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Guild Wars 2 to host its first player tourney at Gamescom
Top Guild Wars 2 players will have the opportunity to duke it out in the game's first International All-Stars Tournament during Gamescom 2014, which runs from August 13th through the 17th. ArenaNet will fly players from Europe, China, and North America to the convention in order to compete against one another. Even if you aren't participating in the tourney itself, you'll be able to visit the Twitch.TV booth to play some GW2, chat with the developers, and partake in other activities. Want to get in on the tournament or any of the other community events during Gamescom? Keep an eye out: We'll bring you more information as soon as the details are released.
DreamHack Hearthstone tournament plagued by cheating allegations
Did he or didn't he cheat? That's the controversial question surrounding a Hearthstone tournament winner this week. At the DreamHack Hearthstone tournament, Radu Dima won 3-0 in the final round and was rewarded with a $10,000 check. However, during the second game Dima received a message on Battle.net revealing the details of his opponent's hand. Dima reported the message after the match, and the officials declared that the information would not have helped him and said that he could keep playing. But this prompted viewers to go back to look at earlier Battle.net messages that some are saying contain coded hints about opponents' cards. The organizers of the tournament have yet to comment on the situation. Dima declared on Reddit this morning that he won fair and square.
Hearthstone World Championships to award $250K to top players
Blizzard will award $250,000 in prizes to the winners of its upcoming Hearthstone World Championships, including a $100,000 prize reserved for the top overall player. Blizzard will choose 16 players worldwide to square off in the final round of its competitive card game tournament, with four competitors each hailing from the Americas, Europe, China, and Korea/Taiwan. Finalists in the Americas and Europe will be chosen among top Ranked Play Seasons players who win regional qualifying tournaments, while competitors from other regions will be determined through leagues and other location-specific events. The Hearthstone World Championships will be held at BlizzCon 2014, which kicks off on November 7 in Anaheim, California. [Image: Blizzard]
Don't be afraid of The Holy Hand Grenade
Bring forth the Book of Armaments, it's time to learn how this works. The Holy Hand Grenade isn't so much a game as it is a test of your reflexes. At the start, you can only play it once, and that play session lasts about three seconds (no more, no less), but as the days pass it has a tendency to become something of a habit. A horrible, horrible, stressful, amazing, Monty-Python-flavored habit. Here's how it works: A grenade appears on the screen which you must touch and hold. As soon as the device is about to blow, you need to remove your finger as fast as possible. If your digit doesn't make it off the screen in time, you have failed. But you're not just competing against the clock, you're also in a massive tournament with all other players, and a new tournament begins each day. On day two, you can enter a new tournament and -- if you succeeded the previous day -- play the second round of yesterday's tournament. Each day you progress in any given tournament, the time limits decrease, making it harder and harder until you eventually fail. It's a cruel game and even the first round, which requires you to remove your finger in less than half a second, is no walk in the park. Thankfully, you are given the option to practice your technique without penalty in what amount to a training mode, but if your reflexes just aren't up to par, practice probably won't help all that much. The game is brand new, and there are only a few dozen players entered in each day's tournament, so the chances of coming out on top are higher now than they will be in the future. If you hope to be crowned champion, your best bet is to get in early and play every day. The app is free, and it's got a good sense of humor and a great leaderboard system, so come compete with me and we'll see who comes out on top.
Nintendo to host Smash Bros tournament at E3
Nintendo will host a Super Smash Bros. Invitational tournament at the Nokia Theater at E3 this June in Los Angeles, the company announced via Twitter and an entertaining video featuring the comedic Mega 64 crew and Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. Additionally, players across the country will be able to play the next Smash Bros. game at Best Buy locations across the U.S. during E3, which is being held June 10 through June 12. Nintendo announced earlier this month that Super Smash Bros. will launch this summer on 3DS and will arrive on Wii U in the winter. The game's online modes will be split between "for fun" and "for glory" options and will include a "Smash Run" mode in lieu of the series' classic adventure mode. [Image: Nintendo]
Spearhead Games hosting first Project Cyber tourney at PAX East
Are you at PAX East this weekend? If so, you might want to stop over at the Unreal Engine Epic Booth #1447 to check out the first ever tournament for Tiny Brains developer Spearhead Games' upcoming Project Cyber. The game is a 3-on-3 take on soccer, with a distinct cyberpunk flair and aesthetic. Spearhead has intimately tied Project Cyber to livestreaming; the studio streams the game's development weekdays on their Twitch channel, takes suggestions on features to implement from their audience, and features in-game livestreaming as well. Those who tune in for a match of Project Cyber can even trigger in-game events with their votes, according to studio co-founder Malik Boukhira. "The possibilities for this technology are endless, and we'll be soliciting more thoughts about it at the Unreal Engine Epic booth," he said in a press release. There's no expected release date for Project Cyber, but even if you're not at PAX East, you could potentially get in on the action early by requesting one of Spearhead Games' free Steam keys via their website. Thus far, more than 50,000 people have requested such keys. [Image: Spearhead Games]
World of Tanks crowns new e-sports world champion
In the ultimate showdown between hulking metal death machines, World of Tanks has crowned one victorous team that emerged triumphant over the battlefield. Wargaming announced today that team Na'Vi won the world championship in the grand finals of its e-sports league. The new champions will take home $110,000 in prize money, with the runner-ups Virtus.Pro and The RED Rush: Unity receiving $100,000 and $40,000, respectively. The Wargaming.net League World Championship took place in Warsaw, Poland, as 14 teams battled over three days for the top spot. According to the studio, "millions" tuned in to watch the grand finals on Twitch. [Source: Wargaming press release]
This one-of-a-kind 3DS has your name on it, proves you're a Pokemon Master
You wanted to be the very best? (Like no-one ever was?) Here's the proof that you made it. Japan's annual Pokemon tournament kicked off this week, with the grand prize (aside from proving that it was worth all those hours of walking around in grass) of a limited edition, well there's only one, 3DS XL. With a Mega-Charizard sticker design on the front, and the victor's name engraved on the back, it's likely the ideal prize for whoever earns it -- and maybe even a nice little nest egg waiting to mature.
