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Chris Lemley, the President of Team Pandemic, speaks out on how the downfall of WSVG affects Pandemic and his teams moving forward in 2007 and beyond.  Even prior to Dolven's departure from the Pandemic organization he and I had agreed to shift the brand's focus towards the World Series of Video Games for 2007 and, ideally, the years to come. We saw an opportunity to embrace "free" gaming and take advantage of the competitive world outside of the CGS and MLG; I thoroughly believed that on the heels of World of Warcraft and the other unique games supported by the World Series we could become the dominant independent gaming brand in North America. For one to say that the failure of the league damages Pandemic as a whole would be a mistake, however we undoubtedly were fostered into the level of success that we now enjoy thanks to the World Series and largely the World Series alone. Our breakout event -- even when we were little more than a Counter-Strike team -- dates back to WSVG LANWAR '06. While I take the time to reassess our overall position, we will revert our focus to promotional efforts with our partners and begin what appears will be somewhat of a "waiting game" with World of Warcraft. Our players have expressed lackluster-at-best interest levels in participating in 2v2 arena, but I have extended to them an open door policy should they choose to pursue the CGS. As for our sponsorships, we are blessed to be supported by some of the best in the business and they know that our value truly transcends any individual tournament or series. I have already spoken directly with several of our corporate representatives on the matter and they have been more than understanding - the reaction isn't devaluing of Team Pandemic but rather mutual shock in the failure of the league. Will Pandemic be cutting any divisions because of the changing landscape? Will you continue to support your rather larger GH2 division? Despite the loss of the major competitive aspect and a great deal of the worth Pandemic found in having the game on-board, we will not leave our players out in the cold simply because of this unfortunate turn of events. While there may be very little for them to 'do' with the absence of media (namely VoD and CBS Sports), there is still a large promotional significance associated with the likes of TipperQueen and our GH2 squad. Nick "Kov" Shish will actually be accompanying a Pandemic.CSS member to our upcoming Dell Unleashed college tour stop in Orlando this weekend, and I guarantee that he will generate every bit as much interest with the crowd as our Counter-Strike player. Anyone can step up, try the game out, and have a genuinely good time; the 'fun' value has not gone away. How does the competitive landscape look for your WoW team? What events will they be prepping for now? What does this mean for wow in the short term? Our World of Warcraft team is amazing in that it consists not only of some of the world's finest gaming talent, but some of the most intelligent and loyal individuals I have ever been associated with in this business. I have no doubt whatsoever that they will do well in whichever avenue(s) they decide to pursue in gaming. That being said, Pandemic.WoW still exists successfully and and will continue to do so. We have discussed internally a variety options to help the team flourish and remain on top of WoW, as well as some indirect opportunities that will allow them to remain active in the greater gaming community despite the present standstill. They will continue to compete in Blizzard's online ladder and will await their chance to attend any events around the globe that sprout up as a result of the competitive void that the WSVG has left. Rumor has it they may even be on a magazine cover sometime soon. ;) Page:
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Wednesday November 25 2009 | |||||
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User Comments
WoW 2 v 2 will be the worst game yet for CGS. It will make PGR seem like a world class esport
2nd Page.
[i]Fortunately, our marketability has not been [b]effected[/b] in a lasting way. Yes, we put a lot of our eggs in their basket for 2007, but it in no way hinders our ability to adjust and succeed in future endeavors.[/i]
Anything wrong with that excerpt? Yes sir, there is. Check the term that is bolded.
Definition of Affected : acted upon; influenced
[b]Source[/b]: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=defi..
Definition of Effected : accomplished: settled securely and unconditionally
[b]Source[/b]: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=defi..
Believe me now? Get it through your head ; Affected means something is affected. I.E : Your marketability have not been influenced by WSVG's departure. Get it??
Bye
Personally I wonder what will become of the GH2 division more than anything else - WSVG was really the only major showcase for them.
The tradition continued this year with your replacement, who (for what reason I don't know) felt he had the right to SELF-promote Pandemic in interviews as "North America's top gaming brand," and the like, simply because Pandemic had acquired top players in WOW and GH2. Sorry, I'm not business-minded, and I don't have my own team, but I'm smart enough to know that having two good teams in two largely eSports-irrelevant games that are ONLY played at one event series doesn't make you a "top gaming brand."
To see Pandemic management continue to SELF-promote itself on a joke-of-a-basis like that, quite frankly, as an eSports fan, OFFENDED me. Why? Because to issue arrogant, cocky, unfounded statements like that in public media spits in the face of professional gaming teams that existed, and were more popular than Pandemic, YEARS ago, and STILL are (sorry, but team names, or "brands" as Lemley seems to like to say, such as United 5, zEx, EG, and Check-Six are STILL more popular and hold more sway than Pandemic's, even if several of those have NO sponsors whatsoever). To do so also spits in the face of the plethora of non-WSVG events that, again, have ALREADY existed for years, and STILL are more popularly followed by hardcore gamers than the WSVG was, even when it was alive.
Sorry, Pandemic wasn't a "top gaming brand" in 2006; in 2006, the name FINALLY became REMOTELY recognizable because you made good moves in building a pretty good CS team that actually played at a high level. And Pandemic SURELY wasn't made a "top gaming brand" this year, even when the WSVG was still alive. Picking up two good teams in games that are eSports-irrelevant (I don't care how many people play GH2 and WOW around the world, 99% of they don't play in organized competition), and only used in one, relatively NEW event, does NOT give you the right to publicly go around eSports talking yourself up as "North America's top gaming brand," or whatever.
Again, I'm not business man, but it was a STUPID team decision to put all the eggs in one basket, and Pandemic got bit in the ass. #9, I'm not trying to attack you personally, nor am I trying to attack Chris Lemley. I'm sure you're both great people in person. You can tell me I'm wrong, and you can tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, but the way you and Lemley have both arrogantly talked up your organization since mid-2006 has not only offended me as a gamer, it's made me sick to my god-damn stomach. I've never heard ANY other top North American team talk about itself in the manner that I've heard from Pandemic. Teams like 3D and coL, and EG in Canada, I've NEVER heard them try to self-promote; and you know why? Because they don't HAVE to, because when you're REALLY a region's "top gaming brand," people just KNOW. They don't HAVE to be told.
Again, you can argue with me until I'm blue in the face. You can call me ignorant. But at the end of the day, I'm a living, breathing example of an eSports fan who will NEVER support Pandemic because of how much it's been SELF-promoted, and believe me, I'm not the only one.
Respectfully,
D
I also don't completely agree with not blaming the choice of games. You have to remember, that while eSports does eventually want the inclusion of the general populace, it can't start out there. Those games that were chosen were [i]mildly competitive[/i], at best. Sure, you might get a few random people to show up from a radio ad, but you want the games that will get the most competitors first.
Catering to the multitude of competitors comes first and foremost. Establishing the logistics and ideas to make them happy first, will not only bring in more competitors, but will allow you then to focus on marketing, broadcasting and presentation, allowing you to alleviate yourself from the gamer aspect and appease the corporate side.
WSVG started straight out with their "flash money antics" as you called it, with big sponsors, prizes, blah, blah and the ultimate portion of their demise was poor choices in games, and poor efforts in broadcasting. Whether or not their marketing was good enough doesn't alleviate the aspect of not getting the [i]gamer[/i] interest.
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Moreover, I completely agree with Grandvillian about the self-promotional aspect of Pandemic. It's probably the most glaring reason I never took more interest in the team.
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So I'm going along with Grandvillain and saying you guys are a disgrace to the eSports community.
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