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H3 Blackout to premiere at MLG Meadowlands
If you just can't wait to get your eyes, ears and hands on Halo 3's upcoming Legendary Map Pack and will be in town for MLG's Meadowlands tournament this weekend, then Bungie has a wee little surprise for you. Attendees of MLG Meadowlands will have a chance to experience multiplayer map (and Lockout remake) Blackout, including a pro player exhibition and general free play for whoever can fight for a controller. The Blackout fun begins this Saturday, April 12th at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, NJ, so stop by, play Blackout days before its release and have fun. Oh, and if you can attend, be sure to grab a few pics and send them our way.[Via HBO]
Super l33t MLG playlist added to Halo 3
Luke just informed us that the brand new (Team Hardcore replacing) Halo 3 MLG matchmaking playlist is officially live and ready to go. In a nutshell, the MLG playlist will incorporate a bunch of gametypes where players will see certain weapons removed, certain power-ups replaced, all equipment discarded, shields tweaked and speed increased all in an effort to make your Halo 3 experience more teamwork driven and skill-based. In other words, more MLG'ish. If you're a stickler for details, you can read all the MLG playlist specifics over at MLGPro.com. Now run forth, jump into the MLG playlist, test your team skills and try to become the l33t MLG player you've always wanted to be.
Halo 3's Team Hardcore being rebranded as MLG playlist
Major League Gaming (MLG) announced that Halo 3's Team Hardcore playlist is being rebranded as the MLG Playlist. The change will become effective in the April update and more details are to follow on what this exactly means.According to MLG, they've helped develop game types that ensure fair competition and emphasize skill. Bungie will incorporate these settings in the new playlists. MLG also states that it will produce a series called "Get Better Fast" to familiarize players with strategies and tactics used by MLG pros. At least this puts the competitive whiners men of stature in one place. Now, Bungie, can we please get a post-puberty non-racist/homophobic/dumb-trash-talk playlist?[Via X3F]
Bungie to add MLG Playlist to Halo 3
After years of griping, whining and hand-wringing, the competitive sub section of the Halo 3 community is getting what it wants. When the April Halo 3 Playlist Update hit's it will include a change from the old-standby, Team Hardcore, to an actual MLG Playlist. There is so far no word on the exact changes, or what weight game-types will have in the hoppers, or even which MLG game-types will be in. While not much is really known, this is big news for both the organization and the game, and we can't help but wonder if this is part of the effort to increase the player base again. Still, MLG.com promises more info soon and we'll bet that this week's Bungie Weekly What's Update will include some info as well. Bring it on, we say.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Dr Pepper becomes official drink of Major League Gaming
Although it's taken for granted that Mountain Dew is the major brand soda staking claim to the gamer demographic, Dr Pepper announced today it is the official beverage of the 2008 Major League Gaming Pro Circuit. The deal is a "cross-platform partnership" which includes a "Dr Pepper Ultimate Gaming House" at MLG events and a co-branded online collegiate gaming championship.The Dr Pepper gaming house (an elaborate tent-like facility) will be present at every MLG event and includes various rooms "designed by premier gaming publishers" sporting the latest in gaming equipment. The house will also host pro-gamers and "high-profile entertainment and sports celebrities" to play against -- according to the press release -- "Dr Pepper fans." Do you have to bring a stack of Dr Pepper UPCs to prove allegiance or something?The online collegiate gaming championship will identify the best college gamers (via migpro.com) in the country and they'll vie for an award of their own and a chance to attend the MLG Championship. If Dr Pepper gets traction off this deal we're expecting Team Fortress 2, CoD4 or Counter-Strike branded soda cans.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 shoots up MLG inspired map
Today Major League Gaming (MLG), the professional videogame league, announced that it would be collaborating with Ubisoft on the development of the upcoming Rainbow Six Vegas 2. R6V2, which marks the 10th Anniversary of the Rainbow Six franchise, features an "MLG Map" which depicts an MLG event at the Las Vegas Convention Center. MLG and Ubi Soft worked closely on the development of the map which was designed with competitive gaming in mind, wonder why that is.With news of the new map comes word that MLG will include Rainbow Six Vegas 2 in its 2008 Pro Circuit, including a special release event for the game in April. The MLG Pro Circuit 2008 kicks off on April 11 and will be covered by ESPN.com. Hopefully that means we'll be able to catch reruns of the event on ESPN 8: The Ocho.%Gallery-16873%
ESPN and Major League Gaming team up
The good folks at ESPN identified a huge, glaring hole in their programming lineup – namely that gamers are too busy playing games – and have made moves to fill it, announcing a "content agreement" with Major League Gaming. The following marketing dream scenario describes our general lack of appreciation for major league gaming, in all its forms: when you're not playing games, what better way to spend your time than watching other people play them?With ESPN's marketing muscle and proven sports coverage formula, maybe MLG has a chance to appeal to a larger audience and, in turn, reel those advertisers in. If you're not sure this is something you'd be interested in, check out ESPN's newly launched MLG portal (with additional content from 1UP.com) by clicking on that "Read: link. If you think it sounds like a product in search of an audience, that makes all of us.