Guild Wars 2's Tournament of Legends begins April 26th
Yesterday evening, ArenaNet community coordinator Allie Murdock announced Guild Wars 2's first-ever Tournament of Legends, debuting on April 26-27 in Europe and May 3-4 in North America. The tournament format is a best-of-three single-elimination style for the prelims and best-of-five for the finals. Prizes include legendary weapons, legendary components, Black Lion weapon tickets, and gems; participants and stream viewers alike have a chance at walking away with some sweet goodies. Registration begins April 4th. Sixteen teams per region will be selected.
Armageddon PvP tournament VODs online
If you missed watching PvP Live's Armageddon tournament live on Twitch, you're in luck because the first day of competition has been posted on YouTube for your viewing enjoyment. So tune in, study top arena team tactics, and up your own game. If these early matches don't hold your interest, you can jump to the end and watch the grand finale: Skill Capped vs. Three Amigos. We won't spoil the ending for you, but if you want to be spoiled, catch our tournament recap. Also online are interviews with Brian Holinka and Kim Phan, as well as Swifty and Azael -- so if you're keen on PvP, you've got hours of viewing ahead of you.
Hasbro wants you to add a word to Scrabble's dictionary
At one point or another, all of us have probably argued about a questionable word or three during our Scrabble careers. Hasbro wants to make that easier (or harder, depending on your view) with a contest to add a word to the game's official dictionary. Simply head over to the contest's Facebook page to make a suggestion. Early submissions include "photobomb" and "amazeballs" -- surely you can come up with better by the March 28th deadline. From there, contest officials will put the 16 best words into an elimination bracket, and they'll tally your votes and announce a winner come April 10th. Remember: vote often. After all, you don't want something silly like "dingledorf" to go down as the first player submission, do you? [Image credit: Logan Sakai/Flickr]
Capcom and Twitch team up to stream a year-long Street Fighter tournament
Competitive gaming depends heavily on live streaming to build its audience these days, and it's about to get a big boost through a new partnership between Capcom and Twitch. The two are launching the Capcom Pro Tour, a year-long Street Fighter IV tournament. The worldwide competition will have players duke it out across both major events, like DreamHack and EVO, as well as smaller online and local events; Capcom will stream all the big gatherings through its own Twitch channel. The tour experience will be familiar to fans, but it could give eSports a higher profile by introducing many to both online spectating and pro-level play.
Registration for Sega Cup Virtua Fighter Tournament 2014 now open
Come Saturday, April 26, Walnut, California will play host to the 2014 incarnation of the Sega Cup Virtua Fighter Tournament, and now you, too, can throw your hat into the polygonal ring. As with last year's tournament, Sega Cup Virtua Fighter Tournament 2014 will focus on the latest version of the fighter, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. Games will take place on the PlayStation 3 and each round will be decided by best of three matches. The top 16 players in the tournament will take home a portion of the "over $15,000" in prize money at stake at the event. Full details on how to register for the tournament can be found at Eventbrite, though keep in mind that there is an entry fee of $10, and currently there are only 111 spots remaining. Additional details on the event can be found at the tournament's official website. [Image: Sega]
EVE Online's second New Eden Open starts this weekend
EVE Online's second New Eden Open begins tomorrow, March 1st, and will continue until a team takes the top prize on March 16th. Thirty-two teams will be facing off during the double-elimination tournament for a shot at part of the $25,000 and 700 PLEX prize pool. Each of the first three weekends in March will feature several 8v8 deathmatches that will be streamed live with commentary from the developers. Out of the 32 teams, 28 secured their place by silent auction, three got in by a random drawing, and one is returning to defend its title.
Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason holding international tourney in Feb.
