Science in the Triangle

If you’re looking for evidence that the Triangle has become a big player in the video gaming industry, consider the hundreds of pro gamers planning to converge on Raleigh Aug. 27 for the upcoming Major League Gaming tournament.

The event, which pits some of the most talented players in the world against one another in a professional sport-like atmosphere, is a first for the capital city.

And much like professional sports, spectators show up in droves. Ryan Moore, MLG’s PC tournament director, expects attendees to be in the thousands.

“A lot of people who are into gaming but can’t compete at that level get to watch these players,” Moore said.

The tournament lineup features several mainstays in competitive gaming: Bungie‘s Halo 3, Nintendo‘s Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Blizzard Entertainment‘s World of Warcraft. But Moore said the showdown in Raleigh will also include Blizzard’s newest strategy title, Starcraft II, for the first time in tournament play.

That’s big news for fans of the game, which sold 1.5 million copies in 48 hours.

Competitors are clamoring for spots on the bracket as well. The 32 coveted open spots for players sold out in two minutes, 19 seconds, Moore said (32 other spots were claimed by invitation only).

Gamers and organizers like Moore are out to make competitive gaming a sport like any other. That’s why MLG tournaments feature professional “sportcasters” and their Sunday matchups are even broadcast online on ESPN.

“Everybody’s hungry to push — we call it ‘e-sports’ — as hard as we can,” Moore said.

But it may be a while before a country acclimated to Monday Night Football will tune in to see gamers battle it out. Despite the rapid rise of gaming as an industry and an art form, there’s still a stigma attached — especially for those interested in “going pro.”

The stats, for one, are certainly different. Some of the best Starcraft players in the world can register 200 to 300 actions per minute, a value that determines how quickly they can overrun and outmaneuver their opponents on the virtual battlefield.

But competitive gaming going mainstream isn’t unheard of. Moore points out the U.S. is behind other markets like South Korea, which has several leagues and stadiums devoted to the “e-sports.” Many of the biggest tournaments there are even televised, something that has happened on occasion for MLG. Moore said more televised events are on the horizon.

The differences between competitive gaming and competitive sports are clear, sure. But it does seem feasible that watching these fierce matchups can become something of a draw to American audiences. While competitors aren’t necessarily showcasing their athletic skill, there’s certainly plenty to be said for the ultra-fast reaction times, pitch-perfect strategy and long hours of training.

That’s way more than you can say about other popular televised obsessions like Minute to Win It.

That’s why Moore said MLG is looking to find “familiar, marketable faces” who earn their championship titles at events like the one in Raleigh — the 50th such tournament for MLG.

“Video games are on the rise as compared with other media,” Moore said. “The more people accept it, the less of a stigma there will be.”