The hunt is on for NZ's Halo 3 Heroes

The hunt is on for NZ's Halo 3 Heroes
New Zealand World Cyber Games Halo 3
qualifier tournament sorts the marines from the grunts

AUCKLAND 05 May 2008 – Think you have what it takes to beat the world’s best Halo 3 players? The hunt is on for Kiwi Halo 3 fans to battle it out in the New Zealand World Cyber Games (WCG) qualifier with a chance to take on other Halo 3 champions worldwide.

More than 1.5 million gamers from 74 countries are set to take part in the global WCG tournament; all vying for a slice of the NZ$3.6m prize money.

To compete for a place on the NZ team, gamers need to register online (www.wcg.net.nz), attend the three-day New Zealand qualifier in Auckland, and prepare for battle.

Following the qualifiers, a team of up to 15 people will be named to represent New Zealand at the WCG Grand Final in Cologne, Germany in November.

xLAN Limited World Cyber Games New Zealand strategic partner managing director Susan Baikie says the addition of a Halo 3 WCG qualifier is an added bonus to the impressive line-up of tournaments at this year’s event.

“Halo 3 is such a popular title here in NZ and we are pleased to be able to offer Kiwis a chance to compete in the international stage. We have a talented group of Halo 3 competitors and we look forward to the exciting tournament ahead.”

The New Zealand World Cyber Games National Qualifier will be held non-stop, around the clock, from July 11-13 at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Auckland. The competition games are Counter Strike 1.6 (PC), Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne (PC), FIFA 2008 (PC) DOTA All-Stars (PC), Guitar Hero 3 (Xbox 360), Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360) and Halo 3* (Xbox 360). Exhibition matches will be played in Team Fortress 2 (PC), Call of Duty 4 (PC) SpamTin Memorial Trophy Counter Strike: Source (PC), and Act and Dress like a rock star on Guitar Hero 3 (Xbox 360), PC World Case Modding Competition and also the Legendry Food Eating Competition.

The demand for competitive gaming is growing globally at a huge rate. Worldwide, more than NZ$51.5bn was spent on video games last year, with NZ$100m spent in New Zealand.

The New Zealand WCG Tier 1 sponsorship partners are TelstraClear, Samsung Electronics New Zealand and Microsoft New Zealand.

For more information and to register for the 2008 New Zealand WCG visit www.wcg.net.nz. Ticket price is $85 for the three-day event. Gamers compete for a place to the World Cyber Games Grand Final and prizes from sponsors.

*Halo 3 New Zealand World Cyber Games qualifier tournament is a ‘4 vs 4’ campaign. Players must be 18 years and over to register. For terms and conditions, please visit www.wcg.net.nz

ENDS

About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of more than 300 games and is available in nearly 40 countries. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About The World Cyber Games
The World Cyber Games (www.worldcybergames.com ) is the premier blue chip global video game tournament and culture festival. First founded in 2000 to promote global harmony through e-sports, the WCG has grown steadily ever since. Behind the slogan "Beyond the Game" and with contestants from more than 70 countries expected to participate in this year's event, the World Cyber Games has developed into a true global phenomenon with arguably the largest prize amount at stake. The World Cyber Games prides itself on leading the "Digital Entertainment Culture."
Attendee demographics:

41% 16-24 years, single male, predominantly students.
36% 25-34 years old professionals with a high interest in IT.
23% 20-29 year old singles.

Internationally there are professional gamers who make a great living from prize money and sponsorships. In Korea, gaming is considered a national sport, with top gamers treated like sports stars, with fan clubs, groupies and requiring body guards.
More than NZ$3.2m was awarded in prize money at the 2007 World Cyber Games, with a grand final prize of NZ$542,000.
The World Cyber Games began in 2000.

New Zealand World Cyber Games
760 spots are available at the New Zealand World Cyber Games Qualifier at xLAN 2008. This has been sold out for the last three years. More than 5,000 spectators are expected at the three day event.

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