Kotaku: world series of video games

E For All Replaces WSVG With MLG

Mike Fahey — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:00:14 MDT

Well the World Series of Video Games might have died, but that's not going to keep plucky upstart game convention E for All from hosting a video game tournament, no siree! Their desperate scramble for a gaming tournament following the WSVG tanking has resulted in a special Major League Gaming post-season event to be held specially at the convention this October. Special appearances from MLG pros and competitive gaming workshops are also planned.

"We are thrilled about the opportunity to bring Major League Gaming to this high-profile event," said Matthew Bromberg, CEO of Major League Gaming. "It's important for all of us in the video game community to support this great new way of reaching consumers and to showcase the phenomenon of top-flight competitive gaming."

I'm glad that all worked out. When they lost the WSVG event I almost wanted to attend the expo slightly less than I already do. Last thing I need is an apathy spike this late in the game.

MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING TO HOST OPEN VIDEO GAME COMPETITION AT E FOR ALL EXPO
Leading Pro Gaming League Creates Exclusive Post-Season Event Featuring Country's Top Pro Gamers

Framingham, MA, and New York City - September 19, 2007 - IDG World Expo today announced that Major League Gaming (MLG), the leader in competitive video gaming, has taken the reins on the centerpiece gaming tournament at the new Entertainment for AllTM Expo (E for AllTM) video game expo, scheduled to take place October 18-21, 2007 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Major League Gaming will create a special post-season tournament exclusively for E for All on the heels of its own championship tournament in Las Vegas the prior weekend. With thousands of dollars in cash prizes, MLG's E for All tournament will feature pro players and teams battling alongside aspiring amateurs. The event will also feature special MLG Pro appearances and an interactive session to help gamers "Get Better First™" on top titles.

"We are thrilled about the opportunity to bring Major League Gaming to this high-profile event," said Matthew Bromberg, CEO of Major League Gaming. "It's important for all of us in the video game community to support this great new way of reaching consumers and to showcase the phenomenon of top-flight competitive gaming."

"We've said it before, and we'll say it again: E for All is about one thing - games, games and games. Competitive gaming is a central part of that game experience, and we couldn't be happier to team up with Major League Gaming to allow E for All attendees to participate in the excitement and energy of competitive game play with some of the best, most talented gamers in the field today," said Mary Dolaher, CEO, IDG World Expo. "Whether you're a casual gamer or a seasoned player, the MLG tournament will keep you on the edge of your seat with incredible action and amazing game play."

World Series Of Video Games Strikes Out, Cancels Tourneys

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:20:15 MDT

Games Media Properties announced today that it would no longer produce the World Series of Video games and that the remainder of its 2007 pro-gaming series had been canceled. The competitive gaming league announced in May that it had signed an agreement with CBS to air four of its competitions, two of which now appear to no longer taking place.

GMP wrote in a statement that "the continuing challenges of securing adequate revenues to sustain the production of the WSVG's large scale events and television programming, in a very crowded field of competitive gaming leagues, has prompted us to re-evaluate our direction as an organization." GGL Wire writes in its post on the subject that other well known pro-gaming leagues are also showing signs of financial difficulty.

WORLD SERIES OF VIDEO GAMES CANCELLED [via the GGL Wire]

Selling The World Series of Slackers

Mike Fahey — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:30:31 MDT

This morning I caught an AP story posted over at the Miami Herald about the World Series of Video Games which includes a chat with WSVG commissioner Matt Ringel about how they plan to make the WSVG a more commercially viable event. I'm a gamer myself and I have a hard time imagining what would make me want to actually sit down and watch other people play video games on my television without the ability to snag the controller from their hands with a hearty, "You're doing it wrong," so it's interesting to see how they plan on brining in the everyday viewer into the fold. Can he do it without turning the whole event into a circus?

The only thing the Guitar Hero II finals seemed to lack was Ryan Seacrest. Contestants stood onstage, with a three-judge panel to their left, while dozens of people watched, some of them even approaching the stage and rocking out during the better performances.

Probably not.

Seems to me that the only way the World Series of Video Games could become a "TV-ready venture" is to to generate some fake entertainment. Like having three judges tear into Guitar Hero players, for instance, or bringing in gamers that don't quite fit the mold of the general public's perception.

Tall with blond spiked hair, the 23-year-old Christensen from Stockholm, Sweden, hardly looks like one of the best video game players in the world. His muscled build gives a hint of his former life as a junior hockey player. His English is flawless. His clothes are clean and, even more, they're stylish.

A clean, stylish gamer? No way! The article is filled with the same sort of subtle digs against gamers that are the main reason see gaming as a hobby for losers. From the beginning of the article the byline sets the tone: "Organizer insists that most of the contestants in the World Series of Video Games actually have lives." to the very end of the piece, while giving some background info on Christensen AP writer Will Graves, no doubt thinking himself amazingly witty, decided to place the sentence, "Oh, and he has a girlfriend" on its own line for impact. *rubs his throbbing temples*

So basically the writer of the article entitled "Event aims to break gamers' slacker image" spends a good amount of time bolstering that same image while Matt Ringel lays out plans to make video gaming into a respected event that will bring gaming into the mainstream (read: make lots of cash) by aping American Idol. I say the only way professional gaming will gain nationwide appeal in America is if the players start adopting colorful costumes and spend the pre-match interviews spitting into microphones with Randy Savage-like fury. They can even have their girlfriends in skimpy outfits cheering them on from the sidelines...you know, if they have them.

Event aims to break gamers' slacker image [AP News via the Miami Herald]

CBS To Air World Series Of Video Games

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:40:16 MDT

The wide world of "eSports" is coming to a television near you. CBS and the World Series of Video Games have announced that they've partnered to bring four hour-long recaps of WSVG events to television airwaves starting this summer. Competitive gamers will challenge eachother in titles such as World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, Guitar Hero II and Fight Night Round 3, among others.

The early airing schedule is:

July 29th - Louisville, Kentucky (Event: June 21st-24th)
August 19th - Dallas, Texas (Event: July 5th-8th)
November 17th - Los Angeles, California (Event: October 18th-21st)
December 15th - Jönköping, Sweden Saturday (Event: November 29th-December 2nd)

CBS plans to air footage of WSVG events on its CBS Sports Spectacular program. I know I'll be watching other people play video games instead of actually playing them myself for literally minutes at a time. Michael McWhertor

CBS and WSVG Team Up for 4 TV Shows [WSVG, via 1UP]