At the premier rAge (Really Awesome Gaming Event) computer and console video gaming and technology expo coming up at the end of this month in Johannesburg, enthusiasts will have the opportunity to get a feel for one of the mega trends of this century - professional gaming.
rAge will feature a network of 700 gamers playing in an open LAN environment for various prizes. In addition to the open LAN, there will be 160 people playing Counter Strike Source with a prize purse of R100 000 in cash and R50 000 in hardware prizes.
Besides the massive gaming event on show, this year`s rAge will feature two of the international stars of gaming. Fatal1ty is currently ranked number one in the world and has held this position for the last three years. He will be accompanied by Zen, world number three gamer.
These two professional gamers will be pitting their well-honed skills against anyone and everyone who dares to take them on. The first person to beat Fatal1ty will win R20 000 cash. He will play any challenger on the floor in a mano-a-mano, heads-up game of Painkiller. But fear not, at least Zen will be there to warm you up prior to your game against Fatal1ty.
Industry players such as games publisher Electronic Arts, distributor Ster-Kinekor and online retailer Digital Planet will take part in this year`s expo. The big names in computer gaming will also be there.
"The popularity of gaming in this country can be gauged by the interest in this specific event - all 700 places in the `Bring your own computer` LAN have already been snapped up by gamers eager to test their skills," says Warren Moss, general manager of Digital Planet. "We`ve decided to do something big this year at the show; I think the gamers will love it."
Companies like Digital Planet are seeing enormous growth in their gaming segments. The result is that such organisations are taking a more active role in the community and there are rumblings about team sponsorships for some of the top performers.
"The industry is still young, and as we get ground support for the great deals we offer online, we will give back in terms of sponsorship and deals for great gamers."
Computer gaming is becoming a serious sport and there are recognised competitions worldwide, such as the year-long Cyberathlete Professional League World Tour with a purse of $400 000.
PC gaming in SA is anything but child`s play - with the average age of gamers at around 30 years and more women getting involved than ever before, the South African gaming market is rapidly growing into a passionate and dedicated community.
It is an incredible industry - at just 33 years old, the worldwide electronic games industry has already surpassed Hollywood`s earnings, with North American sales of more than $9.9 billion the box office take of $9.4 billion in 2004.
Gaming as an entertainment medium is also attracting the participation of high-profile actors and sportspeople to produce ever more convincing titles for demanding enthusiasts. Professional sportspeople, including the likes of golfing legend Tiger Woods, command millions of dollars to endorse computer games; everything from their strokes to their speech is digitised and included perfectly on the latest computer games. With gaming events such as rAge becoming more prominent nationwide, there is an increased interest in gaming at all levels, while the numerous platforms and games available, such as PlayStation, PC or Nintendo, means there are games to suit all ages and across the genders.
rAge is taking place from 30 September to 2 October at The Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. For more information, contact Warren Moss at Digital Planet on (011) 783 8088.
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Digital Planet, SA`s leading online store with its wide range of electronic products now including consumer electronics, is your one-stop-shop when it comes to convenience price and service. You can now buy computing and consumer electronics, from PCs and laptops to TVs and fridges, for home and work, from Digital Planet`s brand stores at lower prices than standard retails stores are currently offering.
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