Chance for gamers to aim high
Lorraine venue brings action junkies together in bid to enter grand stage and earn big bucks
TUCKED away in a dark nook of the Lorraine Gardens Shopping Complex lies a refuge for gamers who have spent hours honing their skill in the hopes of earning a spot in the Evolution Championship Series in Las Vegas.
Game On gaming store and the Plan-G gaming crew have collaborated to provide a platform for Nelson Mandela Bay gamers to launch themselves onto national and international stages – and stand a chance to take home their share of the millions of rands on offer through competitive gaming known as eSports.
Plan G was established in 2008 by brothers and Cleary Estate residents Tarquin, 33, and Alleric Accum, 27, to simply formalise the art of gaming in the Bay and to bring players together to pit their skills against each other.
However, through hours of training and competing at a national level, the Accums managed to build a strong reputation to be approached by the Evolution Champion Series. or Evo, in 2013.
They were contacted to identify potential pro-players and become the Evo brand’s South African ambassadors.
Evo is an annual eSports event that focuses on fighting games like Tekken, Street Fighter and King of Fighters.
The representation allows Plan-G to host, coordinate and referee official Evo tournaments and leagues, from which players are identified and subsequently invited to compete in national and international competitions.
The brothers partnered with Game On owner Nic Gunston, 36, earlier this year.
The three are hoping to draw more gamers to their new Gamer Lounge at the store, to participate in monthly “fight night” tournaments.
Tarquin said there were various styles of tournaments, generally open to all.
Through the new gaming hub it would be easier to identify players with potential to compete at national level where the prize money ranged from hundreds of thousands of rands to R1-million.
“Our core has always been fighting games – and in hosting tournaments, there are two styles,” Tarquin said.
“There is a [knockout] tournament style, where anyone can enter – and there is the league, where anyone can enter as well, but instead of a knockout style, you gain experience points.
“This is to prove who is the most consistent in winning and the best overall.
“Leading up to the tournaments, we will use this [Game On] shop as our venue and invite people to come and play.
“Then there is some form of a development process,” Tarquin said.
This allowed players to get into the mindset of competitive gaming.
“We will then identify who is ready to go a step up and they could be invited to one of the bigger tournaments,” he said.
“For example, the prize money was R1-million at the nationals last year – that was shared among a team of five.”
Gunston said while they were still waiting for more equipment, the gamer lounge already had 16 gaming stations for all the most popular multiplayer games, including Counter Strike, Injustice, Fifa and Tekken, among others.
“Through partnership, we will be able to elevate gaming in Port Elizabeth and not have the bigger tournaments or sponsors only looking at your Johannesburg and Cape Town set-ups.
“With the venue, it will also be a lot easier to organise events and bring gaming to the people.
“We are able to assist and bridge the gap between those who have the skill and sponsors who are able to take them to a much bigger stage,” Gunston said.
He was echoed by Alleric, who said: “We usually go to Johannesburg and Cape Town, like three to four times a year, taking guys up with us to compete.
“So we have good relationships and partnerships with the guys in those cities – we are trying to get the Eastern Cape on the same type of level.
“There is big money in gaming and the Bay players deserve a shot at the prize.”
Plan G organises tournaments through its Facebook page.
The next tournament is on April 21.