8-year-old boy signs contract with Esports club for the sum of $ 33,000

Discussion in 'Frontpage news' started by Hilbert Hagedoorn, Dec 5, 2020.

  1. tsunami231

    tsunami231 Ancient Guru

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    the problem stems from parents leting the kid play these game at such age, the pro gaming is "businesses" out for it self.

    I not against kids play game I against kids play game not rated for them to be playing and the parents knowing it not for them, then sudden growing brain and care when said kid goes shooting rampage in school like many have. I lost count how many time GTA/CoD/Doom and other shooter type game have been blame for those shooting and how many time the parent was one that got said game for kid but didnt care then.

    I am seriously worried about future generation of kids that are "parented" by these games and instead of the parents. This can be good for the kid could also be bad depend on how things go.

    The mouths on thes kids in the these type games from 15+ years ago in game chat from 8year and younger is why I disable that crap back then, and it only got worse since then cause parent dont really care. most parent out right ignore and or laugh about from my experience. then complain about it when they talking like that in real life.

    The buisiness dont care for the kid just what kid can get them, the parent should care, but if they did they would never let kid play said game at his 8 age

    Parents "saw" money highly doubt they said no.
     
  2. The Laughing Ma

    The Laughing Ma Ancient Guru

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    More power to him, he's getting paid to do something he enjoys. It would be great to be in a similar position.

    There is however the ever underlying question of the moral implications of a large company paying an 8 year old to play games on a professional level. Is this the potential start of a modern version of the child actor issue of the past? I mean we just have to look at just how screwed up some of the infamous child actors of the past became as adults and most of them put it squarely down to the way the industry treated them during their formative childhood years. Things have changed to a degree in Hollywood but as we are well aware the game industry is always at the forefront of p*ss taking. I wonder if the safeguards that Hollywood has put in place for its child actors will be in place for these new breed of child esporters?
     
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  3. mezball

    mezball Master Guru

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    Sorry you are wrong. California Child labor laws - Entertainment Industry allow youth of almost any age to work in the entertainment industry subject to several restrictions and limitations. For more information, visit California Child Labor Laws – Entertainment Industry page. E-Sports is exactly that, entertainment just like football, hockey, baseball, movies, TV shows, etc.

    Some may argue esport is not a sport, but if you look up the definition of sport as a noun, it is described as "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc." People can take that as how they believe it to mean.
     
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  4. XenthorX

    XenthorX Ancient Guru

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    Well... I really don't know what to make of this whole story. Some part of me is clearly a bit sad to read that it was "a dream come true" for him.

    I highly doubt that by the time he reaches highschool Fortnite will still have the momentum it has now. Would love Epic Games to prove me wrong, and would love for this young boy to get something out of this whole experience.
     
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  5. Icanium

    Icanium Ancient Guru

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    Michael Jackson debated with the Jackson 5 when he was 7. Who complained when he appeared on Ed Sullivan or American Bandstand. What is the big difference. They get these engagements because of their talent and not their age.
     
  6. XenthorX

    XenthorX Ancient Guru

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    Well, at least with Fortnite i would assume his parents wasn't behind it trying to turn him into a cash grab like the Jackson 5 :eek:
     
  7. Icanium

    Icanium Ancient Guru

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    With Fortnite, how would his parents even know he was talented.
     
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  8. Backstabak

    Backstabak Master Guru

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    I think that is the problem of parents, since the kid has to study at that age. I strongly doubt that he will still have a career when he is 30+ and at that point he will be barely literate and with zero marketable skills.

    As far as legality goes, there are kid actors. They too have contracts with obligations, have to work and get money for it and there are no lawsuits against that.
     
  9. moo100times

    moo100times Master Guru

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    Unfortunately, same with competitive sports. Will identify talent, parents will get some money to bring child into sport centric lifestyle where training and maximising abilities. A good program will also create balance with other elements of life, but there should not be denying that children are being robbed of something when pursuing something to a high level early.
    Money corrupts significantly this cause, and often the more money the more any other objections will be "managed", but I guess if this kid is really enthusiastic about it, it may mitigate some of the damage he would suffer psychologically.
    I just hope his parents protect him from the other corrupting influences in the industry, and risk of exploitation of being a child in a mostly adult environment.
     
