UT2K3 Community Interviews

I wanna be a professional gamer when I grow up

FS: One major issue brought up consistently nowadays is online athleticism, how close do you feel we are we to this? A few names have been able to make a name for themselves like fatal1ty, zero4, and of course the original: Thresh. All at Quake. Unfortunately it's still nowhere even near pro skating, much less something like football. What is necessary for this to happen? Do team games need to rise? Do the games need to appeal to casual observers more?

Xavier|HV: I think companies need to see money in sponsoring teams. If, say, Sony sponsored a team, and advertised them and got the public into the new "thing." I think it could be very big. I don’t think that cash tournaments are going to cut it. We need competitive leagues with big-name advertisers.

GrimDeath|HV: Currently, the CPL is planning on running a $200,000 Counter-Strike tournament for their 2003 summer event. $70,000 of that goes to the first place team. Team sizes are 5v5, and 70,000/5 = $14,000 per player. If they held 4 of these LANs a year, and you won all 4, you’d be making quite a sum of money.

Xavier|HV: But that's still only 5 people making quite a sum of money.

ViolentJ|HV: Yeah, like Xav said, the bridge needed to be crossed is serious corporate sponsorship.

GrimDeath|HV: The 2002 Summer event was only $100,000. That’s a double increase in prize money for only 1 year. If the CPL goes at this rate, it won’t take that long for individuals to be making $50,000 or even $100,000 at a single LAN party.

Xavier|HV: But for gaming to be compared to football we need a bigger audience and seasonal play, not 4 weekends a year.

ViolentJ|HV: As soon as companies are paying people to play and win games, while promoting the company’s name, professional gaming will get huge. Anyone can be a gamer. Not everyone can play football. Plus as we all know, the internet is a great way to get people together. There just needs to be incentive for gamers, and companies willing to capitalize.

GrimDeath|HV: I’d say we are closer than 99% of people realize.

ViolentJ|HV: The same example could be used for car racing. A bunch of idiots used to race around a track, and it never got big until companies began putting their names on cars. Now NASCAR is huge. Mark my words; you'll see a group as large as the NFL running online gaming. The changes to make that happen have already started. People are simply stupid to the fact, or ignorant, but professional gaming is taking steps in the right directions. It just needs a good kick in the ass.

FS: Alrighty gentlemen, thanks a bunch for your time. Here's to many a win in Wolf, 2k3, or whatever the future holds.

ViolentJ|HV: Danke. Any time.

Xavier|HV: Thanks, Hubris

GrimDeath|HV: Thank you.

Xavier|HV: Tell Thresh I said hi.

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