[Upbeat music plays]

Two animated brains move over a line maze. Two chomping halves of an animated pink brain join together. Text on banners over the brain reads, “Hungry Brain!”

A voice says, HUNGRY BRAIN!

An animation shows two pixelated people on an Olympic podium. An alien appears on the bronze podium.

[Cheering]

A narrator says, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DECLARE THE FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES FOR E-ATHLETES OPEN. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF E-ATHLETES? YOU GOTTA UP YOUR GAME. IT MAY NOT BE THAT WELL-KNOWN RIGHT NOW, BUT WINNING GOLD FOR VIDEO GAMES WILL BE CHILD'S PLAY IN THE FUTURE. HERE'S THE TOP ON E-ATHLETES.

Episode title: Top on E-Athletes.

A blue number five appears.

[Dinging, upbeat music plays]

The narrator says, NUMBER FIVE: MORE POPULAR THAN CINEMA. WHAT'S UP, PONG?

In the video game Pong, a pixelated ball bounces off flat paddles.

[Electronic beeping]

The narrator says, IT'S TRUE THAT SOME PEOPLE'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS VIDEO GAMES STINK. EVER SINCE THE 1970’S, CERTAIN FOLKS HAVE DEEMED THEM A WASTE OF TIME. BUT IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BALLGAME NOW. VIDEO GAMES ARE MORE POPULAR THAN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES LIKE MUSIC OR CINEMA. OVER A BILLION PEOPLE PLAY VIDEO GAMES WORLDWIDE. JUST OVER 1 PERSON IN 7.

A yellow number four appears.

[Dinging]

The narrator says, NUMBER FOUR: PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

Sketches show human bodies flexing their muscles.

The narrator says, IT'S GAME OVER FOR THE IMAGE OF THE VIDEO GAME PLAYING COUCH POTATO. E-ATHLETES ARE PROFESSIONAL TEAM PLAYERS. THEY EVEN HAVE COACHES AND PRACTICE SEVERAL HOURS A DAY.

A white number three appears.

[Dinging]

The narrator says, NUMBER THREE: THEY'RE QUICK OFF THE MARK.

A hand types on a keyboard.

[Typing]

The narrator says, PROFESSIONAL VIDEO GAME PLAYERS CAN EXCEED 600 A.P.M., "ACTIONS PER MINUTE" ON THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE. AND KEEP IT UP FOR HOURS. WHEN IT COMES TO EXCELLENT PHYSICAL CONDITION AND MENTAL CONCENTRATION, THEIR FINGERS ON THE PULSE.

A striped number two appears.

[Dinging, upbeat music continues]

The narrator says, NUMBER TWO: ELECTRONIC SPORTS ARE NO WALK IN THE PARK.

In a pixelated animation, a person wearing a hard hat plays a video game beneath the flag of France.

[Beeping]

The narrator says, FOR SOME PEOPLE, VIDEO GAMES HAVE BECOME A DAILY PRACTICE, EVEN A FULL-TIME JOB. EXAMPLE, IN FRANCE, THE AVERAGE AGE OF A PLAYER IS AROUND 31.5 YEARS. WOMEN ARE ALSO WELL REPRESENTED. IN THE SAME COUNTRY, 36 PERCENT OF DAILY PLAYERS ARE WOMEN. PLAYING TIME IS ON THE INCREASE, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES PER DAY SPENT IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN.

A yellow number one appears.

[Dinging]

The narrator says, NUMBER ONE: DOCTORS OF E-ATHLETES. LIKE WITH ANY OTHER SPORT, INJURIES CAN HAPPEN, EVEN AMONG E-ATHLETES. GAMING CAN PLAY HAVOC WITH YOUR BODY.

An e-athlete holds a controller and sits on a chair. Red lines and circles highlight the athlete’s elbow, wrist, ankle, and head.

[Whirring]

The narrator says, TENDINITIS OF THE ELBOW, CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME, ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE, EVEN PERSISTENT AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS FROM THE MUSIC IN THE GAME. LUCKILY, E-SPORT PLAYERS NOW HAVE DOCTORS TO GET THEM BACK ON TOP OF THEIR GAME.

The two pixelated people and the alien appear on the podium.

[Cheering]

The narrator asks, WILL E-ATHLETES EVER PARTICIPATE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES? IT MAY HAPPEN SOONER THAN YOU THINK. E-SPORTS WILL BECOME AN OFFICIAL DISCIPLINE AT THE 2022 ASIAN GAMES. I ATE THAT UP.

Pacman moves across the screen.

[Chiming]

[Upbeat music continues]

End Credits. Narration: Helen Moorhouse. Writer: Sébastien Guindon. Trio Orange. Member of the Association Quebécoise de la Production Mediatique. Copyright 2019. Logo: AQPM.