I asked World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Niner Neil Blumenfield to give my teenage son some advice.
“Do what you love. Never do anything for the money.”
I asked the WSOP $10,000 H.O.R.S.E champion Andrew Barber that same question.
“Do what you love.”
These are not revelations. The advice both of these very experienced and knowledgeable individuals dish out is time immemorial. The reason I am pointing this out is because they directed the information at a teenager.
I was at a house party. The kids, including my son, were playing on the PlayStation in the front room. The adults, who were out back drinking themselves into a stupor, told the kids to get outside and have some fun.
The kids pointed out to the adults that they were. It didn’t wash. They were forced to leave, and sit outside on the kerb, not having fun. Apparently, it’s a fresh air thing.
I’m being a little sarcastic. There are times when I have also worried about the time my son spends playing video games, but as I age, and my life experience starts to shine as a man wearing an HV vest in the middle of the night, I see things differently.
This week, PlayStation lovers have their all seeing eye firmly set on the French capital. It’s Sony Paris Games Week, and exciting new releases are being announced on a daily basis. Unfortunately, one of these snippets of excitement has already been released, albeit through the back door.
A French website has announced that Sony is about to enter the eSports business with the launch of a new league. It will be called the PlayStation Plus League, and you must be using a PS4 to get involved. Some of the games mentioned include Street Fighter IV Ultra, Battlefield Hardline and FIFA 16.
There will be championships spread out across the year, with players fighting it out in Gold and Silver leagues each containing 32-players. At the end of the Championships 11-players languishing at the bottom of the Gold League will drop to Silver and the top 11-players in Silver will be promoted to Gold.
The big news is players will compete for cash prizes.Meaning gambling will inevitably follow in the form of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and a regular sportsbook.
As a Peter Pan type 40-year old, I think this is great news. I hazard a guess that my son learns more about life playing video games than anything he hears in the prison they call a school.
If life truly is about doing what you love, then it should apply to people of all ages. The emergence of eSports has now given adults more reasons than ever before to listen to their children and let them excel in an art that they derive maximum pleasure.
We should think about that the next time we rip the controllers from our kid’s hands and send them sulking to the streets.
