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Parents allow child to drop out of school, focus on Guitar Hero

August 17, 2008 in News comments 32

Seriously? Yes, unfortunately.

Blake Peebles, only 16 years old, convinced his parents to allow him to drop out of school and focus primarily on his professional gaming career, specifically geared towards Guitar Hero.

Blake's parents have hired in house tutors to help him keep up with his studies.

He has won only $1,000 in tournament prizes so far to date, and hopes on signing on with MLG in the future.

Blake Peebles, a 16-year-old in Raleigh, N.C., whose parents have let him drop out of school so that he can focus on a professional gaming career via Guitar Hero.

Blake convinced his folks (that is, "We couldn't take the complaining anymore," said his mom) to let him drop out last September. They hired in-home tutors to continue his education there, at least, but there's no doubt priority number one is Guitar Hero. There's a vaguely defined goal of Blake playing it professionally, either through Major League Gaming or by winning prizes in a national and international competitions. But so far he's only made about $1,000, most of that value realized in meals and other freebies won at local competitions. The other pro gamer the reporter contacted for this story said he's cashed in about $25,000 in his entire career.

The description of Blake's room, his interests (or lack thereof) , and his folks' decision to let him do this just ... well, the don't make anyone look good. It would be one thing if the guy was a bona fide music or athletic prodigy. However quixotic a career in either field might be for the majority who pursue it, at least there's a long history of it paying off if you are that good enough. But Blake's never touched a real guitar (cue up the get-a-life bait). He didn't seem interested in much of anything in high school (a Christian academy where his parents had enrolled him) and wheedled his way out of going by complaining that it was a waste of time. (That line should sound very familiar to my folks. If only playing Master of the Lamps on the Commodore 64 could have won me some free Chik-Fil-A. I might have had better luck.)
Deathsythe via kotaku.com »
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  • 8
    Cruxis Mana Aug 17, 08
    This can only end well.

  • 0
    therealNgamer Aug 17, 08
    Doesn't sound like he has a very promising career. How's he gonna survive when he moves out?
    • 0
      Capn Droid Aug 18, 08
      Guitar Hero tournaments, racking in big bucks.
  • 0
    Twisted Aug 17, 08
    Haha, thats funny. Don't think he'll get very far with that though tbh...
  • 1
    Big Willie Aug 17, 08
    Well, at least he has the whole professional gaming dream. That's more than some home schooled children have.
  • 0
    McClubbin Aug 17, 08
    That's a real dick move on the kid's part. Just cause he won a grand, he thinks he's all hot stuff. Though I'd have to hand it to the parents for resolving this issue in such a "diplomatic" manner. I'd slap the shit out of the kid for whining. I really hope there's a follow-up to this article 5 years from now.
    • 0
      chautemoc Aug 17, 08
      He'll be on the cover of People: "Child Guitar Hero pros: then and now". Probably a crack addict making his living hosting karaoke nights.
  • 2
    RabidChinaGirl Aug 17, 08
    Read the whole article. He's getting home schooled now.
    quote
    They would have preferred that he stay in high school with his brother. But he bugged them until they let him quit.

    ...

    So they made a deal. Blake could leave school but would have to be tutored at home.
    • 0
      Deathsythe Aug 17, 08
      quote The Description
      Blake's parents have hired in house tutors to help him keep up with his studies.
      Yeah, I mentioned that above.

      • 0
        RabidChinaGirl Aug 18, 08
        Not directed at you. I mean people are getting so worked up over it, I was wondering if they bothered reading the whole article.
        • 0
          Fatal Error Aug 18, 08
          Well he has to because he's legally not allowed to drop out of school.
        • 0
          Capn Droid Aug 18, 08
          No shit? More the reason to stop crying over it.
  • 0
    StabWound Aug 17, 08
    A lot of people in MLG dropped out to focus on gaming.
    • 0
      Deathsythe Aug 17, 08
      Yes, the operative word is IN, this kid hasn't gone pro yet.

      Plus Guitar Hero isn't really that main-stream on the competitive circuit. If he had been a whiz at CS, Halo, or UT or something a little more mainstream, then I could understand.

  • 0
    kik36 Aug 17, 08
    At least his parents have an in home tutor to help finish out his education. Otherwise it's still just some whiny little shit whose parents don't have any control.
    • 0
      Sayyed Aug 17, 08
      Or they could have done the right thing and kept him in school. He's a teenager, he doesn't know what career he is going to be in. No matter how convinced he is.
      • 0
        reaver11 Aug 18, 08
        Exactly. We were all ambitious little shits at that age. Our interests changed as much as we changed our socks. He'll be tired of this so-called "career" and want to go back to school. I hope he fails though. How the hell can you contribute to society when all you do is hang out with a bunch of TVs and plastic guitars? This "MLG" is basically others creating something for you to do; always relying on others to continue the career. "MLG" is a laughable career.

        But I think he just wanted to get out of Christian school. I wouldn't want to be there.
  • 3
    TurMoiL911 Aug 17, 08
    If this kid is going to drop out of school to play a video game competitively, he should at least do it correctly by getting good at an RTS and moving to Korea.
    • 0
      AznLiquid Aug 18, 08
      That reminds me of a player by the name of Jun Tae-Yang. He was recruited into a pro team at the age of 12, after his parents sent him to a camp to learn from pros.

      How much does the best GH player get paid at the moment? I don't see it being a very television-friendly game, unlike Starcraft and CS.

      And MLG pros get paid shit compared to Starcraft players. Pro gaming just isn't as big in the US.
  • 0
    Play ISDF Aug 18, 08
    I bet you that there are many many more people better than him. He's not gonna do well in my opinion.
  • 0
    Mikstaslaya Aug 18, 08
    Sadly enough, this kid lives about 15 minutes away from my place. Geez, is Guitar Hero really gonna get you a better career than school?

    I doubt it.
  • 0
    Zeon I Aug 18, 08
    *bleep*ING MORON.

    He would make way more money in Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.
  • 2
    BANDITO ATTACK Aug 18, 08
    what a *bleep*ing faggot.

    i am reminded of the very end of the south park episode about guitar hero.
    • 3
      Demonfurby Aug 18, 08
      "You just scored 1,000,000 points in Guitar Hero.

      YOU ARE FAGS!!!"

      Hmm, I wonder if he'll turn out differently.
  • 0
    Newcloud Aug 18, 08
    kid drop out of school for no reasons these days
    this kid has a reason its just not a very good one
  • 0
    InnerDemon Aug 18, 08
    I wish I could do that. I practically learn the same thing every year any ways.
  • 0
    Seproth Aug 18, 08
    No child left behind.

    Well I guess the rest of the class can speed up a bit now!
  • 0
    Mudkip94 Aug 18, 08
    You got to be kidding me. My parents would kill me if I did this
  • 0
    Murray3 Aug 19, 08
    Wow, the only thing wrong with this article is his choice of game... Almost all tournaments are focused around FPS's
  • 0
    Final Blade Aug 19, 08
    Actually I prefer homeschooling myself. Im appalled at the lack of good teachers in my state in U.S, they can't teach for shit.

    While I doubt he's going to get anywhere with these tournaments, I can say getting tutored is probably the best thing for the kid. As long as he gets a real part time job in the process to earn money.
  • 0
    Revenger of Wastelan Aug 19, 08
    Oh boy, poor kid, he chose the path of... the loser.
  • 0
    Dark Arcanine Aug 31, 08
    That kid makes the people who glorify themselves over TTFAF on Expert Mode look nearly sane.

    It brings up the question of who lacks the most brains, the child or the parents.

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