US takes gold at computer-gaming 'Olympics'
17:49 21 November 2005
NewScientist.com news service
Will Knight

World Cyber Games
After two days of concentrated laser combat, high-octane road racing and world class soccer, the US notched up the most victories at the 2005 World Cyber Games in Singapore.

More than 39,000 spectators saw 700 contestants from 67 countries battle it out to claim a stake in a prize money pot of $435,000 – not to mention the kudos of being declared one of the world's elite computer gamers.

Fans cheered as crucial games were projected onto large screens in the auditorium, and the grand final was broadcast live on the internet.

Among the competitors were several professional computer gamers, including Niklas Timmermann from Germany, playing the racing game Need for Speed, and Jihoon Seo of South Korea, playing the strategy game StarCraft. Successful gamers can earn substantial salaries and are celebrities among their peers.

During the event, 12,000 kilowatts of electricity were pumped through the International Conventional and Exhibition Center, to keep 600 PCs and 30 Xbox game consoles running during more than 1000 matches.

Medals galore
Hank Jeong, CEO of International Cyber Marketing, which organised the event, claimed: "With the unprecedented spectator interest and record number of participating countries and gamers this year, the World Cyber Games has truly evolved to become the gaming equivalent of the Olympics."

The final scores saw US players win the most accolades – team gold medals for the hotly fancied Team3D in the frantic combat games CounterStrike and Halo 2, as well as an individual silver medal in the strategy game WarCraft III.

The US was closely followed by South Korea, which won two gold medals and one bronze, and by Brazil, which collected one gold and two silver medals. Individual gold medals also went to Germany, for FIFA Soccer, and to China for WarCraft III.

Contestants need to qualify at national tournaments in order to take part in the games. The nine games played at the event were Counter Strike, FIFA Soccer 2005, Need for Speed, StarCraft, WarCraft III, Warhammer, Dead or Alive Ultimate, Halo 2 and Freestyle.

 

wow cant believe korea didnt take the cold for CS

though they probably took it for starcraft

 

I qualified for the world finals in Need For Speed last year, but couldn't go

 

koreans are actually pretty bad at cs compared to the european and american teams. I used to play competivetly till i got into world of warcraft but anyway yea. CS is just dominated by the us and euros its not even funny.

 

more likely that it would be a euro team... but w00t go USA !

 

Now, if this was a tourney for Street Fighter...Us North American would be goin' down.

 

Damn .. Team3D's insane, I used to watch their demos all the time.