That's right, Pro Gaming's former top dog Johnathan Wendel, was among the short list of gaming experts when the BBC came a calling. If you can get past that you'll find an interesting and varied look at what some though were the highs and lows of this year and where they hope things will head next year.

Fable-creator Molyneux, for instance, seems enamored with the Wii and LittleBigPlanet, though not necessarily with the Playstation 3. Spore head-honcho Wright is also a fan of the Wii, and social networking in games.

Fatal1ty? He's a big fan of his new line of headphones.

Looking back to the future of fun

It's actually a pretty sweet thing they're doing here, so if you're planning on attending E For All, bring along some canned food, and not the generic crap. It's for the holidays, dammit. Hit the jump for more info.

The League of Legendary Gamers

For perhaps the only time in history, 5 of the Nations most recognized gamers come together for one common cause, “Feed the hungry”. In an attempt to do what matters most and fulfill an obligation as productive citizens of the United States of America; Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, Billy Mitchell, Justin Wong, Todd Rogers and TriForce will work with E For All Expo in a joint effort to collect food for the Los Angeles Food Bank for the upcoming holiday. The 5 Kings of gaming will use their prolific gaming ability to raise food for the hungry at the E For All expo.

A League like no other

Attendees will be able to challenge The 5 Kings in gaming on the E for All Gamers Stage. Challenges will be set by each of the 5 gamers in their respective game. In order to participate in the challenge, attendees will need at least 1 perishable food good as entry fee to the challenge. Each participant will receive a raffle ticket which will be raffled on Sunday October 5th 2008 at 3pm to win a Nintendo Wii sponsored by GameExpress.com and autographed by all 5 gamers in the League of Legendary Gamers.

Challenge the Masters and their Games

* · Fatal1ty: Doom 4
* · TriForce: Tetris DS
* · Billy Mitchell: Donkey Kong
* · Todd Rogers: Gorf
* · Justin Wong: Marvel Vs. Capcom 2

Background of Featured Gamers

Billy Mitchell: Originally from Holyoke, Massachusetts, Billy Mitchell grew up in South Florida and began playing games at the age of sixteen. In 1982 the name Billy Mitchell has resonated throughout the classic arcade scene. As the gaming pioneer for the competitive elite, Billy has since become the ambassador for gaming world wide.

Justin Wong: Hailing from the Empire State, New York City; at age 22, Justin “Marvelous” Wong has competed in numerous fighting game tournaments, both domestically and internationally. His road to becoming the King of Fighters began at Double Perfect Productions LLC: “SRK” Evolution International Fighting Game Series originally called the B-series, where he subsequently went on a (8) year reign as the (6) time Marvel vs. Capcom2 world Champion. This established the young gamers rise to supremacy in the fighting game genre.

TriForce: Hailing from the Empire State, New York City; at the tender age of 4, TriForce has played videogames because of his love for adventure such as the Legend of Zelda. TriForce has always sought out new ways to master the games in which he plays. TriForce holds 30 plus world records in gaming, a 2 time Guinness World Record holder and also the first gamer to receive the Nintendo Wii from President of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Amie who autographed his Wii.

Fatal1ty: Originally from Houston Texas, Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel is the most accomplished, professional PC gamer in history. As the world’s most famous PC gamer he spreads interest in PC gaming wherever he goes and, in the process, has become the sport’s worldwide ambassador. He presently reigns as the holder of 10 major championships, winning titles in 5 different games, a feat never before accomplished.
Todd Rogers: Has been setting world record high score since 1980. With the wide variety of system consoles that are out today you can only imagine what Todd is hard at work doing. Todd Rogers as a member of "The U.S. National Video Game Team" history's first team of professional video game players back in the mid 80's. Originally from Chicago now residing in Brooksville Florida, Todd Rogers who was crowned "The King of Video Games" by most media, and recognized world wide for his vast video gaming championship titles is featured in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records on page 155.

“There is no one else in the video game industry quite like Fatal1ty and we’re thrilled he’s returning to E for All,” said Mary Dolaher, Chief Executive Officer of IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events around the globe. “He’ll bring much excitement and attention to the show and we’re eager to see him interact with the fans, which is what he does best.”

I had always assumed gaming was what he did best, but there you go. Are there actually people out there who would go to E for All specifically to meet this guy? I can understand going for the games, the camaraderie, the excitement, and perhaps the games again, but just to meet a guy with a number in his name that doesn't rap? I just don't see it.

World’s Top Gamer “Fatal1ty” Returns to the “Entertainment for All Expo” (E for All)
E for All will once again welcome E-sportsman Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel to the event

E for All 2008
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—IDG World Expo and Auravision, Inc., master licensor for the Fatal1ty brand, announced today that the world’s most famous professional video gamer, Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, will be teaming up again with IDG World Expo to be the face of the 2nd annual Entertainment for All Expo® (E for All®), scheduled for October 3 – 5, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

“We are excited to be back participating again at E for All this year,” says Steve Gould, CEO of Auravision, Inc. “Last year’s E for All was a great experience and we expect this year’s to be even better.”

