iGames announces $40k eSports event

The world of eSports may be dominated by Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, but iGames member centers are hoping to bring the excitement of the sport back to a grassroots level. The chain is setting up a series of six national events in which the best local LAN teams will frag it out on games such as Counter-Strike and Call of Duty 2.

The first event will take place on the weekend of June 24-25, called the Intel $5K CS Open (Counter-Strike 1.6 Open Tournament). The events will take place in five-versus-five competitions, combining pool play and double-elimination matches. Each of the eight centers taking part will have $5,000 in cash that will be divided between the best Counter-Strike players, and there will be raffles and other surprises for everyone participating.

Anyone interested in taking part should visit the iGames Web site, and the full list of venues for the competition are listed below.

- eBash (Terre Haute, IN)
- euphNET v3 (San Jose, CA)
- Head 2 Head Games (London, ONT Canada)
- interPeer (Williamstown, NJ)
- NETplay (Indian Trail, NC)
- PC Gamerz Hawaii (Aiea, HI)
- Sin City PC (Las Vegas, NV)
- Xtreme Player Zone (Flower Mound, TX)