Win Halo 3 machinima contest and be an MLG VIP
We may be just a bit late on this one, but If machinma creation and Halo 3 runs through your veins like an icy cold IV then boy oh boy do we have a contest for you. But, you'll have to hurry.Microsoft and Ziddio have teamed up (with MLG) for the Halo 3: A Call to Arms machinima contest. They're looking for the most interesting, exciting, pwntacular Halo 3 machinima / video and are more than willing to dish out the goods. Prizes including a 50" HDTV, Halo 3 Xbox 360 and a special VIP trip to the first MLG 2008 event. So, be creative, be quick, send in your video by December 19th and maybe you'll get lucky enough to win. We hear that VIPs at MLG get to sit in the trash talking section ... oh joy![Via Xbox.com]
Free and Premium MLG content on XBLM
Xbox Live Marketplace has a couple of videos and a Gamer picture pack from MLG, or Major League Gaming. The pack costs 80 MS Points and the videos are free. One video is sort of an introduction into the world of competitive gaming, while the other sort follows around one of the top tier players, Walshy, and is a lot meatier than the former. The video follows him around and gives insight into the life of a "professional gamer", and does a good job of representing those who compete. To say the least, he makes a bunch of really cool t-shirt designs. Definitely worth a watch, if you're interested in seeing what MLG is all about.
MLG adds Gears of War to the 2007 season
In an unexpected announcement, Major League Gaming has added Xbox 360 hit Gears of War to its 2007 season, starting with June's event held at the Meadowlands. For the rest of MLG's 2007 season, Gears 4v4 tournaments will be held at every event with the total prize payouts reaching $140,000 and the finals awarding $25,000 to the team who topples the competition. If interested in competing, be sure to head over to MLG's website to register for events and to get all the details. Who knows, maybe you could be the next "big thing" in gaming.[Via Amped eSports]
Major League Gaming signs distribution deal with Flame Ventures
Major League Gaming has stepped up its efforts to gain mainstream media coverage, inking a deal with media development and production company Flame Ventures. The partnership is expected to expand the reach of MLG programming, bringing more competitive gaming events to television and mobile video. Could MLG be the next World Series of Poker? Place your bets.See also: Major League Gaming on your TV? Major League Gaming trumps other gaming shows
MLG signs gaming pros, shells out $1.75 million
The little gaming league that could, Major League Gaming (MLG) sent word that they've signed seven more professional gamers today. Halo 2 teams Carbon and the rest of Str8 Rippin (Tsquared, the fourth member, was signed back in June) all were granted professional status getting paid a big ole sum of $250,000 each. As of now MLG has signed three entire teams of four; Final Boss, Str8 Rippin and Carbon to long term contracts totaling $3 million. And now fellow fanboys is the time when we all wallow in self pity wishing we had mad Halo 2 skills. Damn you sniper rifle and those team strategies![Via Joystiq]
Major League Gaming drops $1.75 million to sign more pros
Major League Gaming has secured team Carbon, the four-man national Halo 2 champion, with a $1 million group contract, and signed additional $250,000 deals with three members of team Str8 Rippin. Having signed similar contracts with team Final Boss and Str8 Rippin captain Tom Taylor back in June, MLG now has exclusive rights to three of the nation's top l33t pro-gaming teams.You can currently watch these fine young lads do battle on USA Network's coverage of the 2006 Boost Mobile MLG Pro Circuit on Saturday mornings.[Thanks, Raymond]
MLG goes FTW on USA TV [update 1]
[Update: Commenter Ben found a second part of the preview, which interviews pro gamer Walshy and shows some more in game action. Part 2 is now also embedded below Thanks Ben.]Months ago, when Major League Gaming and the USA cable network announced plans to air seven hour-long programs on the MLG national tour, we begged the powers-that-be at the network to "please keep the cheese factor low." It looks like somebody up there was listening, because a new five-minute trailer for the program is low on cheese and high on production values.From the quick-paced jump cuts to the well-placed crowd shots and the respectful interviews with the gamers themselves, most everything in the trailer shows that this is a well thought-out, professional production and not some fly-by-night "Xtreme Gamerz" marketing stunt. The introduction strikes a good balance in being informative without being condescending, making the audience care about the players and the competition without forcing some manufactured personalities down our throats. Our only major concern is the announcers and commentators, some of whom still seem a little uncomfortable on camera, but this will likely improve as the season continues.Despite the slick production, it still remains to be seen whether U.S. gamers will want to watch Halo 2 instead of playing it themselves. We'll find out when MLG on USA premieres at 10 a.m. (EST/PST) on Nov. 11.
