Gaming is a big deal in South Korean culture. Many citizens enjoy competing against their friends in virtual worlds, whether as avatars in role-playing games or MMORPG with players from all over the globe.
To keep up and anticipate upcoming trends, developers of online games continually need to stay on top of their skills. Various software is available for this purpose. Would-be creators of online games can make use of the easiest game making software, and further develop their skills from there.
PC Bangs
Many gamers like to play at PC bangs. A PC bang is a large room with a local area network (LAN) where players can browse the internet or play games online for a fee. These gaming rooms became very popular in 1998 after a game called StarCraft was released.
PC bangs are frequented by gamers of all ages, both male and female, but the most significant demographic that visits these establishments are males in their teens and twenties. People who game often consume caffeinated drinks to remain alert, so PC bangs do have canned coffee and soft drinks available for sale.
E-Sports & Pro Gaming
Many gamers from the South East Asian country take part in tournaments on a professional level, where there are often considerable prizes to be won. Those who game for a living practice up to 15 hours every day. Training for such an extensive period every day doesn't leave much time for a life outside of a gamer's career, which can be short-lived as they usually peak in their mid-teens and retire in their early-to-mid-twenties.
As the departure from the gaming world is usually early, many gamers, unfortunately, do not always have an idea of what they want to do with their lives post-game. We recommend that if you're a pro-gamer, you invest your earnings so that later in your life you can pursue tertiary education in a field that will afford you a long-term career.
Developers of popular esports in Korea continue to improve the software, graphics, and platforms on which their games are played. A ripple effect of this is that the hardware on which the games are played needs to be upgraded to facilitate fast, efficient gameplay.
Professional Gaming Dreams
Being young and gaming sounds like the ultimate job. Who wouldn't want to get paid to join a coalition of other professional gamers and defeat their competitors? It looks like major-league fun. The truth is, only a handful of the demographic can deal with the true stress that comes with being a pro-gamer.
Professional e-sports player, Jihun Lee, advised pro-gaming wannabes to seek companies that offer tests to gauge your proficiency to those of players already in the field, and others competing against you to join the pro league.
Gaming Addiction
It's a real thing, and like any other compulsive obsession, it requires treatment. The South Korean government has recognized this and taken pro-active steps to assist those players who need help; these include clinics, support groups, and campaigns that create awareness about the potential to become addicted to what many consider a hobby.
Another measure that is in place to further curb prospective addiction is the Cinderella Law. Any gamers younger than sixteen are prohibited from gaming between the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM the following day.
Developers are also aware of their responsibility to advise their players of the potential dangers of addiction, with many of them imposing an age restriction on the games they develop. The onus here lies on the parents to enforce that age restriction on their children. Some games such as first player shooter (FPS) games are not suitable for players under 18.
The Bottom Line
Gaming, whether as a player, professional, or developer, has considerable merit, when practiced correctly and safely. Budding developers should keep this at the forefront of their minds when coming up with a new game. That way, everyone will reap the rewards!
