So I've been living the life in Korea. It's pretty amazing. I've also been closely following the LoL World Championships Season 2, and I can safely say that Korea is again making a name for itself through their elite eSports gamers. But what is it about Korea that makes them so fantastic at these things? Why can the create fantastic players in any game they try to master? As I've been living here, it's become quite apparent as to how Korean gamers work. And the differences and atmosphere all work together to create a paradise for people like me.
So let's first discuss the types of games Koreans play. In later posts, I'll talk about the group of people who play, and finally we'll discuss how gaming fits into society.
It's rather interesting to note that Koreans don't actually play very many console games, other than the ones they get on their phones, and that doesn't really count. Those games are summed up with Minecraft and some small games that go with their group chat app known as Kakao Talk. Other than that, it's all PC, all day. The reason for this is because of the PC rooms I mentioned in my former post. It is actually these very rooms that allow PC games to be the main form of gaming in Korea. Think about this: in America, PC gaming is only a small portion of the overall market. There are a ton of gamers who dedicate to the newest console or handheld generations, and they generally see PC gaming as a total waste because of the constantly evolving hardware situation. This is true. When you have to keep up on the newest specs for the PC market, it can get tiring and downright expensive. Therefore, many people don't even try to keep up with the newest PC games. They'd rather stick with the guarantee that their console can play any game for that system without the need to buy a new gfx card.
In Korea it's a different story. Because of these PC rooms, it eliminates the hassle of keeping your computer up to date. They do it for you. This allows for anyone to be capable of playing the newest MMO or the best shooter. Now, there is a limited selection of games on these computers, and almost all of them are multiplayer oriented. They have all of the latest MMOs, a healthy quantity of online shooters that look a lot like Korean knockoffs of the most popular shooters in the US (because they are), and FIFA. Yes, FIFA. These people love themselves some FIFA. Now you can download any game you want onto these computers. However, they will be deleted as soon as the computer shuts down, so don't get too attached.
A couple of quick notes about the games on these computers. Roughly 50% of them don't even exist in the Western Market. Now, they may be available, but no one really plays them. One such game is based off of Gundam SEED. It's actually one of the cooler games I've watched over someone's shoulder. It's all Actiony and packed with Gundams, which is awesome. Regardless, there is one concept that is devilishly common in Korean games. The gamers love to level up and better their characters all the time, so it's become a common mechanic to have microtransaction systems. That's nothing special, of course. What is special is the idea that many items you purchase actually disappear after a set amount of time. For instance, I play a game called Sudden Attack 2. Think Counter Strike, but with more outfits and guns. Oh, and there's more than one play type. As you play, you accrue points that you use to buy new gear, skins, and such. I decided I would go for the one-shot sniper rifle first. I bought it, used it a ton and owned faces. However, after a week the gun was gone for good, and I'd have to repurchase it to continue using it. It's rather tedious and annoying.
Also, Korean MMOs are notorious for being grindfests, and I come here to tell you that that's entirely accurate. Another interesting development comes from Starcraft. They may have come out with Starcraft 2, but Koreans really just don't care. You always see people playing the original Starcraft. I have yet to see one person even open up SC2. Also, I have seen all of 1 person playing WoW, and I go to the PC rooms almost daily. It just isn't a thing. I do, however, see tons of people playing Blade & Soul. The game is extremely pretty, so it takes a good computer to play it. Of course, the PC rooms all have these, so people come there to get their fill in a day.
League of Legends has also caught on like wildfire. They've had the game less than a year in Korea, but everyone loves it. A ton of people play it, and many Koreans will friend English players on Korean servers just so they may practice their English. Therefore, I have plenty of friends on the game even though I'm on a second account in a country with a language I can't yet speak. Also, the caliber of these players is rather high. I have been levelling from 1 for a long while now, and I have yet to play a game where someone doesn't understand what to do, how to play, where to ward, how to leash or any other more advanced concepts. Though I'm still levelling in blind pick, every game feels like a level 30 epic struggle. These people are just good at games.
Anyways, in my next post I will break down the people you see playing games, how many people play games, and where each group spends the most time.
Thanks for reading! I hope you got something out of this post!
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