16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero

Sharingan Lord · 08-18-2008, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:29PM EDT

Regular readers know that I love video games as much as the next guy. In fact, my right ankle is still sore from drumming my way through a marathon Rock Band session last night (who knew calibrating the TV would make such a difference!?), and I'm always looking for the latest titles to pop into my Xbox.

But how much gaming is too much? For North Carolina native Blake Peebles, there's no such thing. Guitar Hero is his title of choice. "I usually play till I can't anymore," he says, in this profile from the News & Observer.

In fact, young Mr. Peebles is dropping out of high school... in order to focus on Guitar Hero full time. Peebles hopes to join the small but growing crew of players looking to make gaming a job. Citing his victories in Guitar Hero tournaments, which include "gift certificates, gaming equipment, and chicken sandwiches," Peebles thinks he has the chops to play competitively and earn actual money in the process. As the story notes, top gamers on the competitive circuit can earn up to $80,000 a year (though $25,000 is more common). Peebles, of course, can count his 52 Chick-fil-A combo meals toward that total.

I was at first inclined to disparage the decision by his parents to let Peebles drop out of school, but it seems a little less ridiculous when you delve into the facts. Peebles hadn't been doing well in school and wasn't liked, and even now he isn't gaming full time. He has a tutor that provides a private education, and his parents say he's doing well with the more focused instruction and that their son now even does his homework without complaint. (Presumably he can hit the axe sooner after he's finished his studies.)

However, I worry that Peebles, who's just 16, may have a tough road ahead trying to break into competitive gaming. The costs of traveling to tournaments alone can totally outstrip earnings, and the amount of training can be grueling. Sponsorships are often a pipe dream. And then there's the issue of games going out of date and being replaced by something new. Traditional athletes never have to worry about, say, distance running being upgraded with a new version, but many games can go out of style, fast. In the end, there's just not much cash there: One gamer, quoted at the end of the linked article, says that in eight years his total earnings are about $25,000 total, and that's including a national championship in Halo 2.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/101746

Satoku · 08-18-2008, 10:23 PM

what a douche

never even touched a real guitar

Sasuke is awsome · 08-18-2008, 10:33 PM

What a loser for not ever touching a real guitar

Sevi · 08-18-2008, 11:03 PM

That's awesome.
I sincerely want to do that.

Kina · 08-18-2008, 11:06 PM

I really like gaming, but I'd never go that far.

Freshgrease · 08-18-2008, 11:16 PM

He will eventually fail, loose everything, and realize that everything he ever worked for was for nothing. He might get a GED, but that won't let you get into a serious college. What douche. I don't think he'll get farther than 6 months.

kluang · 08-18-2008, 11:36 PM

So he wants to be a guitar hero pro.....

lets see how long he can do it

The Assassins Curse · 08-19-2008, 05:00 AM

$50 says he'll end up living in an ally with a dumpster for a bed.

dropping out of High School just for that was one of the dumbest moves anyone could ever make.

Shikamaru · 08-19-2008, 09:35 AM

This kid is my hero, my guitar hero

Kites · 08-19-2008, 09:42 AM

Meh.. At least he has a plan.
I know dudes who drop out for no reason whatsoever.. Just so they can get some more sleep..

shadow_moon · 08-19-2008, 10:56 AM

good luck for him...

the question is he really good at it...

why not try the real guitar & become a rock star... that will be a better reason to drop out school.

blake · 08-19-2008, 11:44 AM

hell fail at guitar hero then he will take up heroin hero, and eventually overdose

hippiematt · 08-20-2008, 04:48 AM

I will never touch guitar hero .. ever!
Some random kid pwned me to badly in Gamestop last year and I never had the balls to play it again.

I hope hes skilled though because there's people in my school are just naturally skilled at that game.

Satoku · 08-20-2008, 04:49 AM

thats what we call practice Matt

Keisok · 08-20-2008, 06:47 AM

I forsee something epic in his future... most likely epic failure.

