The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Countdown begins for World Cyber Games

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 21, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Countdown begins for World Cyber Games

Staff Reporter

Finals to be held at Suntee City, Singapore, from November 16 to 20

SNAZZY GAMES: A participant takes part in the preliminary round of World Cyber Games 2005, in Bangalore on October 20, 2005. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Bangalore's gaming buffs on Thursday geared for a place in the Indian team that will fight it out for top honours at the finals of the World Cyber Games 2005 to be held at Suntee City, Singapore, from November 16 to 20.

The games, organised on the lines of the International Olympics, will see 800 participants from 75 countries vying for world championship titles and prize money of more than $ 4,20,000, according to Mihir Tewari, Business Head, IT Export and Marketing, Samsung Electronics, the main sponsors of the games.

Healthy cyber culture

This is the world's first Cyber Game festival, designed to build a healthy cyber culture. Now in its fifth year, the contest will bring elite computer and video gamers from across the world to participate in a tournament style competition that culminates into a grand final. Lined up for the contest are team and individual games. Among them are a five-member team game, "Counter Strike," "Warcraft," "FIFA Football," "War Hammer" and "Need for Speed."

The nine Indian finalists will be selected from those who qualify in the preliminary rounds to be held in eight metros in India, including, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Ahmedabad.

Team selection

Seventy-two winners from these cities will converge in Mumbai on October 30 and 31 to try and win the semi-final and eventually get into the Indian team. Showing off their gaming skills on an 8" X 8" screen, contestants added sound and energy to the two-day Bangalore event on Thursday.

The organisers were confident of getting about 15,000 to 20,000 participants in the two days, most of them in the 18-25 age group.

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