Are video games a waste of time, a trend, or an opportunity to become famous?

It all started in the fall of 2019. In my second year of studies, I found a VK (Russian social media) eSports group, but I realized that it had been inactive for a long time. Then I asked myself why we didn't have an eSports Department at the University because many universities already practice it. My co-student suggested us to create a team ourselves. (Later, my friend became uninterested, and I continued to do this business.)

There was a meeting with the rector of RosNOU, where active students could offer their projects to Vladimir A. Zernov. We presented our initiative and immediately received the "green light". It turned out that this idea appeared six months ago, but there were no students who would like to implement it.

Now our team consists of 13 people: in two disciplines of five people and in three — one. Compared to last year, the number of people wishing to join the team has tripled! We are even thinking of forming a second team if the tournament operators allow it.

The list of games depends on the tournament organizers - the Russian Federation of Computer Sports and the Moscow Federation of Computer Sports. Before the start of the season, they give us a list of game disciplines, placing more emphasis on the All-Russian eSports Student League, which is considered the main one (all universities in Moscow participate in it). This year, there are CS:GO, Dota 2 (these are the main ones; with equal points, priority is given to the teams that showed the best result in these games), Hearthstone, StarCraft II and one mobile game — Clash Royale.

Since I was 14, I've been playing CS:GO. It's my favorite, and team games have always been a priority for me. In 2014, we even applied for tournaments, and this has grown into what I do now. Now I already understand that it is quite difficult to break through to the top of the eSports sphere, so I moved away from the game a little and became more involved in management.

Back in high school, I learned from an ad that Blizzard Entertainment, a company I knew from Warcraft 3, had released a card game. I didn't even know what it was. My knowledge of card games converged on Durak (traditional Russian card game), which I sometimes played with my family, and poker, which I only saw in movies. Then there was an interest to try Hearthstone.

In 2013, my school friend told me about the game and the possibility to make money from it. This is how my introduction to CS:GO began. Why I chose it, I can't say, I just liked it at the time, and then I started going to tournaments in computer clubs. There I met people, many of whom I still have a good relationship with. All of this kept me in the game, too.

Drills take place individually, without my control. Guys are at different levels, so they develop independently. But, of course, when preparing for team games tournaments, they cooperate. They have their own captain who decides how long they will train. There are also training tournaments before the seasons, where you can try your hand with guys from other universities.

Our team is not supported by contracts, so everything works on the initiative of the guys. Of course, over time, we can move on to the next stage and ask the University to help us.

I train for 2-3 hours a day, up to 14-15 hours a week. But still, I don't spend all my free time just playing games.

Previously, I could spend 8-10 hours a day playing, but now my interests have changed a little, and I play every 1-2 weeks for 3-4 hours.

ESports, of course, can be harmful, but what kind of sport does not affect health? To maintain health, you need to follow the regime; you can buy a computer chair. All professional eSports players have their own training schedule.

ESports didn't affect my health at all. It even helped me to develop some skills. There are a lot of moments in the game when you need to make a quick decision, even under pressure — this develops stress resistance, extraordinary thinking, reaction, quick thinking. In addition, during the game you must establish contact with at least four strangers. This, of course, increases the level of communication skills.

Sitting at the computer for a long time is very harmful. But I, for example, bought myself glasses for working at the computer and a chair with an adjustable back. And the psychological state... well, people "freak out" not only playing the computer, but almost everywhere where it is possible to lose.

It is quite possible to develop some skills by playing computer games, but games should also be suitable to train a person's attention, reaction or ability to quickly process incoming information. I suppose I can count Hearthstone among them.

Did this game help me in my studies? I can only hope that the answer is "Yes", so that I can proudly say that I am not "just playing games". It would be nice if I had a sheet with my own characteristics, which says that "so and so, you have +2 intelligence from playing Hearthstone, so keep it up!»

Of course, the computer is harmful, but if a person takes care of him/herself, takes a break at least once every two hours, does a warm-up, and then there will be no serious consequences.

As for the psychological state, I can say that now there is a study that should refute the effect of games on the psyche, so we will soon find out everything. I believe that games do not particularly affect the psyche, besides, all games have age restrictions.

The game helped me a little to learn English, as I spent a couple of months in an English-speaking team. In fact, eSports also develop quick thinking, because one reaction and the ability to shoot well is not enough to win.

This is absolutely not the case. The fact that eSports players do not go anywhere is another stereotype. Now you can become someone cool, sitting at home, but sitting at the computer for days is not necessary. Even non-professionals have a lot of opportunities to participate in tournaments that are held in other cities and countries.

As for studying, everyone sets priorities. Of course, if you want to become an eSports player, you will have to spend more time playing games. It's cool when it turns out to combine sports with study, but practice shows that it is quite difficult to do this.

To master any business, you need to devote a lot of time to it, honing your skills. Due to the fact that the game exists only on electronic devices, you still have to sit at home. But I think that to go into seclusion, devoting all your time to drills is a stupid decision.

To achieve something, of course, you need to play a lot, but 5-6 hours will be enough. About communication - this is generally a strange opinion, since the team consists of five people, and if there is no mutual understanding and trust between you, there can be no high results.

In Moscow, the team took second place in CS:GO, and Nikita Popov was in the top 4 for the game Hearthstone. Thanks to these two disciplines, we have risen so well in the overall League ranking — to seventh place. As it turned out, our University has very good eSports players, and I think they have a great future.

All players in our CS:GO team were quite experienced. We played together with some of them before entering the University. I think it affected our results.

It was my first tournament, and I was very pleased to participate in it. I would like to say a special thank you to Mikhail Golubev for supervision and introducing me to all the subtleties. My result was achieved not in a year, but in almost five years of my personal training. At the next tournament, I plan to move up to higher positions.