So how bad is the economy?

Emmanuel Rodriguez went from an elite club of professional gamers back to Sam’s Club, where he works in customer service.

Virtual Leagues Fold, Forcing Gamers to Find Actual Jobs

By RYAN GOLDBERG

Until recently, Emmanuel Rodriguez worked on a stage, under bright lights, amid intense competition and before cheering fans. He was a professional video-game player, and a world champion.

Now he works at the customer service desk of a Sam’s Club in Dallas.

Rodriguez, a brash 23-year-old whose nickname in the gaming community is Master, dominated an international field in July in Dead or Alive 4, a popular fighting game, on the Microsoft Xbox 360. He picked up $5,000 and a trophy for the victory.

The competition, held in Los Angeles, was part of the world individual finals of the Championship Gaming Series, a league started two years earlier by News Corporation and DirecTV. And Rodriguez, given his success and his swagger, was a star. As a designated franchise player, he received a base salary of $30,000. During the regular season, he lost only one match, good enough to be named North American most valuable player.

(More here.)