“There is no one else in the video game industry quite like Fatal1ty and we’re thrilled he’s returning to E for All,” said Mary Dolaher, Chief Executive Officer of IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events around the globe. “He’ll bring much excitement and attention to the show and we’re eager to see him interact with the fans, which is what he does best.”

Fatal1ty will once again bring his incredible mastery of games to the E for All show floor. As the holder of twelve world championships in five different games, Fatal1ty is known as a worldwide ambassador for the sport of gaming. On-site, he will engage with his fans, challenge enthusiasts in head-to-head exhibitions, conduct hands-on gaming demonstrations, sign autographs, and share his vision of the future of pro gaming. Those unwilling to succumb to the wrath of Fatal1ty can meet him personally at his prominent floor booth location.

“The second E for All will be even bigger and better than the first one held last year,” said Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel. “This show is for the gaming public and getting to meet lots of gamers face to face is what it’s all about for me.”

To view E for All Expo photos, please visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eforall/.

About Johnathan “FATAL1TY” Wendel

Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel became the world’s first full time professional video gamer in 1999 after accepting an invitation to represent the USA at an international tournament in Stockholm, where he went undefeated with a perfect performance. He has continued to dominate in competitions all over the world, competing on 6 continents throughout his 8-year professional career and winning unprecedented 12-world titles in 5 different games. In his competitive gaming career Fatal1ty has placed 1st in 65% of all the competitions he has entered and top 3 in 90% of them.

In honor of his contributions to the advancement of competitive video gaming, Johnathan was awarded the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award in the four-year history of the eSports-Award for “showing exceptional sportsmanship, taking part in shaping eSports into what it is today and for being the prime representative of this young sport. He has become the figurehead for eSports worldwide.”

Johnathan has joined forces with Championship Gaming Series (CGS) as exclusive on-air analyst, global spokesperson and gaming ambassador maintaining his ongoing efforts to establish competitive video gaming as a 21st century sport. Catch Johnathan and all the action on DirecTV’s channel 101, Sky, Star, or EuroSports and G4.

It's not the first time this has happened at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Multiple E3s had power failures, resulting in blazing hot temperatures and very boring booths. This one just happened to be surprisingly timely.

"I couldn't be more psyched to be associated with the first ever E for All," said Fatal1ty. "I'm looking forward to seeing thousands of thrilled video game fans, from beginners to those ready to battle me! It will be an amazing experience for the entire video game community."

I couldn't be more excited. Really. Hard to tell if I am being sarcastic or not, isn't it?

Competitive Video Gaming Legend ``Fatal1ty'' Joins Forces with Inaugural ``Entertainment for All Expo'' (E for All)

Fatal1ty Teams Up to Participate in the Most Anticipated Video Game Experience
E for All Expo 2007

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—IDG World Expo today announced that all-star cyber-sportsman, Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, is teaming up with IDG World Expo's newest event: Entertainment for All™ Expo (E for All™), scheduled for October 18-21, 2007, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Fatal1ty's fierce competitiveness and signature game face are the latest additions to this year's premiere consumer gaming experience.

Often called the Michael Jordan of competitive gaming, Fatal1ty has dominated the sport. The winner of 12 world championships in five different games, Fatal1ty has set the standard for professional video gamers.

Fatal1ty's presence embodies the passion and excitement that is E for All. Leading up to the Mecca of video game experiences, a Fatal1ty summer tour is planned to bring fans face-to-face with their favorite gamer, learn about E for All, and possibly win tickets to the event. Fatal1ty's summer media tour will also include the latest news from E for All. To view tour dates, visit www.fatal1ty.com.

"I couldn't be more psyched to be associated with the first ever E for All," said Fatal1ty. "I'm looking forward to seeing thousands of thrilled video game fans, from beginners to those ready to battle me! It will be an amazing experience for the entire video game community."

Fatal1ty's schedule for E for All weekend is loaded with special appearances, competitive gameplay, and fan interaction. On Saturday, October 20, Fatal1ty will give a keynote speech, "Competitive Gaming - From Basement to Big Time," focusing on the growth of E-Sports and its future. Fatal1ty will participate in game exhibitions and shootouts with lucky fans. Those unwilling to succumb to the wrath of Fatal1ty can meet him personally at his prominent floor booth location.

"We are thrilled about Fatal1ty's participation in E for All," said Mary Dolaher, CEO of World IDG Expo. "His presence adds an element of excitement for everyone participating in E for All by giving video game fans the chance to learn from a legend in the industry."

I don't know which is more surprising; that Time only listed Shigeru Miyamoto as number 92 in the Time 100 or that they got Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel to write the short piece for the magazine about the Nintendo dev.

In it, Wendel talks about his first Nintendo experience (at age 4) and how the Wii has once more drawn him into the loving arms of console gaming goodness. Then he totally drops into his Championship Gaming Series shill mode and starts talking about how wonderful pro-gaming is and why it should be like pro football or pro basketball.

