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How Professional Gamers Can Combat Health Concerns

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Pro gaming has come a long way since Dennis “Thresh” Fong emerged as the first professional gamer in the mid-1990s. 

If you go pro today, you can expect to sign onto an Esports team and compete in front of thousands of fans for massive cash prizes. Even colleges now offer Esports scholarships, as Twitch has brought competitive gaming from niche to the mainstream. 

However, gaming poses some unique health hazards. Pro gamer Faze ZooMaa had to retire due to a thumb injury, and China’s most famous eSports competitor, Uzi, also had to step away from LoL due to a gaming disorder that caused him to develop type 2 diabetes. 

Of course, early retirements happen in all sports. But, as a pro gamer, you need to be hyper-aware of the major health risks associated with gaming and how to combat health concerns. 

Mindfulness

As a pro gamer, you probably spend thousands of hours every year in online lobbies and arenas. Unfortunately, these virtual spaces aren’t made to be relaxing or meditative. They’re more like an online version of Las Vegas, as unlocking Battle Passes and leveling up are usually accompanied by loud noises and bright lights. 

Spending so much time in a loud and bright virtual space can cause you to have an excessively “busy” mind — even when you’re not playing. This kind of overstimulation can cause your mental health to spiral and even lead to burnout. 

To avoid this, consider starting a daily mindful walking practice. Mindful walking can lower your stress levels, boost your creativity, and may even help with conditions like insomnia, anxiety, and depression. 

To take a mindful stroll, leave things like your phone at home and try to stick to safe, well-maintained paths in parks or neighborhood streets. There’s no “right” way to walk mindfully, but try to focus on your senses as you walk — what do you see, feel, smell, or hear? If you’re struggling to focus on mindfulness while walking, consider using an app like Insight Timer or Calm that includes guided walking meditations.

Practicing mindful walking is also a good way to calm your mind before or after a tournament. Taking in the fresh air can help you think more clearly, and spending time away from blue screens is great for your eye health. Just be sure to choose a safe path, so you can focus more on centering yourself rather than dodging potholes. 

Blue Light Glasses

As a pro gamer, you’ve probably been told that gaming too much will give you square eyes and bad vision. While square eyes fall firmly in the category of “Old Wives’ Tales”, spending excessive amounts of time looking at screens can cause computer vision syndrome. 

Computer vision syndrome is a type of eye strain that causes eye fatigue, dry eyes, and headaches. It’s particularly common in gamers because gaming requires you to sit close to your monitor and in front of blue-light emitting screens for lengthy periods. 

Blue light glasses are currently in vogue amongst white-collar workers who spend their entire workdays staring at screens. Proponents claim that blue light glasses can cut down on glare and help the body stay calm while being exposed to an artificial blue light source. In reality, evidence for blue light glasses is mixed, and habitual changes are probably more effective. 

Between games, try to stand up and spend time looking around your room instead of your screen. You can even turn your monitor off while waiting in pre-game lobbies (provided you aren’t the party host). You should also try to practice more in the late morning and afternoon, rather than at night as artificial blue light interrupts your sleep and may make it hard to drift off. 

If you’re really struggling with eye strain, then you should see a doctor or specialist optician. Seeing the right healthcare provider can make a massive difference to your eye health, and help you alleviate symptoms like dry eyes and insomnia. 

Physical Therapy

Almost all professional athletes have a strong bond with their doctors and physical therapists. Whether you’re hooping or rock climbing, sports take a toll on the body and can result in anything from arthritis to muscular imbalances. Pro gaming is no different — even if you’re not running, swimming, or jumping, you’re still repeating the same movements over and over. 

A good physical therapist should be aware of the musculoskeletal perils of gaming, as the physical strain of gaming is three times more intense than comparable activities like office work and playing music. 

While a physical therapist can’t improve your drop shot or map awareness, they can assess the ergonomics of your setup and recommend exercises and stretches that counteract the strain of sitting for lengthy periods. These changes won’t necessarily improve your gameplay, but they will help improve your longevity as a gamer.

Conclusion 

Professional gaming places great strain on your mental and physical health. However, you can prevent most injuries and conditions from developing by taking a proactive approach to your health. In particular, consider hiring the services of a physical therapist who understands gaming and engage in regular mindfulness exercises to help improve your focus in-game and IRL.

