This week, instead of playing StarCraft myself, I ended up watching a pro-level e-tournament match between two top players, herO and Cure. Even as a spectator, I could tell that StarCraft is no joke. The pacing, the multitasking, the sheer amount of information a player has to juggle is a lot. Honestly, the learning curve seems steep enough that I didn’t feel ready to jump in directly, but watching others play made it clear why this game has such a committed following.
StarCraft 2 GSL GRAND FINALS! The $30,000 Bunker Rush
Gender and Representation
I also played SC2VN, a visual novel that explores the life of a foreigner trying to make it in the Korean StarCraft scene. It was fascinating, not just because it gave me a window into the culture around the game, but because it let me choose the gender of the main character. What really stood out to me was the disclaimer that said choosing male or female changes very little, if anything, in the story.
That kind of disclaimer says a lot. The fact that it even needs to be stated shows how much players expect gender to matter in how stories play out, especially in gaming spaces that are so heavily male-dominated. It also reflects a broader awareness that gender-based bias and discrimination in gaming isn’t hypothetical; it’s something real players anticipate, and developers feel the need to address upfront, even in small narrative games.
It’s Not Just a Game, It’s a Lifestyle
What surprised me most was learning just how deeply rooted StarCraft is in South Korean culture. It’s not just a game; for many, it’s a lifestyle, a serious sport, a national phenomenon. There are professional leagues, celebrity players, and fans who follow it the way others follow football. It’s wild to think that a real-time strategy game, developed in California of all places, became such a defining cultural force in a country halfway around the world.
But the community also has its complications. I was surprised to learn about the discrimination foreign players often face when trying to break into the Korean competitive scene. Even though StarCraft itself is global, there’s an undercurrent of nationalism and gatekeeping in some spaces. It’s a reminder that even digital communities aren’t free from the real-world dynamics of belonging and bias.
Coldness towards Foreign Players (SC2VN)
Spectating as an Entry Point
While I didn’t play StarCraft this week, spectating helped me appreciate just how layered the game is, not just mechanically, but culturally. There’s a whole ecosystem built around it, from the pressure of ladder rankings to the grind of trying to “make it” as a pro, especially as a foreigner. And yet, despite all that intensity, there are still creators who find space to reflect on that experience, like in SC2VN, and quietly challenge who gets to belong in that world.
Overall, StarCraft is intimidating, but it’s also clearly a window into something bigger than just a strategy game. There’s history, community, identity, and power all wrapped into it. I might not be ready to 1v1 anyone anytime soon, but watching this week has made me think about what it means for a game to be more than a game, more so how it becomes a culture, and who that culture includes or pushes out.
