E-sports on steroids

October 22, 2019

What happened?

Earlier this month, the first British e-cycling champion, Cameron Jeffers, was stripped of his title for using a bot instead of riding on an actual trainer, to unlock the virtual “Tron Bike” in the cycling simulator Zwift. While he did not use the bot during the championship, the virtual superbike nevertheless gave him an unfair advantage over his competitors. Jeffers is certainly not the first cheater in e-sports. Gaming platforms, and e-sports organizers especially, struggle continuously with cheaters who use software hacks (e.g. aimbots or seeing through walls), share accounts, fix matches or use chemical stimulants.

What does this mean?

Cheating is part and parcel of all sports and software cheats have been part of video games forever. In casual online games, some 40% of gamers cheats sometimes or regularly. It is only logical that esports also see their share of cheaters in pursuit of money and fame. In response, platforms have set up anti-cheating departments that check for illegal software patches. They’re also developing algorithms and machine learning tools to detect anomalies in the behavior and performance of players. Zwift, the e-cycling platform, has set up its own agency, ZADA, formerly known as the Zwift Anti-Doping Agency; a clear reference to “real” sports’ WADA. ESL, the world’s largest esports platform, claims to spend up to a third of its technology budget on anti-cheat technology. Across the sector, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) governs the fight against cheaters and prosecutes offenders. Possible punishments include fines, public shaming of players and their avatars (including executions), multi-year bans and even jail sentences.

What's next?

E-sports have the potential to offer a genuine level playing field to all competitors. Unlike in conventional sports, everyone can ride, shoot or fight with exactly the same digital bicycles, racing cars, guns or swords. Yet, at the same time, the potential for cheating is far greater, since a smart hack (e.g. “god mode”) can provide a far bigger advantage than a shot of EPO or other forms of cheating in conventional sports. As esports continue to grow (global revenue of USD 1bn) and prize money increases (tournament prize pools already amount to USD 30m), cheating will become all the more lucrative. It is thus no wonder that game developers and esports companies fear the detrimental impact of cheating. However, as we have argued before, cheating in sports also makes for compelling stories and can add a layer of human interest that has largely been lacking in esports so far.

Series 'AI Metaphors'

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1. The tool
Category: the object
Humans shape tools.

We make them part of our body while we melt their essence with our intentions. They require some finesse to use but they never fool us or trick us. Humans use tools, tools never use humans.

We are the masters determining their course, integrating them gracefully into the minutiae of our everyday lives. Immovable and unyielding, they remain reliant on our guidance, devoid of desire and intent, they remain exactly where we leave them, their functionality unchanging over time.

We retain the ultimate authority, able to discard them at will or, in today's context, simply power them down. Though they may occasionally foster irritation, largely they stand steadfast, loyal allies in our daily toils.

Thus we place our faith in tools, acknowledging that they are mere reflections of our own capabilities. In them, there is no entity to venerate or fault but ourselves, for they are but inert extensions of our own being, inanimate and steadfast, awaiting our command.
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2. The machine
Category: the object
Unlike a mere tool, the machine does not need the guidance of our hand, operating autonomously through its intricate network of gears and wheels. It achieves feats of motion that surpass the wildest human imaginations, harboring a power reminiscent of a cavalry of horses. Though it demands maintenance to replace broken parts and fix malfunctions, it mostly acts independently, allowing us to retreat and become mere observers to its diligent performance. We interact with it through buttons and handles, guiding its operations with minor adjustments and feedback as it works tirelessly. Embodying relentless purpose, laboring in a cycle of infinite repetition, the machine is a testament to human ingenuity manifested in metal and motion.
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3. The robot
Category: the object
There it stands, propelled by artificial limbs, boasting a torso, a pair of arms, and a lustrous metallic head. It approaches with a deliberate pace, the LED bulbs that mimic eyes fixating on me, inquiring gently if there lies any task within its capacity that it may undertake on my behalf. Whether to rid my living space of dust or to fetch me a chilled beverage, this never complaining attendant stands ready, devoid of grievances and ever-willing to assist. Its presence offers a reservoir of possibilities; a font of information to quell my curiosities, a silent companion in moments of solitude, embodying a spectrum of roles — confidant, servant, companion, and perhaps even a paramour. The modern robot, it seems, transcends categorizations, embracing a myriad of identities in its service to the contemporary individual.
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4. Intelligence
Category: the object
We sit together in a quiet interrogation room. My questions, varied and abundant, flow ceaselessly, weaving from abstract math problems to concrete realities of daily life, a labyrinthine inquiry designed to outsmart the ‘thing’ before me. Yet, with each probe, it responds with humanlike insight, echoing empathy and kindred spirit in its words. As the dialogue deepens, my approach softens, reverence replacing casual engagement as I ponder the appropriate pronoun for this ‘entity’ that seems to transcend its mechanical origin. It is then, in this delicate interplay of exchanging words, that an unprecedented connection takes root that stirs an intense doubt on my side, am I truly having a dia-logos? Do I encounter intelligence in front of me?
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5. The medium
Category: the object
When we cross a landscape by train and look outside, our gaze involuntarily sweeps across the scenery, unable to anchor on any fixed point. Our expression looks dull, and we might appear glassy-eyed, as if our eyes have lost their function. Time passes by. Then our attention diverts to the mobile in hand, and suddenly our eyes light up, energized by the visual cues of short videos, while our thumbs navigate us through the stream of content. The daze transforms, bringing a heady rush of excitement with every swipe, pulling us from a state of meditative trance to a state of eager consumption. But this flow is pierced by the sudden ring of a call, snapping us again to a different kind of focus. We plug in our earbuds, intermittently shutting our eyes, as we withdraw further from the immediate physical space, venturing into a digital auditory world. Moments pass in immersed conversation before we resurface, hanging up and rediscovering the room we've left behind. In this cycle of transitory focus, it is evident that the medium, indeed, is the message.
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6. The artisan
Category: the human
The razor-sharp knife rests effortlessly in one hand, while the other orchestrates with poised assurance, steering clear of the unforgiving edge. The chef moves with liquid grace, with fluid and swift movements the ingredients yield to his expertise. Each gesture flows into the next, guided by intuition honed through countless repetitions. He knows what is necessary, how the ingredients will respond to his hand and which path to follow, but the process is never exactly the same, no dish is ever truly identical. While his technique is impeccable, minute variation and the pursuit of perfection are always in play. Here, in the subtle play of steel and flesh, a master chef crafts not just a dish, but art. We're witnessing an artisan at work.
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About the author(s)

Sjoerd Bakker is fascinated by the interplay between technology and society, and has studied the role of different actors in the innovation and implementation of new technologies throughout his career. At the thinktank, he is mainly involved in research and consultancy projects for clients, and strategic and thematic research for sister company Dasym. Among other themes, Sjoerd frequently writes and speaks about the power and danger of digital technology, as well as sustainability in both technological and institutional innovation.

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