Author Topic: National Videogame Tournament Announced (Read 4274 times)

WindyMan · « **on:** January 27, 2004, 07:37:46 AM »

Major sponsors are participating, and $150,000 is up for grabs.

Link: http://www.thevgames.com/
Source: Press Release

Quote
Let the V Games Begin: First National Video Game Tournament Announced

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 2004 -- Who says video games are a waste of time? Certainly not those who will be competing for thousands of dollars in this year's V Games (www.thevgames.com), sponsored by Ziff Davis Media Group and EB Games. From March to October of 2004, 30 cities will host qualifying rounds of the 2004 V Games, the first ever live-action, console and PC based video game tournament. An estimated 30,000 people will compete in eight top video games nation-wide.

“Finally, a chance for gamers to get together and compete on a level playing field, against people from all across the country," wrote one supporter. “This is what we have been waiting for."

With over $150,000 in cash and prizes to be won, the V Games, billed as the Olympics of video game competition, signify an important shift in the video game industry. “Our sponsors realize that video games are no longer strictly the province of teenage boys," said Heath Gross, V Games co-founder and Director of Marketing. “Everyone from six to sixty is playing them. For this reason, the V Games have caught the attention of companies marketing everything from soft drinks to cell phones."

Though online gaming has grown in popularity over the last few years, the V Games give gamers a chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and compete in the best-selling console and PC video games on the market. And with the anticipation building among gamers, the V Games promise to draw crowds at every venue. “There is something to be said for the live competition--it's almost like a sporting event," Gross stated. “There will be no shortage of spectators since the V Games are being held at malls where EB Games retail stores are located. A competition of this magnitude is likely to make shoppers stop and see just what's going on."

Josh Langford, V Games co-founder and Director of Operations, agreed. “The feedback we have received since the Web site went live has been unbelievable," he explained. “Gamers all seem to say the same thing: ‘finally.'"

Players can register online at www.thevgames.com or through a mail-in registration card available at EB Games stores. Anyone registering before Feb. 1, 2004 will receive a free V Games t-shirt, and the first 500 players to register in each city will be entered in a drawing for a $100 EB Games gift card.

Currently, the only GameCube game scheduled for the tournament is the Link-inclusive version of Soul Calibur II. The other games available for signup include the PS2 versions of Madden, NBA Live, GT3 and Socom; Halo and SSX 3 on the Xbox, and Counter Strike for the PC. The registration fee for the regional qualifiers will set you back $15 per game. For more info on where and when regionals will be held, check out the official V-Games website at http://www.thevgames.com/.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2004, 07:47:12 AM »

It's nice to see that there are a variety of genres covered in this tournament. I was afraid it would be all sports games. Too bad there's no Smash Bros though. Or Rampart which I assume they excluded because they were afraid that too many people would sign up for it and its greatness would greatly overshadow the other titles.

NOALink · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2004, 09:45:35 AM »

One question: Where is the Mario Kart: Double Dash? I'm about to hold a campus-wide tournament at the University of Arkansas, and it's going to be a smashing success. They need more quality gamecube games like this, or smash brothers.

thepoga · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2004, 12:03:02 PM »

man, i would love to compete in a SSBM tournament. that's actually the only thing i would want to compete in. Mario Kart DD would have been good too. why did they do Nba live? ESPN is the best one. oh well, this is still pretty neat.

Polemistis · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2004, 12:46:44 PM »

SWEET! I'm very excited by this! And yes I lso think they should have MK

D as it was one of the biggest multipayer hits of this year!

MWagner5600 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2004, 12:54:27 PM »

Wow thats cool and there is one right outside my town yes...although i probably can't go

Flames_of_chaos · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2004, 01:19:54 PM »

I think the company who is sanctioning this forgot that the GCN is usually superior in multiplayer games.

kennyb27 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2004, 01:26:30 PM »

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NEW ORLEANS

Ah, now I know why I love my city. I'll just keep praying they add MK: DD.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2004, 01:26:36 PM »

Heh, it's kind of odd the only Gamecube game there is Soul Calibur 2- I mean, I love Link in that game as much as the next guy, but he is quite cheap, not exactly tournament material.

