tired: esports aren't sports because they're video games
wired: esports aren't sports because they're proprietary artifacts tied to one specific manufacturer, rather than a set of rules anyone can make equipment for
mm's
remember the TV show American Gladiator?
perhaps not, but it's also a proprietary artifact tied to one specific game show. it called itself a sport but this was obvious nonsense; there's no way for contestants to practice before competing, because there's only one course for it in the world. to us, it's that second part that makes it not a sport
we're distressed about how many esports require, yes, proprietary stuff, but it can be deeply worrying without being not a sport. people compete in it, in earnest. they genuinely get better at it over time, and it's a thing that both players and fans take seriously. if people care about it and treat it like a sport, telling them they don't get to have it be a "real" sport just seems mean, even if it's not intended to be.
it's important to not let every bad thing blur into one big featureless mass in our minds. details matter.
we do note that speedrunning often happens without the cooperation of the original publishers, especially when it's older games involved. to say nothing of the classic Tetris tournament.
