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'Street Fighter' pros hardly even look at their character
Do something enough and it becomes second nature: muscle memory and instinct kicks in. But does that hold for the high-twitch dynamics of pro gaming-level Street Fighter 4? Japanese gaming site 4Gamer rigged up a gaming PC with SteelSeries' Sentry Gaming Eye Tracker, watching the gaze of Street Fighter pro-gamer Sako as he indulged in a few rounds. Rather than focus on his own player, or the opponent, his view typically rests somewhere between the two; the pro-gamer likely trying to gauge incoming attacks and connect distance for their own. As the Japanese site notes, it wasn't exactly a high stakes bout, but the video suggests, at least, that it's not where your character is, but where it's going that's important. Which is also this editor's life philosophy, coincidentally. See where the pros are looking, right after the break.
Playing video games well can get you into a top South Korean university
Chung-Ang University ranks among the top 10 schools in South Korea, and you know what can get you in other than good grades and connections? Being really, really good at video games. Beginning next year, professional gamers can apply for a spot at the university's Department of Sport Science. Since that department's also in charge of students with more traditional sports backgrounds (you know: soccer, basketball, snowboarding etc.), it's safe to say Chung-Ang recognizes the more sedentary players as athletes, as well. While this news might sound like something from The Onion, it's not such a bizarre development for a country where competitive gaming is huge -- players train as hard as any athlete and matches are even shown on TV. In fact, gaming in the country is big enough that US immigration officials (after some convincing, anyway) granted a couple of pro-gamers athletic visas in the past. With a school possibly honing players' skills even more, we wouldn't be surprised if the immigration ends up giving out more pro-athlete visa in the future. [Image credit: y6y6y6/Flickr]
Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit controller review (PS3)
While most of us play games purely for their entertainment value, an elite few get their game on while calling themselves "professionals." These superstars of simulated battle make the rounds in various tournaments, including, most notably, Major League Gaming Pro Circuit championships. Now those digital athletes, as well as the masses of seasoned "amateurs," can compete with professional (or at least officially licensed) equipment -- we're talking about gear like Mad Catz' Major League Gaming Pro Circuit Controller for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This Major League gamepad promises to give competitive gamers a professional, customizable edge over their opponents with swappable "ProModule" thumbsticks and d-pads -- invoking the customizable spirit of Mad Catz' transforming RAT mouse. We gave the PlayStation 3 edition a chance to make its rodent cousin proud. Read on to see if it lives up to its professional branding.
Mad Catz Major League Gaming controllers offer swappable thumbstick layouts, fancy arcade buttons
If we didn't already know those cats were mad about customizable controllers, we just got a reminder: the Mad Catz Major League Gaming Pro-Circuit Controllers. These professional-grade PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers allow competitive gamers to adjust the gamepad's weight and swap out key components -- such as exchanging the controller's analog stick for a D-pad. Want your PS3 controller to have a Xbox 360 layout? No problem. If the insane kitty's ambitious Onza competitor isn't your thing, check out the MLG Tournament Edition Fightstick, featuring the same Sanwa Denshi components used in Japanese arcade cabinets. It may not have its sibling's stick-swapping action, but its 13-foot controller cable, classic layout, and left-right stick toggle mode (for emulating the missing analog thumbstick) still aims to please. The Arcade Fightstick can be had now at the GameShark store to the tune of $160, but the Pro-Circuit gamepads aren't due out until closer to the end of the year. Hit the break for a pair of extra pictures and the standard PR.
Game champion commits suicide over gambling debts
Christian Sellergren, a professional gamer who led Team Eyeballers to the 2004 CPL Counter-Strike championship, apparently took his own life last November over massive debts accrued from online gambling. The news trickled down to us through a rough translation of a recent story about the death in Swedish paper Aftonbladet. According to the report, the 21-year-old Sellergren, who went by "divino" online, turned his competitive instincts to online gambling after retiring from the eSports scene. Sellergren lost his job and accrued over $13,000 in debt to fuel his addiction, which he kept from parents and friends. While stories about pro gamers with six figure salaries and major sponsorship deals may make you think the scene is all about glitz and glamor, this story shows that is not always the case. Our sympathies go out to all of Sellergren's friends and family. If you think someone you know may have a gambling problem, please don't wait until it's too late. Get help. [Thanks Will]
Pro gamer salaries on the rise
Want to make big bucks as a professional gamer? Living overseas is probably your best bet for now. But Wired News reports that television deals and increased interest from U.S. sponsors mean salaries for America's top gamers could hit the stratosphere before long. This is in stark contrast to a similar Wired article from three years ago which detailed how even the best of the best pro gamers were barely getting by.Today, more than a dozen U.S. gamers make upwards of $70K per year, according to the article, and a few have taken home six-figure purses in big tournaments. That's nothing compared to the costs for sponsors such as NVidia, though, who shell out money "likely in the eight-figure range" to sponsor the likes of Team3[D].Nice work if you can get it, but remember that the top pros often practice for upwards of 40 hours a week to keep their skills honed. So unless you're planning on quiting your day job, you aren't likely to be the next Jonathan Wendel anytime soon.
Creative's ProGamer system goes wireless
Maximum PC has posted a review of Creative's latest contribution to 5.1 gaming, the GigaWorks ProGamer G550W. Creative has improved upon the original G550 system by making the rear channels cord-free, and including a wireless remote control that can also be used with select ZEN and MuVo MP3 players.The ProGamer G550W retails for $400, but can be had for as little as $305 online. Visit Creative's product page for more information.