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2004, 01:37:39 PM »

I can thrash any Link competitor with Talim! She's nimble enough to evade any unwanted groping by Link...

Ian Sane · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2004, 01:38:55 PM »

"I think the company who is sanctioning this forgot that the GCN is usually superior in multiplayer games."

And half of the games are for the console with only two controllers. I figure the idea is to focus on two player multiplayer games because they work better for a tourament setting.

NWR_Lindy · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2004, 03:15:27 PM »

Ian Sane: LOL on the Rampart plug. I love that game. I think Bubble Bobble and Paradroid should be in there too, but maybe I'm just getting old ;-D

silks

Djunknown · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2004, 03:19:00 PM »

Its a good idea, but this clause in the Contract turns me off:

"Transportation and lodging associated with the finals are the responsibility of the player"

Unless you get a sponsor, and you get to that level of play, its gonna cost you. Oh well, its only in its first year, can't expect Gamers to get the royal treatment.

While they do have a regional tourney coming to my town (Detroit!), I'll probably sit this one out. But its 5 months away, more than enough to polish some SC2 skills...

P.S They probably wanted to put Mario Kart in, but chances are somebody on the directing board said "No way! If that happened, we'd have droves of people wanting to play! We can't handle it!" Oh well, we can't have the 'Cube too popular now can we?

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2004, 03:22:25 PM »

Counter-strike!? You mean people still play it after the disaster called 1.6 came out!?

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2004, 04:18:28 PM »

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I can thrash any Link competitor with Talim! She's nimble enough to evade any unwanted groping by Link...

Heh, so can I, but Talim's only slightly less cheap than Link.

I'm not good with any other characters, though.

RyanGassxx · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2004, 04:27:48 PM »

Man If only they included NFL 2k4 in that tourney.. they might as well just mail me that check right now...

Polemistis · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2004, 05:13:23 PM »

Boooo!! It's only U.S. Cities!

Anyway, probably one of their best prizes is "A trip for 2 to Los Angeles, CA for E3 2005 (airfare and hotel included)" (!) Whoever wins that will be one happy mutha f____ !

vega12 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2004, 05:34:37 PM »

I just got one question: where is Tetris Attack!

I guess SSBM would be a good choice too; I probably would've made a pilgrimage to Seattle to participate...

NWR_Lindy · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2004, 09:22:43 AM »

I entered the Atlanta tournament for HALO. It costs $15 per game to register (there 8 games available in total). I'm sure I'll get thrashed by some 12-year-old kid (I don't even own HALO, I gotta borrow it off of a buddy of mine in the next few days so I can practice for the next 2 1/2 months) but I figure it should be good for a couple of laughs.

silks

Flames_of_chaos · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2004, 09:52:45 AM »

Maybe to add on the PS2 listing why not Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution or Tekken Tag Team. Even though All the games they offer on the platforms are to narrow hey maybe they can do a DDR one too.

skatiN64 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2004, 10:08:46 AM »

Why could there not be more cool games!?
This contest kind of sucks!
It seems like, despite it being somewhat cool, it's pretty much just a contest for the casual gamer.
Stupid Casual Gamers! Man!

BoboThePenguin · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2004, 10:19:50 AM »

I might go to one near my town, to compete in the CS tourny. The only problem is they don't know where exactly they are having the NC one yet

.

Eminem · « **Reply #22 on:** January 30, 2004, 07:59:11 PM »

Well I've signed up for the one in San Francisco. Now I'll have until August to practice and get better. I'm planning on going to the arcade occasionally to see how good I'm getting. You know, this competition is basically free because the shirt they send to you, if you register before Feb. 1st, is $19. So you basically get four dollars back and 6 issues of EGM. Not too shabby if I say so myself.

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Author Topic: National Videogame Tournament Announced (Read 4274 times)