Detectives Leitmayr (Udo Wachtveitl, left) and Batic (Miro Nemec) at the gaming event. © Claudia Milutinov/BR
Sports, fun or addiction? Munich's "Tatort" on Sunday (21 May) is all about e-sports. A hacker is murdered and the gamer scene is targeted by the investigation. How realistic is the new case?
Shooting? Aren't they out? "Counter-Strike is a classic," Inspector Kalli Hammermann (Ferdinand Hofer) explains to his older colleagues. "That's banana split, too," replies Ivo Batic (Miro Nemec) dryly. In fact, Munich's veteran detectives understand even less about lucrative gaming events than they do about ice cream specialties. In yesterday's "Tatort: Game Over" they investigated in a strange world. One from which many parents also feel excluded, in which other language codes apply. Never before has gaming on the computer taken up more space among young people, and the fascination of watching others do so has been greater.
A hacker who makes big money with so-called cheats (cheating software) and an e-sportsman who is willing to do anything for his longing for fame – how realistic is the scenario that the ARD crime thriller drew on Sunday? We asked the Munich eSports association, where gaming enthusiasts train:
Cheats, wall hacks, aimbots – what does that mean?
A cheat can be used to influence the course of the game in your own favor. Hackers are developing various programs for this. The Wall Hack is one of the most famous cheats next to the Aimbot. Thanks to cheating software, enemies can be detected through walls, while the aimbot helps the player aim. It ensures that the crosshairs automatically land on the opponent's head. "There is money to be made with cheats. For one or the other, it should certainly be possible to finance an apartment, even at Munich prices," says Marco Plewnia, board member of Munich eSports.
Is it really possible to cheat at gaming events with high prize money?
"At major events, cheating is not quite as easy as the 'Tatort' suggests," says Plewnia in an interview with our newspaper. "As a rule, all devices, networks and other gaming equipment are extensively checked. Referees who stand behind the players also keep an eye on the screens." Also, there is anti-cheat software that bans players who cheat for life.
Training or gambling addiction? How should parents behave?
For parents, it is certainly the most important thing to deal with the topic in a differentiated way. "If you are open yourself, the young people concerned are usually more open to taking a critical look at their own behaviour," says Marco Plewnia. However, e-sports clubs such as Munich eSports or general addiction counselling centres would also be happy to answer any concerns or questions you may have.
What makes it so fascinating?
"E-sports offers the perfect combination of the digital world and classic competition. Seeing how professional esports players master games that you play at home to perfection and execute moves with breathtaking precision and speed simply sweeps fans away.
Oskar (Yuri Völsch, 2nd from left) and his team want to win © at all costs Thomas Neumeier/BR