On February 1, a global wake racing tournament goes down in Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason, the free trial version of the delayed Xbox One game. Nearly one million players have downloaded Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason, making it the most popular Xbox One demo. Preseason International Champions, as this tournament is being called, will catalogue racers' best times on both national and international leaderboards. On February 28, the best racer will win a golden wake racer in the game, while all participants who manage to set the best time in their home country will receive a silver wake racer. Finally, all participants from the top racer's country will unlock a special wake racer covered in a livery based on that country's flag. Unique daily challenges will also be presented to players throughout February, yielding rewards only accessible during this event. And all rewards will carry into the final version of Kinect Sports Rivals when it launches this spring. In order to be eligible for these prizes, you'll need to download the Kinect Sports Rivals Hub companion app.
Guild Wars 2 announces PvP tournament schedule
Guild Wars 2 has a full PvP dance card for the next few months, which is why ArenaNet posted a schedule today of the many tournaments and events coming up for the community. First up is the Electronic Sports League best-of-three tournament on Thursdays for EU players and an even bigger European Gw2match.net Champion of the Mist Tournament that's planned for January 24th. Both NA and EU can engage in the Good Fights Invitational on January 25th or the upcoming vVv Gaming Kings of the Mists 2 tournament on February 1st. Finally, there's a month-long open invitational in February hosted by Mistpedia.net that will have weekly events.
CCP releases more info about EVE Online's second New Eden Open
Time is running out to get in on EVE Online's second New Eden Open tournament for a chance at this year's $25,000 in prizes; sign ups close on January 20th. Need to know more? CCP has posted additional helpful facts and reminders about the upcoming tournament, including information about sponsorships, player advertising, and the silent auction process for acquiring a slot. The tournament, a modified double-elimination set up that culminates in a best of-five final match, will play out over the weekends of March 1st, 8th, and 15th and be streamed live on EVE's official twitch channel. An additional stream will provide Russian coverage for this year's event.
Pokemon Winter Regional Championship dates, locations announced
Sick of the Pokemon series' protagonists getting hailed as the only Pokemon Champions? Get out there and earn your own glory, then! This year's Pokemon Winter Regional Championships are open to both Pokemon Trading Card Game masters and trainers prepared for trouble with Pokemon X/Y teams. The nationwide bouts have all been scheduled in January, with trainers in Doswell, Virginia kicking the tournament off on January 11. Battles in St. Charles, Missouri, Long Beach, California and Salem, Oregon will follow on January 18, leaving trainers in Orlando, Florida to wrap things up starting on January 25. Each event fills a weekend, with Pokemon TCG battles on both days and Pokemon X/Y battles only on the second day. These events are open to the public and all that is needed to compete is a legal Pokemon TCG deck or a copy of Pokemon X/Y with a 3DS or 2DS. Swiss-style pairings will be used, meaning players can partake in every round until the finals are determined. The associated press release notes that winners will be awarded "booster packs, trophies and stipends from a pool of nearly $200,000 in travel allowances." These can be used toward Pokemon U.S. Naitonal Championships Travel Awards or invitations to the 2014 Pokemon World Championships in Washinton, D.C. in August. Last year's Pokemon World Championships were broadcasted live, just in case you were wondering how many people will be able to witness your triumphant ascension as Pokemon Champion. For more information like event locations, check out the Winter Regional Championship pages for the Pokemon X/Y and Pokemon TCG tournaments.
Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open
At Ignite Gaming Lounge in Chicago, Illinois, the crowd is losing its mind. It's grand finals of the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open, a two-day, double-elimination, 16-team throwdown, and for some reason someone has just picked Meepo. For those of you who aren't in the Dota 2 loop, suffice to say that Meepo isn't a standard hero pick for a tournament. Picking Meepo in a match with $1,000 on the line is a lot like jumping out of a plane and wishing for a parachute -- an incredible, amazing story if it works and an embarrassing, painful death if it doesn't, with the odds heavily on the latter. The announcers, broadcasting the match simultaneously on Dota TV (Dota 2's in-game spectating client) and Twitch, are dumbfounded. The chat channels are exploding. And as everyone witnesses the Meepo gamble pay off in the most incredible way, the excitement only expands and intensifies. But perhaps what's most special about this Meepo pick, about this final game between two local teams that have bested challenger after challenger, is not the risky strategy or the money on the line. What's special is that anyone is watching it at all.
EVE Online's New Eden Open II boasts $25,000 prize pool
Lock and load, space jockeys: EVE Online's back with New Eden Open II -- and this year the prize pool is far larger than 2012's. The New Eden Open is a space combat tournament between 32 12-player teams, all competing for real cash prizes. First place will net $12,000, second place $8,000, and third place $5,000. To compete, a team must win a spot via a silent auction or through a raffle. CCP is fine-tuning the tournament based on last year's performance and is taking care to schedule it around the holidays. Signups begin on December 12th, with the auction proceeding on the 20th and the tournament taking place on three consecutive weekends in February.
