WSVG closed - R.I.P. Quake 4?

[ZeRoQL]

It has been announced by Games Media Properties today that the WSVG tournaments in Los Angeles, London and the finals at DreamHack in Sweden will not take place. The WSVG has been called off.

This spells very bad news for the Quake community since prize money from the World Series was the only reason many players could sustain the life of a professional gamer.

The board of Games Media Properties has decided that hosting live gaming events is not profitable enough in order to continue with the WSVG. Instead, they will be focusing on online media like GameRiot.

* GMP statement

Effective immediately, Games Media Properties will no longer produce the World Series of Video Games. The remainder of the 2007 season in Los Angeles, London and Sweden is canceled.

The World Series of Video Games launched with the goal of expanding interest and participation in competitive gaming. Over the course of two seasons, we have been honored by the strong support the community has shown in attending our festivals, and watching our competitions online and on television-- all in record-setting numbers. We have been grateful for the generous support provided by Intel and other sponsors since our inception.

However, the continuing challenges of securing adequate revenues to sustain the production of the WSVG's large scale events and television programming, in a very crowded field of competitive gaming leagues, has prompted us to re-evaluate our direction as an organization.

Unfortunately, the decision is to cancel the remainder of the WSVG season, as we shift our focus solely to growing our online advertising network of websites, which currently reach seven million users each month.

We are proud of the accomplishments and memorable entertainment we have provided through the World Series of Video Games. While we are sorry that this news will disappoint our fans and players, we are deeply appreciative that we have had the opportunity to contribute to the growth of eSports.

After it was announced that the World Series of Video Games is shut down, GGL Wire has talked to the people that are affected the most - Johan “Toxjq” Quick, players competing in the circuit and other industry people.

Johan “Toxjq” Quick, WSVG 2006 champion

I was looking forward to finishing this season of WSVG and Quake4, so I’m disappointed about the news. I think it’s a setback for pro-gaming but those things can happen and I’m sure it will rebound, so we just need to see bright side of the future.

Marcus “djWHEAT” Graham, e-sports broadcaster

I’m absolutely shocked to hear this news… it’s a very sad day for North American Pro Gaming, and honestly, gaming around the world. Not only do we now lack any large Quake 4 competitions, but there is one less gaming organization throwing events for gamers. Whether people know it or not, it WILL affect gamers across the globe.

Paul “ReDeYe” Chaloner, e-sports broadcaster

I am very sorry to hear that WSVG has been cancelled and mainly because it was the main event for Quake 4 and 1v1 Professional FPS play in 2007. It disturbs me and upsets me greatly that what seemed to be such a fine set of tournaments has now gone to the grave.

If I remove the PR speak, however, I have to say I am also really angry that this has happened now. It does nothing for pushing professional videogaming forward and not completing the season is even more shocking.

The fact that GMP believes that they can’t make enough profit from the tournaments but that they can from the website they own also mystifies me. Why would any of the people who followed WSVG and its tournaments now want to visit the site owned and run by the same people? Whilst it’s perhaps a little flippant of me to say so, what’s to stop them deciding next week that the website too is…. not making them enough profit?

A very sad day for all of those players and clans involved in WSVG and for lovers for Quake 4 and pro 1v1 FPS tournaments.

Chance Lacina, WSVG competitor

I’m shocked and I really don’t know what to say right now.

Tom “griffin” Wall, WSVG competitor

I gave up a lot for WSVG this year; I have four free months now to figure out and do whatever I want, but I’m really upset i cant play in any tournaments the rest of the year (Quake that is). I also was looking forward to going to London and Sweden and LA, and now I can’t, so i think Im going to look forward to UT3 while I figure out what I’m doing for the rest of the year.

Tim “DaHang” Fogarty, WSVG competitor

It’s a shame for gaming as a whole, and for me personally as I was improving and making my way to the top in the [Quake] competitions. I still hope they pay out prizes for WSVG Dallas and Toronto of course, which is unclear as of right now.

Ivo “forever” Lindhout, WSVG competitor

This has come as a big shock for the Quake4 community, all I can say is WOW, the last thing that I thought would happen, has happened.

[Corey]

Očekivao sam ovo nakon razgovora sa urednikom pro gam3r magazina.Prvo nisam veorovao ali kasnije mi je objasnio zašto će tako biti, i to da će sledeća duel igra biti UT3...koji smrdi

[rmb]

Smrdi i ut i q4 , ziveo quake wars ! :D

[Muerte]

uvek mi je bilo interesantno da saznam sta to pukne u 'kvejkeru'

pa moze da igra te peshadinske igre

campershit, quake wars...

[ZeRoQL]

Mislim da cemo mi igrati q3 jos dugo dugo vremena :)

[Snejk]

uvek mi je bilo interesantno da saznam sta to pukne u 'kvejkeru'

pa moze da igra te peshadinske igre

campershit, quake wars...

Meni se od tih igara najviše svidela Operation Flashpoint.. Igrali smo se toga za sve pare u nekadašnjem fjuzu, i šteta što su mašine možda bile prespore i što smo imali samo 11 kompova, al je igra bila skroz kul.

Inače, ništa kao kvejk, makar što se FPS-a tiče :).

[4oveRale]

q3 podrazava i sublimira celu sustinu zivota, smestenog u virtuelni svet kompjutera i stolice...

zato je najbolji i neprejebiv, kao rock and roll.