• World Cyber Games 2007

Xbox Undercover:

World Cyber Games

Published April 30, 2007

Michael Arzt is Senior Vice President and General Manager of International Cyber Marketing USA, organizer of the World Cyber Games (WCG).TriXie recently got a chance to grill him about everything from registration to the winner's circle.

Michael Arzt of World Cyber Games.

TriXie: First of all, who is eligible to compete in the World Cyber Games?

Michael: You have to be at least sixteen years old, and if you're under 18, you'll need parental permission, especially for "M" rated games.

TriXie: Last year I remember blogging about heading off to the 2006 U.S. finals and people were saying, "Hey, I didn't know registration was over. I missed my chance!" So let's be very clear: when does registration end?

Michael: The great thing is that it's not "one and done" like last year. You have multiple chances to register for a tournament and qualify to make it to your regional finals. We've created five mini-tournaments in each game. If you mess up in the first one or even miss it entirely, you've got four more chances.

TriXie: Yeah, there are a lot of different ways to make it to the big show. You can qualify online. If you're a defending champ, you could haul your butt to New York for the U.S. Open.  And if you're a Gears fan you could win your way to the WCG through the Gears of War® Global tournament.

Michael: That's right. Our goal is to create as many opportunities to participate as possible. We want everyone to have a chance to participate in the World Cyber Games.

TriXie: It seems like WCG chose the tournament titles based on a wide range of gaming tastes. For Xbox 360™ we've got Dead or Alive® 4 and Project Gotham Racing® 3 coming back from last year. For 2007, you've added two new titles—Tony Hawk's Project 8™ and Gears of War. Can you tell us why these games were selected?

Michael: Well, Gears was picked because it's a monster—literally and figuratively. It's the Xbox 360's killer app. It's popular, it's fun, and it's great to look at. The third-person perspective makes it great for spectators. The addition of Tony Hawk's Project 8 to the lineup will appeal not only to more Americans, but to more recreational players who don't think of themselves as e-athletes.

TriXie: I think most gamers just think of themselves as ordinary Joes. They think only famous gamers like Zyos or Fatal1ty are "e-athletes."

Michael: What might surprise those "ordinary" gamers is that both Fatal1ty and Zyos got their start at World Cyber Games. So did Team 3D and Final Boss.

TriXie: You mentioned that Gears of War is great for spectators. Some people kind of scoff at the idea of going to watch e-sports. Unless you or a buddy or loved one is competing, why should people go watch other people play video games?

Michael: What's great about e-sports is that the athletes are just regular gamers. They're very skilled, but they aren't rich and pampered superstars like you find in most sports. These players are very accessible and down-to-earth. But, like in other big competitions, when there's something on the line—a gold medal or cash, for example—e-sports offers all the passion and adrenaline of traditional spectator sports.  

TriXie: Plus you always have fun stuff going on besides the actual competition. At the U.S. finals in Las Vegas last year, you had stunt bikes and giveaways and Zyos was there teaching Halo® master classes. The Grand Finals in Monza, Italy featured bumper cars and sumo suits. It's a really fun time even if you're not a gamer.

Michael: We do that not only to appeal to spectators, but also to entertain our players between matches. Just like traditional sports, there's a lot of pressure in e-sports, and some of these kids are sixteen or seventeen years old. We want them to have a way to relax and have fun between rounds.

TriXie: Can you give me a hint where the U.S. Finals will be this year?

Michael:Hmmm. Nope. But it's going to be extremely fun.

TriXie: TTR Ch0mpr won the Gold at Monza. Does he get to come back to the Grand Finals to defend his title?

Michael: Ch0mpr gets a bye to the U.S. Finals but will compete at the WCG U.S. Open in June to determine his seeding at the U.S. final.

TriXie: Do the U.S. finalists win a trip to wherever they are held, or do they have to pay for it themselves? I imagine some gamers might be worried about plane fare and hotel and stuff.

Michael: Regional finalists get a travel stipend to help with airfare, and their hotel rooms are provided by the WCG. Plus, we also set up a cool player lounge stocked with plenty of food and beverages.

TriXie: This is a lot of great information Michael, thanks so much for your time.