Top gamers battle it out

By Staff Writer for Intel

Johannesburg, 11 Aug 2009

The world's best gamers are set to compete in the fourth season of the Intel Extreme Masters.

The global league of e-sports champions will have its opening Global Challenge event at the Gamescom trade show in Cologne, Germany, from 19 to 23 August.

Sebastian Weishaar, director of league operations at Turtle Entertainment, says: "We are thrilled to bring the success story of the Intel Extreme Masters into its fourth season at Gamescom with more countries participating than ever before. It is only fitting that the league would commence at Gamescom, in the heart of the vibrant gaming world.”

Thousands of supporters will watch Europe's top gamers in the disciplines World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike 1.6 fight for the combined $20 000 in prize money.

The Intel Extreme Masters event will see the best gamer win $10 000 for World of Warcraft Global Challenge and $10 000 for Counter-Strike SuperCup.

The Intel Extreme Masters SuperCup will feature the world champions Fnatic from Sweden, the European champions team mTw from Denmark, the German champions Mousesports, and SK Gaming from Sweden.

The event will also feature the $1 000 Intel Extreme Masters Pro/Am Challenge in QuakeLive, open for all Gamescom visitors.

The Intel Extreme Masters is a series of competitions for e-sports champions in over 35 countries from five continents, with a total prize offering of $500 000. The fourth season features two Global Challenges, three Continental Championships in Asia, Europe and the Americas, and will culminate with the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship at CeBIT 2010, where the best teams and players from each Continental Championship will participate.