South Africa's largest technology and gaming expo, held at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, hosted the country's biggest gaming LAN, with 1 800 gamers.
Gamers were able to get a taste of next-generation technologies, test drive gaming platforms, and view the latest gaming titles.
“We are in a transition in gaming where we've got people who are beginning to see computer gaming as a genuine sport,” says Colin Webster, president of Mind Sports SA (MSSA).
Webster says the gaming market is maturing and growing exponentially in popularity. “Rage was very successful this year and it's interesting to see the market maturing. MSSA started our first competition in 1995, but back then, gaming and technology hadn't become as acceptable as it is now.”
Champs crowned
MSSA accredited the Samsung Stage where gamers battled it out to claim the title of best Guitar Hero.
Mark Dennison won the Samsungtrials to go attend the World Cyber Games Grand Finals in Chengdu, China, where he will compete with 72 international champions.
Dennison is the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Champion and South African National Champion for Guitar Hero, and has both provincial and national colours for the game as awarded by MSSA.
MSSA also accredited the Quake 3 stage, which was sponsored by Intel, ATI and Sapphire. Stephen Cloete came out tops during the Quake 3 tournament and will be going to Sweden to compete in the Green Hack gaming tournament.
Game teasers
regulations and responsibility around open LAN gaming to curb illicit piracy.
Other announcements at the expo included highlights from upcoming games, Avatar, Assassins Creed II, Borderlands and Splinter Cell Conviction.
Brent George, the UbiSoft animation director for Avatar, was in the country to provide a presentation on the highly-anticipated game based on the film Avatar directed by James Cameron.
George says: “Gamers can expect an authentic and interactive experience from Avatar. We've taken the lore, characters and weaponry from the film and developed it into the game, which has a parallel storyline. It will be available on 20 November on PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP and Nintendo DS.”
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