Kinda jarring, but still a neat approach to the short story. Brian Crecente

Shigeru Miyamoto [Time]

Say hello to Pia Shandel. She hates video games. Jesse from I'm a Human Inbox caught her radio program in Vancouver right after Fatal1ty graced 60 Minutes in which she said gaming was "a waste of time for boys." Continuing, she likened it to "40 year-old men wearing green golfing pants." According to Jesse, the announcer was generally uninformed about gaming, but very opinionated about it.

Apparently, Pia was asking questions like "What do people get out of gaming?" and "What are they doing with their lives?" The caller Jesse got to hear was a mother who said her little boy plays video games, which she thought was a good thing. The child had ADHD (who doesn't?), and she felt that gaming thought him how to focus, learn skills and hand-eye coordination.

The radio announcer then asked the classy question of whether or not the mom lets her son play "the violent games with huge breasted women and AK-47s." The mother said she limits her son's gaming to 30 minutes a day and that he has to earn the time by doing his homework. He's also only allowed titles that are rated appropriately. Mom, nice pwnage!

So who is this Pia lady? According to her show's website, "Pia Shandel is one of Vancouver's most recongizable media personalities. Pia was the original morning host on CFUN when we changed to talk in 1996. Pia returns to CFUN after a stint in Television." That's a polite way of saying she's crawled back to radio after failing miserably in TV. Hey Pia, I've never seen your show, nor have I met you and am completely uninformed as to what type of person you are. But, in my opinion, you are a nitwit.

Pia's Show [CFUN] Thanks, Jesse!

It's not a debate that will ever be as hotly contested as kids, video games and violence, but the recent appearance on 60 Minutes by Pro Gamer Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel at least started some more discussion over at GameDaily on whether or not the term 'athlete' includes 'cyberathletes.'

Obviously, traditional sports require a different skill set than running through a UT map fragging the crap out of opponents, but is it required that "sport" be physical in order to be classified as such? I hate to make the comparison, but people do consider hunting and fishing sport, but are its participants athletes? Depends on how you define an athlete.

Furthermore, what goes into deciding who is, or isn't an athlete? It'd seem that society decides who is or isn't an athlete, with those decisions coming based on which "sports" are marketable and which are televised and which athletes can serve as viable sponsors. Is there a clear cut definition for athlete, or cyberathelete? Are these mutually exclusive terms? Playing Halo 2 isn't going to drain you physically like running five miles in a game of soccer, but aren't these just different skill sets in the name of sport?

Are Pro Gamers Athletes? [GameDaily]

I live in a foreign country, and the only American TV shows I get are reruns of Full House. So, how am I supposed to check out Fatal1ty's big, fat 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft? Swing by CBS's GameCore, where they've got a clip and summary up for all to hold me over until Uncle Joey starts imitating Bullwinkle.

GameCore [CBS News]

A writer over on Bona Fide Reviews walks readers through the dangers of making idle claims when you are about to take Fatal1ty head-on in a little Quake 4. John was the first guy picked in a raffle to play against the gamer at CES. Unfortunately, John made the mistake of saying that Fatal1ty wouldn t score a single point against him.

Fatal1ty decided to have some fun and both win the match and prove John right. Final score: -11 to 0. Excellent pwnage.

What s it like to play Fatal1ty? [Bona Fide Reviews]

Samsung, SK Telecom, Shinhan Sponsor South Korean Alien Killers [Bloomberg]
Fatal1ty Heading to Primetime via 60 Minutes

William from GameCore rang the Kotaku red phone this afternoon alerting us to Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendell's Sunday night appearance on 60 Minutes. GameCore has a preview of the episode up where Wendell attributes part of his training for cyberathleticism to good ol' fashioned physical fitness. Check your local listings to see when 60 Minutes airs on Sunday and set your TiVo.

Top Cyber Athlete Is No Couch Potato [GameCore]

Hexus Gaming has a review up of Fatal1ty's new gaming mouse. The thing that sorta separates this one from the pack is that it features four buttons. It also has a max DPI of 1600 and a weighted core that you can switch out to suit your gaming needs. Four buttons? What the hell am I supposed to do with my pinkie? I need five buttons man, five!

Jonathan Gives You the Edge [Hexus]

NinEyez emailed to tell us about an amazing first-person shooter duel he witnessed at CES. Over at the Creative Booth the marketers had set up a Try to Beat Fatal1ty event that was set to run throughout the day. NinEyez hung around for awhile to watch the pro-gamer hand the masses their asses in lopsided fragfests.

The first two bouts he watched ended in scores of roughly 23 to 2. As NinEyez put it, it was like watching a starving dog maul a t-bone. Then the people running the show drew out another contestant (the gamers were all picked randomly) and Nordic walked to the stage. Nordic has placed in the top ten in CPL, so NinEyez stuck around to see how things would shake down.

He describes what he witnessed as one of the most evenly matched shooter show-downs he s ever seen and called it a match of beautiful intensity. Instead of the mayhem, carnage and ultra-fast kills of previous matches, the game turned into a thing of almost pure strategy. The showdown eventually came down to sudden death overtime and Nordic won.

Final score
Nordic: 5
Fatal1ty: 4