Championship Gaming Series announces Dubai as key to Middle East gaming growth

22 Players went head to head with participants from UAE, Europe, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and the final play-offs for the qualifier will take place on Saturday, 21 July. Counter Strike Source, a very popular PC game will be played in teams of five, on Thursday and Friday.

Currently, 34 teams comprising a total of 170 players are registered. Saturday 21 July, the last day of the competition, will feature one of the most popular games, FIFA and Project Gotham Racing. There are still opportunities for gaming lovers to register for these two popular games. The qualifying rounds are held as part of DSS 2007, in-mall activities at Dubai Festival City from 11:00 am upto 10:00 pm daily.

Bright future for the gaming industry in the region

Championship Gaming SeriesTM (CGS), the first worldwide professional gaming league, forecast the future growth of international video gaming in the next few years fuelled by major media investment. It also stressed that Dubai is key to this strategy.

Direct TV, BSkyB and STAR TV, three important television stations owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp, have entered into a joint venture investing US$50 million (Over AED 184 million), to create Championship Gaming Series. The television stations have a combined reach into 100 million homes worldwide.

Speaking at a press conference organised by Dubai Summer Surprises, supporting the series, Scott Valencia, Senior Vice President for Global Operations, went on to say "Video gaming as a professional entertainment sport is a top priority for the partnership. Identified as fast growing markets, the Middle East and Asia are very important in making this happen".

Valencia continued, "Unlike traditional sports that have taken considerable time, sometimes decades, to be recognized professionally, the technological advances in the last 20 years have made giant strides in creating mass appeal for video gaming. Combined with the low barrier entry, this sport transcends all barriers of age, nationality and intellect."

When asked about what made a good gamer, Valencia replied that it was not a just question of education or intelligence, but good cognitive skills, quick reflexes, strategic thinking and an aptitude for problem solving to become a top player. These abilities can make local youth into heroes, potential stars and future millionaires.

"The CGS is conscious of its role in maintaining and encouraging moral and ethical gaming and has included control measures to limit the amount of violence onscreen, eliminating the more gory elements. It also has a strict code of adhering to game ratings and will not allow youngsters below 18 to play games that are rated 18+, thus ensuring wholesome family entertainment", Valencia assured.

Scott Valencia is in Dubai to launch the first live pro-gaming action in the region. Teams have registered from all over the GCC and will compete on XBOX and PC, in teams or individually, playing Dead or Alive®, Counter Strike®: Source®, FIFA® and Project Gotham Racing®. Winners will qualify for the regional championships to be held later this year.