Still, this new growth, not tied to any one event, is shattering past records. But it left the old guard wondering whether the game would pivot to chase profit by throwing less experienced, but popular, players into the limelight, rather than putting all focus on the game’s most serious competitors. Many tuned in, excited by the sillier version of the game. launched its PogChamps event in 2020, which streamed matches between internet personalities with little experience (Rainn Wilson took on rapper Logic, who came dressed as Wilson’s iconic Dwight Schrute). Introduced as a seemingly simple opponent, Mittens turned out to be far more masterful at the game, and has frustrated even a chess grandmaster.Īll of this raises questions about the culture and future of the game. Another driver may be Mittens, a big-eyed, deceptively sweet-looking cat bot that began clawing its way through the competition on this year.
