"An aggressive Rapkonzert effect".

Immediately prohibit or only watch? The city of Stuttgart has recently started a computer game tournament prohibited. In Offenbach wanted the competent magistrate until a picture of events that sent an observer - of the scene as a very peaceful feeling.

 

To take this tournament to be there, Michael Koch has interrupted his vacation. The man from Offenbach Jugendamt wants the Friday game of the Electronic Sports League (ESL), which claims to largest and oldest online league in Europe, visit. He wants to make an impression, says the teacher. Him driving the concern about addiction and not the question of the potential for violence to the so-called professional Bundesliga games to visit.

On this day a match of the strategy game Warcraft III, and two lots in Counter-Strike ausgefochten, one of those first-person shooter that frequently come into the conversation when it comes to so-called killer games goes.

Two weeks earlier, the ESL
a similar event in Stuttgart prohibited because of the Amoklaufs in Winnenden. Also in Offenbach was such a ban in the room. "We have, however, with the Municipal Authority of a dialogue," says the spokesman of the ESL, Ibrahim Mazari. And it has been agreed: The ban is off the table. Instead, the games now professionally reviewed by Michael Koch.

The works like a Rock-Opa in his black suit and with miniature guitar lapel. Sure, the Amoklauf of Winnenden has its Magistrat concern, but it is not because of the violence issue here. He drives the concern about addiction, "because computer games can be addictive." This he tells a story: Last year, he was with young people in Offenbach an Indian reservation in Arizona, 800 euro had contributed his own proteges, the rest went to the state. "Since then we have the young people at the evening campfire told that they previously did not affect the machine weggekommen would be." Even in his family he knows cases of addiction border.

Is that even without violence?

This could be a topic for the "parent-Lan" his. Regularly download the ESL and the Federal Agency for Civic Education for parents, teachers and educators in advance of tournaments to this information with self-character. In Offenbach now sit 14 adults behind the PC and "
Killen, such as in the nursery "Even Michael Koch stuck behind the laptop and sponsored experienced Counter-Strike," a bit like robber and policeman. "A presenter of the ESL meanwhile tried to convey what the fascination of a first-person shooter makes.

And then talk about the visitors once again worried about violence: "Why can the industry do not manufacture anything, what tactics and has no voltage Ballerei?" Asks Michael Koch. ESL Representative, Arne buses but also by the Federal Agency for Civic Education give him no obvious answer. Could he not give? In his youth, he feasted on Italo-Western, then the new standards for the aesthetics of violence ensured.

His colleagues do with the ESL-makers on the way into the hall, where many spectators already seated and waiting for the first match. Michael Koch remains seated for a while. He wrestles with it: "It can not be that the Federal Agency, ie the state, so one-sided view on computer games has." It lacks critical voices such as that of the criminologist Christian Pfeiffer, "which may well be controversial, but he also has some law." The drug threat, for example - but that they did not talk.

The city hall is full to bursting

His colleagues in the hall take on young people from Offenbach, explaining that the violence is not a real feeling that she was holding part of the game. 1300 viewers have the Counter-Strike match. The city hall is full, even at the edge have dozens on the ground, because no chair is more freely.

Michael Koch strained looks on the screen now. Red and blue Counter-Strike characters will be shown in a pixel city herumhuschen. From the boxing boom shots and the voices of the commentators: "A five on three situation, let's see if he still stands on the spot. Yes, because it is. Oh, there Headshot, he takes it out." Applause Brandet high. "In principle yes, the applause for a sporting event. But also," and he pulls into the forehead wrinkles, "because someone is killed."

Michael wants to cook with the audience talking about? "Therefore, I am not here today," he says. He wants between shots and thunderous roar of applause not a "two minutes talks" lead. "The discussion then leads me to another place," perhaps at the next youth project in the Indian Reserve. But he clarifies: "I've got people here do not expect violence after the lechzen - the wär 'also nonsense." He is almost too peaceful. "An aggressive Rapkonzert acts," he smiles.

Others are addicted to

What would Michael Koch said if the ESL next year would come back to Offenbach? "I know not yet." ESL spokesman Ibrahim Mazari has ever invited him: "Let us look a youth project together." Perhaps even then about addiction, because it was Michael Koch but here today and this subject will also Ibrahim Mazari "very important." Then Michael goes home cooking, or rather, back to the holiday.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Teachers at a LAN party: Killen as in the nursery (04.11.2008)

Gamer Dreamhack Festival: The Night of the Living Dead (01.12.2007)

Netzwelt-Ticker: Stuttgart prohibited Computerspiele competition (24.03.2009)

Financial crisis in the E-Sports: For the mouse (12.02.2009)

Before the hall to smoke some of the spectators, as Luca High Schmidt. The 20-year-old has the online gaming new friends, for example Sweden. For example, the computer science student last year at the
Dreamhack the biggest LAN party in the world. "He looks the ESL of interest, such as amateur chessplayers a match from Garry Kasparov. Is he actually addicted Daddler?" Yes, but these are in World of Warcraft. " he says and pulls on his cigarette. Even his buddy Felix da Knieß agrees to World of Warcraft, because he knows real junkies, or better known, because one sees no longer. "

Even World of Warcraft in the ESL program, but not today, not here.