Halo 2 team signs million-dollar deal
And mom said we'd never get anywhere with these games. Gamasutra is reporting that Major League Gaming has just signed the United States' top Halo 2 team -- Final Boss -- for 1 million dollars (cue Dr. Evil). The cash happy organization also signed MTV True Life stud Tsquared to an exclusive contract worth $250,000. According to one of the now filthy rich pro gamers: "It's a huge honor to be part of the first gaming team to get this kind of money," said David "Walshy" Walsh. "This kind of contract just shows how serious MLG is about building the League. Three years ago I never could have imagined that I'd be making more money than my parents playing video games!"This is actually pretty big news. It seems like it won't be much longer before we start to see competitive video gaming as a major TV event or big name players starting to be mentioned in the same breath as today's other sports stars. Our little video game baby seems to have all growns up.
CPL cancellation "a step backwards"
The BBC reports on the disappearance of the CPL World Tour from an international perspective. With budding British pro gamers having pinned their hopes on the event -- one even giving up a tennis career -- the cancellation comes as quite a blow. Teams that have trained on specific games, maps and rulesets have work ahead to retrain for other events.Philip Wride, manager of Intel-sponsored clan 4Kings, described the move as "a step backwards" for pro gaming. While there are still tournaments in Europe, the UK is left with just a few LAN tournaments that concentrate on fun rather than professional prize money. However, for gamers willing to travel, there is still a substantial amount of cash available to those who play well -- the World Series of Video Games, World Cyber Games and e-Sports World Cup all offer the chance to triumph.
MLG and USA Network to air game tourneys
Major League Gaming and NBC subsidiary USA Network have signed a deal to air MLG tournaments on cable TV this year, The Wall Street Journal reported this morning. The deal will result in a "a series of seven, hour-long shows" (to air on Saturday mornings this fall) featuring competitions between gamers in games ranging from Halo 2 to Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Journal reports. This is great news for competitive gaming. If the show can bring in an audience, next year may bring even more televised competitions between gamers. On behalf of the emerging sport of professional video gaming, we beg the powers that be not to totally screw up the genre's big debut in front of a national audience. Please keep the cheese factor low.
Changes afoot in pro gaming leagues
It's all go on the pro gaming scene this week, with two announcements from different leagues revealing what's in store for professional gamers and wannabes.Firstly, the company behind the MLG console league, Major League Gaming, Inc., announced it had secured first-round venture capital funding to the tune of $10 million--the console side of pro gaming sees fewer competitors than PC gaming, and this funding will help MLG's goal of becoming a serious sports circuit.Over at the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL), however, a partnership is on the cards. This year's CPL World Tour has been cancelled; instead, MLG are teaming up with Games Media Properties to offer a World Series of Video Games. The prize money for the CPL Summer tournament has been halved as a result, and CPL's Angel Munoz hints at a stronger console focus than we've previously seen.The common thread behind both of these announcements is a shift towards more credibility, more television focus and more console gaming--pro gaming is maturing into a sport in its own right.
