Sri Lanka is known for many things, but if there’s one thing that really puts us on the map, it’s our finesse at sports. And now, there is a new kind of ‘sport’ emerging from within the local high-tech-norati – competitive cyber gaming. Our boys (and girls) armed with keyboards and mice are now ready to “pwn” the entire world.
(That’s gamer lingo for ‘own’ or ‘to dominate an opponent’). One talented young gamer will represent Sri Lanka at the upcoming World Cyber Games to be held in China where he will be sponsored throughout the course of the tournament by Lanka eSports (LKeS), the local body which selected him in a gruelling, action-packed gaming marathon titled World Cyber Games Sri Lanka 2009 (WCG SL).
The WCG SL saw its grand finale being played out recently at Ground Zero, Excel World where hardcore gamers from all over the country took on each other in an epic battle in five popular games, namely Counter Strike (CS) (won by Team Liquid), Call of Duty IV (CoD4) (Perks), FIFA ’09 (Max Flashbullet), DOTA (KOS) and Need for Speed – Most Wanted (NFS) (Phoenix).
Sponsored by Intel, CPC LIOC HYREX Memory Technologies, Kingston, Informatics Institute of Technology and No Limit, the WCG attracted over 400 gamers from Kandy and Colombo, says Director of Lanka e Sports Cindy Perera. “Gamers came from Nuwara Eliya as well. Over a 1000 people came to watch this year’s event,” she says, adding that the response received far exceeded their expectations.
Preliminary rounds were held in Kandy and Colombo and finalists were selected to take part in the final showdown in Colombo. The ultimate winner of the official game of the year, FIFA 09, Kushan Senanayake (18), is a member of the ‘Max’ clan. Excited about going to China, he is thankful for the efforts the organisers have put into WCG ‘09, a sentiment shared by every gamer at the event such as teams DiX-B from Kandy, Phoenix and the Determinators from Colombo and FIFA player Mohomed Zaffry from Matale to name a few. “If more events like this are held, there will be more pro gamers coming out for sure,” says Kushan who goes by the name Max Flashbullet.
Kushan’s opponent Ifham Buhary (18) from the Phoenix clan gave him a terrific fight for the title of champion. The first match was a draw, and the organisers had to hold another match in order to select a winner. In the end it was a nail-biting finish to a truly exciting game where Kushan emerged victorious.
Explaining the motives behind WCGSL, tells us that LKeS was formed by a group of gamers who wanted to make a difference in the local gaming arena. The group consists of him, Cindy, Prageeth Thoradeniya and Taishin Shiek.
“We were gamers who wanted to take Sri Lankan gaming to new heights, so we researched other competitive international gaming events,” says Director Radeepan Kanapathipillai, explaining how Lanka e Sports was born. “Taking part in the WCG is any gamer’s dream, but our gamers didn’t have the chance of getting that experience whereas other Asian and South Asian counties had already gone there, so we decided to take up the challenge. We also wanted to do it as a recognized and government registered organisation.”
Cyber gaming is rapidly achieving the status of a competitive sport in the country. Gamers of all kinds are springing up like mushrooms. However, most who have found success in the field have also found success in academics as well. Cindy reminds us that she and all her colleagues at LKeS have completed their university degrees or are in the process of doing so. If you’re a gamer, she says, it is important that you don’t neglect your studies.
Here’s wishing our pro boy Kushan all the best for a complete pawnage in China! |
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