SteelSeries, the professsional gamer-oriented hardware makers, have been biding their time lately, but their marketing VP Kim Ron took an hour out of his day to talk to CG about what they’re planning, their philosophy, and all that good stuff. One thing we discussed was how in the recession economy, support for things like gaming tournaments and professional gamer teams is dropping: their natural habitat, the LAN party, is shrinking as the great funding springs dry up.
SteelSeries can’t stand to see this majestic species of gamer die out (especially considering they’re their target demographic) so they’re doing their part: buy one of their (sweet) mousepads branded with major team graphics, and a portion of your purchase will go to restoring and preserving the once-mighty herds of pro gamers. They’re not quite available yet, but we’ll keep an eye out and update when they are.
The mousepads (or gaming mats, as I believe they’re called properly) are a bit big for me… well, I won’t lie, they’re enormous. But some people like that, and they’re so beautifully printed that you could mount them on the wall. The Meet Your Makers one (above) in particular is striking colorwise and very detailed. Maybe I’ll get one and scissor it down to size. I’ll have a few to give away soon so you’ll see for yourself.
Kim, an avid gamer himself (and old school like me, we agree that the first Tribes is one of the greatest games of all time), has really shown his dedication to the pro gamer world with all the sponsorships and events dedicated to that purpose. Many in the US still scoff at pro gaming, or are only exposed to fatuous peacocks like Fatal1ty and other proto-celebrities, but elsewhere in the world — Europe and East Asia primarily — pro gaming is not only serious sport, but serious business. The enormous success and widespread coverage of pro Starcraft in South Korea is one important data point for seeing just how big this stuff can be. With gaming increasing in stature next to other media (and somewhat recession-resistant), it’s practically inevitable that this stuff will blow up, and serious money going into advertising in online games or game services and sites like BringIt and UGame.
I’m sure the guys in the teams SteelSeries are sponsoring will be glad for the boost, but we’re nearing a watershed point in US gaming history where games will become truly mainstream pop culture; as it is, they’re sort of a major but parallel culture, still talked around in polite conversation as if it didn’t exist except in ads — like impotence (not that us virile bloggers know anything about it, of course). Hopefully soon that taboo will be lifted, and pro gamers will flourish again.
SteelSeries also mentioned a few interesting little hardware tidbits that are coming our way soon, but it’s all very secret and I don’t want to spoil their fun. Rest assured CG will have that stuff as soon as it hits the street — or maybe a tiny bit before.
I am not sure if they really need our charity … I would have thought that promoting science education or even IT programming would be a better goal?
I hear what you’re saying – and I agree, these guys don’t need a national charity drive or anything, I just think it’s more like a community fundraiser to save the local small-town baseball team or something.
Believe me, giving to MYM is real charity…
Go Kim – GL & HF!
Nice article, think his name is Kim Rom though?.. :-)
Yes his name is Kim Rom!
Great to see a SteelSeries article up on Techcrunch and CrunchGear, especially with our new Fnatic pad as one of the images!
Tell me what you think of the orange pad we worked on it with all of our professional gamers and our designer…
Although I’m not sure were in need of Charity quite yet, I do however think publicity is always helpful to educate the masses!
If you want to see some videos to help explain what Pro Gaming is try these two:
What is Professional Gaming (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kwPBZkX_cI) and What is Esports: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElKDwwUFslA&feature=channel_page
Also here is a neat photo from one of our players winning the ESWC in Paris this year to give you an idea of the crowd: http://www.fnatic.com/filestorage/galleries/165/IMG_9177.JPG
Sam Mathews
http://www.fnatic.com / http://www.UGAME.net
Great article, and good to see coverage of progaming!
For those that want to learn more about this crazy world of professional gaming check these youtube videos: What is progaming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kwPBZkX_cI and What is Esports: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElKDwwUFslA&feature=channel_page
Any thoughts on the orange pad?
Sam Mathews
Fnatic.com / UGAME.net
Sorry for double post.
Some nice pads there, I’ll probably buy one and hopefully the money will be invested someone good. At grass roots level gaming and not into the bigger teams as usual… give others a chance and support a better infrastructure.
I’m a fellow Tribes 1 player, started playing it 8-10 years ago. If anyone played on the server without a name where you could practice shooting with flying dummies, that was mine.
What amazed me about the game was how much “skiing” changed the game. It allowed you to scale mountains and make much better use of your jet pack without losing speed, it’s what took me from just loving the game to becoming addicted for a short while.
Great article, and good to see coverage of progaming!
http://kisalt.us/590/
Cool article. Glad to see gamers featured from time to time.
Console gaming is already mainstream culture in the US. I don’t think computer gaming is near that status – it’s still a subculture. On what do you base the assertion that “we’re nearing a watershed point in US gaming history where games will become truly mainstream pop culture?”
Dude.. isn’t his name Kim RoM, and not Kim RoN?