  10. Kool64

    Kool64 Ancient Guru

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    I wanted to go pro playing Starsiege Tribes in the late 90s but my mom made me stay in shcool :rolleyes:
     
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  11. Icanium

    Icanium Ancient Guru

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    When he get older and seduced by an older women, I hope it will not ruin his career like it did child actor Jimmy Bennett's.
     
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  12. geogan

    geogan Maha Guru

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    I couldn't believe the little sh1theads and the bad language and ignorant ramblings out of them (what did I expect eh?) when I was trying to get extra levels and complete some challenges for my son on Fortnite last week before it finished. I couldn't stand the little f#ckers. I literally had to go in and mute half of them in every match. I have never seen that age group in any other online multiplayer games I play (Battlefield, Apex Legends etc). Others seem to have a much older playing participants - and much more polite.
     
  13. tfam26

    tfam26 Guest

    So its not child labor if the kid enjoys it?

    Or is it only child labor if the job actually produces something useful?

    /boggle
     
  14. moo100times

    moo100times Master Guru

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    It's still child labour, but the amount of psychological damage a child could suffer probably correlates with how positively or negatively they experience these situations.
     
  15. tfam26

    tfam26 Guest

    Interesting.

    So if a child is spoiled but still abused they suffer less mental illness later in life than if they are abused and taught useful skills?

    I guess Hollywood is just the odd man out.
     

  16. Hypernaut

    Hypernaut Master Guru

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    PEGI is for selling games. Kids can play them, that is not illegal.
     
  17. Hypernaut

    Hypernaut Master Guru

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    oh please. Did you never work on a relatives farm or for your uncle who was a plumber to earn some arcade money? He's not making tee shirts in a Mumbai ghetto for 14 hours a day is he.
     
  18. neatfeatguy

    neatfeatguy Guest

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    I wish money like this was floating around for excelling at online shooters when the original Counter Strike came out. My roommate and I, during our freshman year of college, we slaughtered clans in games, on their own servers. We'd find clan servers offering open play to let players tryout and we'd just decimate them.

    The teams were always lopsided because the clan members were always on the same side with 7+ players. My team would usually consist of 3 or 4, myself, my roommate and 1 or 2 random people that joined the server. Usually about 15 seconds into a match the 1 or 2 other people on our team were dead, that left it a 2 vs 7+. My roommate and I moved and cleared rooms with precision. After half a dozen rounds we'd be sitting on a 20:1 KDR with the clan members screaming at us, calling us hacks/cheaters. We were banned from so many clan servers. We had a few high ranking clans try to recruit us, but we didn't have the time to be dedicated to a game and there wasn't any big payouts for tournaments back then, either. We pretty much enjoyed walking over all those people and showing them how much they really sucked at the game.

    But that was when I was 19/20 years old. I see kids these days, especially my 8 year old that gets limited game time because if he's left unchecked he acts like a rotten piece of crap to everyone; screams, yells, hits, throws things....down right terrible two tantrums when he doesn't get his way. I see other young kids acting this way when it comes to video games (not fair to say it's just video games because it's not) and electronics. Strip them of their instant gratification and watch their world tumble and collide with reality. They don't know how to mentally handle it and when they lash out, most parents just give in and let them go back to their electronics and video games. My son gets maybe 4-6 hours of electronic/game time a week, but that was too much for him at one point because of his behavior when it was time to stop playing or if we didn't let him use the devices....we had to remove all electronic devices from his possession for several straight weeks before his behavior returned to the well rounded behavior he used to have.

    I don't think allowing such a young kid being in a position where they're tied into a contract is a good thing. I don't believe they're responsible enough and can comprehend everything on a mental level to understand exactly what this means of them. I think the parent's saw $$$ and figured, the hell with it, let's make some more cash using the kid.
     
  19. Fox2232

    Fox2232 Guest

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    So is Russian roulette. It is just on another level of stupidity.
    Kid can do with his life whatever he likes. Except he likes things he may hate himself for in 20 years.
    Parents should supplement missing life experience. Maybe they did. And their thought process: "If I only sold myself 20 years ago..."

    Playing games is not negative, Online environment is. And Fortnite is no exception.
     
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  20. moo100times

    moo100times Master Guru

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    Realising you are abused and exploited will damage you psychologically, and particularly if someone compares themselves to their peers. If your peers are envious and thinking you live the best situation resulting in a positive relationship with it then chances are you will come out less damaged.
    There are of course many other factors to consider, not just the fact he is on an e-sports team, but the other influences that will impact his life (some already mentioned above).
     

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