Let me ask you how many hours have you invested into HL2? Maybe the maximum is around 100, if you are a hardcore fan. Single player has never been what gaming is about. It's a cool way to tell a story and be invested in it. The progression goes like this - books ( let's you imagine the story), movies ( let's you see the story ), singleplayer games ( let's you be part of the story ). But it's just that - a really good way to make someone invested in a story, while holding their hand. Marc Laidlaw got his story out.

Real gaming is about getting better, playing with friends, skills, teamwork, community and good times. Most of these self proclaimed gamers never felt the atmosphere of a real gaming club. Esports developed because people invested hundreds of hours into these games while getting better and having fun.

I see poeple in this community as pretentious and ignorant. You spent 70$ to be immersed in a story and complete it, then act like you managed to solve world hunger. Blind elitism. The reality is that if these games had any actual depth, people would continue to play them and try to get better. That's why there is esports. It's like comparing Chess to Sudoku. That's why the best gamers are the people playing in front of huge crowds with millions on the line, not some basement dwellers with entitled opinions.

Some people flame Valve for microtransactions, but their games aren't p2w. People flame them for not releasing a medicore game, but fail to see they've been working on revolutionizing storytelling through VR. There is a reason why Dota and Counter-Strike are Valve's biggest games, enjoyed by millions worldwide for the past 10 - 15 years and if you don't get it maybe the problem is with you.