British researchers have taught four pigs to play a game, but soon esports teams won't be hiring livestock.

According to a BBC report, the scientists trained four pigs (Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony, and Ivory) to operate a simple joystick, maneuver an on-screen ball toward a target, and give treats. The researchers believe that it was "extraordinary" that the four pigs were able to connect their input to the screen.

But the pigs' goal was not only food. Even when the dispenser broke down during the experiment, all four pigs continued to play, thanks to the encouragement of the researchers.

The team also quickly discovered which pigs had a strong future in esports, with Ivory winning out over Omelette when it came to consistently hitting one-sided targets. But even though the omelette was a success by the researchers' standards, the team is confident that none of the pigs achieved that score by accident.

"To some extent, they all acquired the association between the joystick and the cursor movement," says lead author Dr. Candice Clowney.

"This type of research is important, because it allows us to understand the relationship between other sentient organisms and the cursor. Because, as with other sentient creatures, how we interact with pigs and what we do to them affects them and matters.

The BBC report ends by pointing out that this pig is still not as good as a game-loving chimpanzee or monkey. However, I would not give up on this pig just yet. Now that he has mastered the simple joystick game, it is time to introduce these barnyard gamers to the joys of PC gaming.

The research team is probably having them set up Steam accounts as we speak.