The “hype train” is full steam ahead with Avengers: Infinity War. We see it take off in gaming all the time; should we board it? Avoid it? Friday’s Intelligame Radio discusses the impact of hype, then discusses how a bad name can leave a bad taste on an esports event.
Maybe you went to see Avengers: Infinity War opening night? Or maybe you’re avoiding the internet so that you can stay spoiler-free before you get the chance to watch the movie? Maybe you’re the type who wants to read everything about the movie before you see it and suck in as much information as possible? Regardless of your relationship with it, there’s no denying the “hype train” and its influence on our consumption of media. In the first segment of this episode of Intelligame Radio, Josh dives into a discussion about the world of the hype train, and the ways it’s simply a reflection of our human nature to share experiences.
Part two of the show talks about the “rise of esports,” and the ways that gaming companies may need to take stronger stands to create positive, inclusive spaces as esports become more mainstream. There’ve been plenty of stories about esports athletes screwing up and making problematic statements in fits of emotion, but sometimes even just a player’s handle can be a fundamental issue. In these cases, an ounce of prevention could beat a pound of cure. Josh talks about the name of a player in the Gwent Challenger series in part two, and how the issue stretches beyond the player’s choice of a name to a potentially larger issue for the event as a whole.
You can check out the whole episode by clicking the handy lil’ player below:
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Do you love the hype train, or avoid it like the plague? How do you feel about esports in the mainstream? Leave your thoughts in the comments!