradigm in gaming (which I don't think will happen anytime soon), people will continue to go by their handle. That's what makes that person known, it's almost their 'brand'.
To make a comparison to chess though, I don't think anyone uses a handle. They all use their real names.
I guess my solution is, let people use their handle but frames within their name. Like Joe "her0" Smith, or "sOs" Joe Smith. That way you can identify them by their handle or real name.
Stone Ocean
Member
Yeah, why trash talk when you can commit actual crimes! Now that's what real pros do.
Just one 35 year old person's opinion but they need to go to real names to gain legitimacy in my eyes. I don't want to even make abstract comparisons to other professional sports and how they do it. I just find it hard to stomach when people use their self made internet names as what they want to be called and known by.
You know it's very likely that those user names are likely hold overs from when they first entered the net?
As for silly nicknames for sportsmen, you do know there is a guy playing football who goes by "Megatron" and another guy who changed his name legally to Chad 85; also mexican soccer has a guy who is commonly reffered by EVERYONE as "Little Pea" (Chicharito), fuck, i don't even know what his real name even is.
The thing is, due to the nature of eSports you gotta roll with these names, because when you sing up for any game you're required to enter a user name, i mean, have you ever signed up to an online game using your real name as your handle? If normal sports enacted a rule that you have to enter an alias to be part of a team, you can bet that we would get silly names all around.
That said, it's kinda sad that people don't pick classier names, but who am i to judge? my LoL summoner name is "Dr. Laser MD"
funny when you think about it
he's upset that people say rape (is this even still a thing? I haven't heard it in years) when athletes have actually raped
and just to clarify, no not the video game version of rape where you score 50 points in a game. The one that's a crime unless you're an athlete
As long as you play Viktor you're alright with me, Dr. Laser.
GrantDaNasty
Member
Y'know, I fully support eSports becoming something more accepted in the mainstream, but get the fuck outta here with this double-standards bullshit.
Who gives a shit what these players call themselves. You call him Nicolas Cage, You call her Madonna or Lady Gaga, but LORD FORBID these NERDS have nicknames that don't conform to your real world sensibilities.
Who gives a shit what these players call themselves. You call him Nicolas Cage, You call her Madonna or Lady Gaga, but LORD FORBID these NERDS have nicknames that don't conform to your real world sensibilities.
This doesn't happen anymore and hasn't for several years.
Mister Negative
Member
There used to be a League of Legends player named "Wizfujiin."
However, his real name is Apollo Price, so everyone was like "what the fuck, that's awesome" and he just started going by Apollo.
However, his real name is Apollo Price, so everyone was like "what the fuck, that's awesome" and he just started going by Apollo.
EscoBlades
Ubisoft Marketing
ShinySylvee
Member
Two things you have to consider about game names:
1. A lot of professional players are foreign and don't speak english. So rough translations can result in simple or weird names.
2. It's pretty much impossible to rebrand yourself when you get discovered and a lot of players are using a name they had when they were much younger and weren't anticipating becoming famous. There's a pro Melee player whose name is Dr. Pee Pee because one time he spilled Dr. Pepper on his crotch and the name stuck. He kept it because he never thought he would be as good as he is right now. He goes by the name PPMD now but it's just a more clean version of the same name.
1. A lot of professional players are foreign and don't speak english. So rough translations can result in simple or weird names.
2. It's pretty much impossible to rebrand yourself when you get discovered and a lot of players are using a name they had when they were much younger and weren't anticipating becoming famous. There's a pro Melee player whose name is Dr. Pee Pee because one time he spilled Dr. Pepper on his crotch and the name stuck. He kept it because he never thought he would be as good as he is right now. He goes by the name PPMD now but it's just a more clean version of the same name.
I really need to get good with him.
This reminds me, i think one trend that really should die, eSports or not, is when people name themselves after characters in the game.
It gets weird when they inevitably branch out of the character they named themselves after.
sturgboski
Member
I liked Life vs Innovation. Feels like they picked those names to be perfect for eSport introductions and commentary.
There are fantasy leagues for the League Championship Series. They had a pickem for Worlds too.
I chuckle each time some reporter tweets the pronunciation guide NBA (or the teams) provides them before each game.
I think it reflects the roots of eSports and I prefer that over trying to mimic actual sports and be "professional".
Hari Seldon
Member
It is unprofessional, but esports is not exactly a high class 100+ year old sport.
LyleLanley
Banned
I look forward to a future in which the President gets to congratulate BonerKing69 on his Call of Duty championship.