GSL 2012 Season 2: Round of 16 Group A Preview
April 17, 2012
The Players: Genius, NaNiwa, SuperNoVa, Virus
What a treat to open up the Ro16 for Season 2. For most of the foreign GSL audience, the current “Foreign Hope” in Korea, Quantic Gaming’s NaNiwa, makes Group A extremely interesting. I admit to being a doubter of non-Koreans in the GSL, especially of NaNiwa. Until recently he hasn’t found much success in GOM’s studio. However, his recent victories against Puzzle and Ryung have proven him a force to be reckoned with, even in Korea. He is the lead story in this group, no doubt, and must be given strong consideration as a prospect for the round of 8. Read on…
Hanging Around at PAX East: Sunday
April 9, 2012
For the full PAX East series, check out on Friday and Saturday.
Like many things in life, my Sunday at PAX did not start according to plan. After three and a half magnificent hours of sleep, I awoke early to ensure that I made it in to the State of the Game panel at 10:30am. I should preface this by stating that last year’s Saturday night SOTG panel filled up an hour and forty-five minutes before it actually started. In my 2011 naivete, I thought I would be perfectly fine getting in line an hour and a half early, so I missed it. I was determined not to let that happen again.
I hopped on the train around 8:30am, only to realize after making it a single stop that I’d forgotten my Sunday pass at home. I exited the train and elected to run the ~1 mile back to my apartment, where I grabbed the pass, drank some water, and repeated the process. Upon arriving at the silver line stop for the convention center, my pass decided it would be an opportune time to fall off its lanyard. Fortunately, a very friendly passerby pointed it out on the ground to me, and I was able to recover it before entering the BCEC and beginning my final day at PAX East. Read on…
Hanging Around at PAX East: Saturday
April 8, 2012
After Friday’s epic success, Saturday did not start the way I’d planned. Tragically, I was overcome with a strange illness that rendered me unable to leave my bed until the ever so late hour of 10:30 in the am. This unfortunate circumstance meant I missed one of my favorite PAX events, the hour long “Make a Strip” session. In it, Mike Krahulik takes a per-conceived script and draws out the comic on a massive, projected screen while the audience takes turns asking Jerry Holkins the same ridiculous questions I’ve come to know and love. Granted, I’d made it to the first Q&A session the previous day, so I was not as devastated as I could’ve been. Read on…
Hanging Around at PAX East: Friday
April 7, 2012
Despite this being my third year of PAX East attendance, I’m always struck by just how many people show up to this thing. To put it in perspective, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is approximately half a million square feet. In the twelve hours I spent there yesterday, there was not a single moment where I found myself with an abundance of personal space. The “Nerd Mecca” analogy is not hyperbole. Read on…
MLG Winter Championship, The Ruckus in Columbus
March 20, 2012
Yes I know the title doesn’t rhyme. Let’s be serious, though, there’s going to be some serious chaos in Columbus this weekend, and I’m going to enjoy every blood soaked moment of it.
The last major MLG event resulted in Leenock’s ascent from the open bracket to the champion’s pedestal, proving that MLG’s year-long seeding process was ultimately compromised by the Korean variables.
This year, MLG has mixed up the formula, using a controversial pay-per-view “Arena” event to help generate its initial batch of groups. This event pulled together 32 top players from all over the world and pit them against each other. When the dust cleared, MarineKing emerged touting a well deserved top seed and a $10,000 check. Columbus, however, presents far more dangerous obstacles. With Leenock and NesTea out due to GSTL and injury respectively, predicting the top finishers just became a lot more hazy. Read on…
Diablo 3 Release Date Announced
March 15, 2012
Break out your calendars and be sure you get every single ounce of productive energy out of your system, Diablo 3 will be available on May 15th, 2012. So sayeth Blizzard, harbingers of this hotly anticipated, undoubtedly evil time sink. What’s more, you can pre-purchase a copy directly from Battle.net.
The $60 price tag is a bit daunting, but given the 13 year gap since Diablo II, I doubt most gamers will hesitate. Now I just have to decide between a barb, a monk, a wizard, a witch doctor, or a demon hunter. First world gaming problems…