08-18-2008, 10:23 PM	#2
Satoku One Pump Chump Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: a soggy cardboard box Posts: 2,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero what a douche never even touched a real guitar

08-18-2008, 10:33 PM	#3
Sasuke is awsome Jounin Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Where ever I am Age: 17 Posts: 911 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero What a loser for not ever touching a real guitar __________________ Rep me green,and leave your name,and I rep u back thats how it works. Proud Member of New Sasuke FC Proud Owner of Jiraiya FC Join if you like Jiraiya and hate Pein Proud Owner of Tsunade FC Proud Owner of Orchimaru FC Proud Owner of The Three Legendary Sannin FC Proud Member of the Konoha Orange Flash FC http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...sasuke-san.gif Want free stuff? Such as a Xbox 360 or PS3. If so. Then click on the link below, sign up, and earn up enough points and get want you want. If you don't believe me check out the Testimonals. http://www.prizerebel.com/index.php?r=88409 May he rest in peace

08-18-2008, 11:03 PM	#4
Sevi Toothpick Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Here and there. Age: 19 Posts: 553 Thanks: 407 Thanked 60 Times in 26 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero That's awesome. I sincerely want to do that.

08-18-2008, 11:06 PM	#5
Kina Star-Stuff Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: You do not matter. None of us do. Age: 21 Posts: 3,433 Thanks: 755 Thanked 1,181 Times in 646 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero I really like gaming, but I'd never go that far. __________________ Luck is a skill. <Jonathan3 Don't hate on Rival. When I wake on the last day of my life, I want to face it without regret.

08-18-2008, 11:16 PM	#6
Freshgrease ▂▅▇█▓▒░◕‿‿◕░▒▓█▇▅▂ Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 25 Posts: 4,112 Thanks: 1,489 Thanked 1,005 Times in 546 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero He will eventually fail, loose everything, and realize that everything he ever worked for was for nothing. He might get a GED, but that won't let you get into a serious college. What douche. I don't think he'll get farther than 6 months. __________________

08-18-2008, 11:36 PM	#7
kluang One Punch Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,420 Thanks: 3,186 Thanked 4,670 Times in 2,102 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero So he wants to be a guitar hero pro..... lets see how long he can do it __________________ To err is human, to forgive, divine. Humans aren't machines... they have souls, feelings. They live, they die, they love, they hate... And yes, they even make mistakes..... When kluang finds you creepy and wrong then you are beyond horrible. He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Being Malaysian is about driving in a German car to an Indian restaurant for an Indonesian food, then travelling home, grabbing a Pakistani kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. Because we have no originality.

08-19-2008, 05:00 AM	#8
The Assassins Curse The Coffee Man Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 335 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero $50 says he'll end up living in an ally with a dumpster for a bed. dropping out of High School just for that was one of the dumbest moves anyone could ever make. __________________ Last edited by The Assassins Curse; 08-19-2008 at 05:03 AM.

08-19-2008, 09:35 AM	#9
Shikamaru ░░░░░░░▲░░░░░░░ Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Although I may not go down in history I will however go down on your sister Posts: 666 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero This kid is my hero, my guitar hero

08-19-2008, 09:42 AM	#10
Kites I Love Donuts Join Date: Nov 2004 Age: 21 Posts: 1,165 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 12 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero Meh.. At least he has a plan. I know dudes who drop out for no reason whatsoever.. Just so they can get some more sleep.. __________________ til infinity..

08-19-2008, 10:56 AM	#11
shadow_moon ANBU Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: somewhere in earth Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 0 Thanked 128 Times in 99 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero good luck for him... the question is he really good at it... why not try the real guitar & become a rock star... that will be a better reason to drop out school. __________________ Be awed by my prowess! - Keigo Atobe

08-19-2008, 11:44 AM	#12
blake Hunter-Nin Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: awesomeville pop. 1 Age: 23 Posts: 1,173 Thanks: 118 Thanked 305 Times in 197 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero hell fail at guitar hero then he will take up heroin hero, and eventually overdose

08-20-2008, 04:48 AM	#13
hippiematt Chuunin Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ipod Age: 21 Posts: 721 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero I will never touch guitar hero .. ever! Some random kid pwned me to badly in Gamestop last year and I never had the balls to play it again. I hope hes skilled though because there's people in my school are just naturally skilled at that game. __________________ I will put my code up in a while. Brawl Mario Cart

08-20-2008, 04:49 AM	#14
Satoku One Pump Chump Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: a soggy cardboard box Posts: 2,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero thats what we call practice Matt

08-20-2008, 06:47 AM	#15
Keisok Genin Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Between Dimensions Posts: 252 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 16-year-old drops out for Guitar Hero I forsee something epic in his future... most likely epic failure. __________________ Life may suck now, but it'll get better. Even if it doesn't, then I can still watch TV. - myself after being asked if I wanted to commit suicide. A favorite quote: Are you thinking what I'm thinking that you're thinking I'm thinking because if you think that I think I'm thinking then we've got a problem. An Owner of: Be the Ultimate Ninja! Play Billy Vs. SNAKEMAN

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