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SOURCE NYTIMES
Taking Their Game to the Next Level
EYES ON THE PRIZE Tournaments that pay have sprung up worldwide. Matt Leto, left, won $20,000 in an event last year. Charlie Pyo, third from left, and Team 3D, right, taking part in the World Cyber Games' American finals.
By ERIC A. TAUB
Published: October 7, 2004
MASSAGING his hands like a pianist preparing for a concert, Zyos steadied himself on the plain metal chair, staring intently at the television perched on a table in front of him. Oblivious to the small crowd of spectators, he prepared to make his move.
Suddenly his fingers darted across his keypad, rapidly pushing the colored buttons as he maneuvered his character in Halo, the Xbox first-person shooter game from Microsoft.
Dodging heavy arms fire, the character picked up a protective shield and then a rocket launcher. Bobbing his head above the walls, he teased his enemy into the open, finishing him off with a burst of firepower.
Chalk up another victory for Zyos - or as he is known away from the video-game screen, Matt Leto.
Mr. Leto, 20, of Allen, Tex., is no ordinary gamer. He is one of a relative handful of young people who make a living playing video games. Recognized by many as the world's greatest Halo player, he was in Long Beach, Calif., last month at the American finals of the World Cyber Games. He was hoping to qualify for a trip to the world finals this week in San Francisco, aiming to repeat...
That a small number of this generation's pinball wizards can support themselves playing video games comes as a surprise even to some of those doing so. After his first tournament victory when he was 18 years old, Johnathan Wendel recalled: "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I just won $4,000 playing video games.' My parents thought it was insane. What's this world coming to?"
Five years later, Mr. Wendel, who specializes in PC games and is known by his screen name Fatal1ty, is one of the most successful professional gamers in the world. His face hasn't yet wound up on a Wheaties box, but he has earned more than $300,000 from tournaments, product endorsements and a line of accessories he markets.
As with other pro sports, the entrepreneurs behind tournaments like the World Cyber Games believe that in the multibillion-dollar video game industry there is enough interest to support an elite level of gamers who play for pay. Some of the biggest names in the electronics industry, including Intel, Nokia and Samsung, have latched on to the idea, sponsoring competitions in the hope of a big publicity payback and sales boost.
There are a number of organizations...
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