Singapore wins bid to host World Cyber Games Finals in 2005
By Ca-Mie De Souza, Channel NewsAsia
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SINGAPORE : Singapore has been chosen to host next year's World Cyber Games finals.
This year the event, which is the equivalent of the Olympics in e-sports, is being held in San Francisco.
Many Singaporean gamers have been taking part in the World Cyber Games ever since they began 3 years ago.
It is estimated there are about 1 million - casual and hardcore - gamers here.
So it is no surprise that the Government went all out to win the bid to host next year's international e-games competition.
Some 800 cyber warriors from more than 70 countries will descend on Singapore for the finals.
Hosting the Games next year will boost Singapore's efforts to position itself as the Asia-Pacific hub of the rapidly growing games industry.
The games industry worldwide is valued at some US$350 billion.
IL-Hyung Chang, President, WCG Committee, said: "The city is not only an Asian hub of international business and IT industry. Plus it is also a city of great culture and education and trade with great venues like the Suntec Convention Centre."
For now, local gamers are busy practising for the national heats in September.
The best among them will be chosen to represent Singapore at this year's World Cyber Games in San Francisco in October.
But this year - it won't be all shooting and killing.
Hank Jeong, CEO and President, World Cyber Games, said: "The parents are worried that too much time spent on gaming, not only that, too much sexual explicit, violence, too much addictive side. We try to eliminate those type of factors that is why we incorporate a lot of sports-related games titles and lot of strategic thinking games itself."
In the lead up to next year's World Cyber Games, organisers plan to talent scout potential champions and help groom them.
But it's not just the gamers who are warming up.
Several creative minds are also training with top companies in America and Japan - studying computer game design and animation.
Quek Swee Kuan, Director, Infocomms and Media Cluster, EDB, said: "Singapore is starting from an infant stage right now for game development. So since we are starting zero base or very low base, it's expected that the growth will be quite significant. But it may be a couple of years before the real game development efforts can be translated into value-added."
For Singapore, this is much more than just a game. - CNA
