With reaction times 'as fast as F1 drivers', NZ's top gamers deserve elite athlete recognition, esports advocate says

July 26, 2019

NZ Esports Federation’s Duane Mutu spoke about the competition and its $45m prize pool.

The five Kiwi gamers headed to New York this weekend to compete for a share of the $45 million prize pool at the Fortnite World Championships final should be regarded as elite athletes.

That was the message today from NZ Esports Federation's Duane Mutu, who pointed out that esport is poised to become a billion-dollar industry this year.

"When we think about sport in the traditional sense, we always go towards large muscle groups – running and that over-exertion – but we think about other sports like archery and those types of sports, very still in movement," he told TVNZ1's Breakfast. "And so we see the top gamers in the world – their reaction times are as fast as F1 drivers – there's no preconceived outcome.

"It is competitive by nature in the sense of one team versus another team, and it's just a virtual playing field, so in my opinion, it’s absolutely a sport."

The championship was announced by Epic, the maker of Fortnite, at the start of the year.

"People have been qualifying online, anywhere in the globe, which is phenomenal. It shows the ease of access for esport athletes and certainly in this particular game," he said.

Around 23,000 people are expected to pour into New York’s Arthur Ashe stadium, known for the US Open, for this weekend's final.

"It's down to 100 solo players and 50 duos, or pairs, and we have five Kiwis that are competing in this tournament and there's a US$30 million prize pool up for grabs."

Of those five Kiwi players, "each will walk away with $55,000 each just for making it there", he said.

"This is a phenomenal achievement to see players get to that level, and it shows because we're at a disadvantage over here because we don't get to play against the best because of the way that the computers, these servers, aren't getting through. Certainly, we're not able to play the best all the time, so for them to get to that level, they’ve had to put in a lot of time and training."

Mr Mutu said a word of advice for young people wanting to get into professional esports is "really to start".

"Now, it's really, really great because there's a lot of ways that organisations – Breakers, Warriors, traditional esports clubs – that are actually putting money properly into this space, so the key is really to start.

"There's tournaments out there with organisers that will get you a start. There’s obviously grassroots communities, whether it be at universities or libraries, that will let you jump into esports and have a go, and the reality is it's a competition.

"I always say to people, 'It's a competition, so it's one thing to throw a footy ball around the beach, but it's another thing to go into a competition,’ and until you go into a competitive environment, you don't know how good you are. So the key is primarily to…leave the bedroom, so to speak. Go out and see other people, have balance and equally play on LAN...That will help you."

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