Gaming

Helldivers are angry at Arrowhead because the community manager was fired without due process

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Throughout history, it has become evident that, in the face of tyranny, those who cherish liberty and democracy will stop at nothing to defend them. They will fight relentlessly, using every last round of ammunition and shedding the final drop of blood. In a stunning turn of events, it appears that developer Arrowhead is facing a potential revolution, as previously loyal Helldivers 2 players who once supported the developer are now expressing their outrage. They passionately advocate for justice and the inclusion of the undemocratically dismissed community manager, who has affectionately been nicknamed “General” Spitz, into the official in-game lore.

In typical fashion, an overnight Change.org petition (courtesy of RPS) has garnered nearly 4,500 signatures at the time of writing. This is an attempt to make Arrowhead reevaluate their decision to let go of Spitz, a community manager who has been an integral part of the community since the game’s release. In the midst of the PC/PSN account linking debacle, Spitz, like a game critic sensing the winds of fate, rallied the community on Discord (as seen on Twitter) to express their discontent through reviews, refunds, and other means. It enhances our influence in the discussions with Sony. They completely disregard our discord.

After the chaos subsided the following day (yesterday), Spitz addressed the community, describing this action as “almost.” It hasn’t exactly resulted in their termination. Shortly after, a final transmission was confirmed where Spitz disclosed that they had been released, expressing their resilience by saying, “Every war has its casualties.”

On May 7, 2024, around 11:45 PST, the Helldivers Discord community made an interesting discovery. It seems that the community manager, Spitz, had been unexpectedly removed from his position, and any evidence of his previous involvement in the discord was completely wiped out. This incident seems to have ignited a revolution, with Helldivers demanding the immediate reinstatement of Spitz and his immortalization in the game for his self-sacrifice.

“We strongly advocate for the official canonization of General Spitz in Helldivers lore. Embracing the spirit of liberation. Supporting democracy. For the betterment of the game and its devoted community.

It’s interesting to see how this situation unfolds. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt himself commends the determination of players in the Sony showdown, but there seems to be a hint of contradiction here. “General” Spitz provided us with some thought-provoking words to ponder: “I was well aware of the potential consequences when I made my statement about refunding and altering reviews; nevertheless, I remain steadfast in my position. I fulfilled my role as a representative of the community, just as I was expected to.

Spitz is no longer the Community Manager.
byu/Tabub inHelldivers

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Ciri from The Witcher expresses her hope that fans will give Liam Hemsworth a fair chance in his portrayal of Geralt

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Netflix’s The Witcher has been at the forefront of the recent trend of video game IP transitioning to TV, alongside HBO’s The Last of Us and Amazon’s Fallout adaptations. In 2022, it was announced that Henry Cavill would be stepping away from his role after Season 3, making way for Australian actor Liam Hemsworth to become The White Wolf in Season 4.

In an interview with Collider (courtesy of Eurogamer), Freya Allen, the actress who plays Ciri in the series, has reached out to fans who may find the change to be a challenge. Allen expressed his view of the situation, acknowledging that it may not be ideal and that fans can be quite critical. He mentioned that he doesn’t want to speak on behalf of Hemsworth, but based on his understanding, it seems like Hemsworth is aiming to inject some heartfelt elements into the project. I’m eagerly anticipating his performance after all that training. And he’s truly a delightful individual. I hope people give him a fair chance, you know?

It’s unclear why Henry Cavill decided to depart from the show, despite his previous commitment to stay for the entire seven seasons if needed. Netflix has announced that The Witcher has been renewed for a fifth season, which will be the final installment of the series.

 

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CEO of Helldivers 2 commends the remarkable determination displayed by the community during the intense Sony showdown

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The experience for Helldivers 2 players has been quite turbulent lately, and we’re referring to a community that is accustomed to leaping from great heights into the most intense and terrifying battlegrounds imaginable. In the midst of a highly debated PSN account requirement for PC players and facing intense backlash, Sony has made a surprising reversal, yielding to the overwhelming force of public opinion. The CEO of Arrowhead, Johan Pilestedt, has displayed an intriguing attitude throughout this challenging period. He has shown remarkable composure, actively engaging with community managers and experiencing the difficulties they face firsthand.

Pilestedt expressed his admiration for the community’s determination and praised their ability to work together on Twitter, following Sony’s reversal. He sarcastically expressed gratitude towards Sony for their “prompt and efficient choice to make PSN linking optional.”

In the future, Pilestedt expressed his vision of working closely with PlayStation and the players to establish a groundbreaking benchmark for the concept of a live game. The aim is to foster a strong partnership between developers and the community, ultimately resulting in an unparalleled gaming experience.

What are your thoughts on the commotion surrounding Helldivers 2? What are your thoughts on Sony’s involvement, Pilestedt’s attitude, and the community’s reaction? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

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