The Shotcaller #2 29/11/2016 | Page 21

So to start things off , Mr . Scheuerer , what is your personal background in terms of videogames ?
Well , when I was young the first video games hit the market . Pong , Qbert , Pac-Man , they were revolutionary at the time . I then got into IT and my daughter eventually started playing video games as well .
Is that how you got into eSports ?
Yes , my daughter and son-in-law got into it and it became a huge hobby of theirs . Eventually they showed me the world of eSports and we realised the vast opportunities within this area .
You ’ re the main investor & founder of the eSports-Club Munich . Tell us a bit about the club .
The eSports-Club Munich is a way to turn gaming into a huge social event , it ’ s a very unique experience . Instead of playing home alone , you can hang out with your friends in person while gaming and have a great time meeting other gamers . We also offer Vive virtual reality stations , a Twitch cinema for live events like Worlds and other huge tournaments , and of course we organize our own tournaments as well . Our main goal is to bring the community closer together .
What ’ s the atmosphere like at the eSports Club Munich ?
Everyone ’ s always having fun , and there ’ s one thing I want to highlight in particular : I can ’ t believe the stereotype of gamers being antisocial whatsoever . Especially when there are tournaments or larger events , everyone ’ s always excited and energetic . Sometimes people from all over Europe come around , and it essentially turns into a great multinational experience . Absolutely terrific atmosphere .
How do you view eSports from a business perspective ?
It ’ s a huge chance for people and companies to venture into the industry , and do work that will aid them for years to come . It ’ s especially important to reach our target demographic , which are young men . TV and internet are struggling with that demographic in particular , so eSports is the perfect way to reach them . The eSports scene is also very open to sponsorships , which makes it a match made in heaven . Sponsorships are also pretty important to give eSports the significance it deserves .
How are people reacting to eSports when you explain it to them ?
You obviously still have to do a lot of ground work , and some titles like CounterStrike still have a social stigma attached to them . I usually try to explain it to them by comparing it to football 150 years ago : If someone was playing football at that time , people would ’ ve scolded him for wasting his time instead of working on the farm . It ’ s inevitable societal change , and eSports will make a similar development like football . But nonetheless , even though it ’ s growing , eSports still is relatively niche , but a very interesting scene for advertising companies , due to the scene consistently growing and having fantastic prospects for the future . Again , the potential it has is immense .
How important do you view the social acceptance of eSports as a whole ?
Well , I ’ m seeing the potential , but obviously the majority of society isn ’ t . So this begs the question : When is eSports going to reach everyone , when is it going to be a sport covered by all sports media outlets regularly , when is it going mainstream ? The community doesn ’ t need eSports to be mainstream , but it needs to reach this level so the older generation of investors , the ones with the money , are willing to invest and pay for it . Gamers themselves don ’ t need the attention , they don ’ t need it as a justification or appreciation of their hobby , they know and appreciate