GrainsWest Fall 2020

Fall 2020 grainswest.com 11 “We have a long-term interest in making sure kids are interested in agriculture.” —Dana Bolden BY ELLEN COTTEE • PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN DEERE barns, sheds and silos. Created by developers and players, these are available online at the Farming Simulator mod hub. “If, in real life, a player uses an old John Deere model we don’t have in the game, they can create it, upload it and anyone can use it,” said Malcharek. To better reflect the reality of farming in the 21st century, GIANTS will soon add a precision farming component to upcom- ing game modifications. This will allow players to manage agro- nomic factors such as soil type and incorporate drones. Almost by accident, Farming Simulator entered the eSports world with the creation of the Farming Simulator League in 2019. Two years prior, the company created a special gameplay event for Agritechnica, a massive annual tradeshow held in Hannover, Germany. It has since evolved into a league with more than 14,000 players around the world and a winner’s pot worth a 250,000 euros. For the John Deere team, playing is about more than winning. “My grandfather and uncle farmed in reality,” said team captain Benedikt Dahme, who lives in Germany. “As a child, I was often with them in the tractor and now I get to do it in a game.” League play is intensely competitive. Generally played at in-per- son events, a pair of three-person teams battle to earn the most points in a 15-minute game. In league play, participants scramble to select machinery options, and once a piece of equipment is taken, it’s not available for the other team to use. “It sounds easy, you just need to get more points than the other team,” said Dahme. “But you really have to have the right tactics and strategy to make sure you get the points you need.” Global ag corporations such as Corteva Agriscience sponsor both the game and league. “We had a lot of conversations about how we connect with different audiences,” said Dana Bolden, the company’s chief communications officer. “We quickly got to teens, because we have a long-term interest in making sure kids are inter- ested in agriculture. Ultimately, we’re going to need to hire a lot of these kids.” Corteva initially signed on as a sponsor to test the fit. At the German ag tradeshow event, it became immediately apparent just how popular the league has become, said Bolden. “It was sort of a look-see for us, initially. I don’t know if you remember your first rock concert, but that’s what it was like for me. There was high energy all around the venue.” The addition of Farming Simulator to the eSports arena has bridged a gap, making farming cool across a wide demographic that includes non-farmers, said Malcharek. “You can play Farming Simulator if you’re six, or if you’re 60. Everyone can play.” Farming Simulator League events have the feel of rock concerts. The John Deere Team took second place at the Agritechnica 2019 competition.