- Sep 20, 2006
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okay, i'm a little behind on posting this (article is almost 2 weeks old), but for kmrivers who aspires to be a gamer, here ya go:
ARTICLE EXCERPT:
Tom Taylor is anything but a computer geek.
Yeah, he spends hours a day behind a screen obliterating little green men or ?master chiefs,? but this self-professed ladies man has made more than $450,000 blasting sinister agents since becoming a professional video gamer in 2004.
Taylor, aka Tsquared, is very different from the stereotyped computer nerd trapped in his parent's basement. He's one of a handful of teens who have made their own fortunes in the $7 billion a year industry in the U.S. ? a sales figure that's almost doubled since 1996, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Thanks to the Internet, a couple dozen magazines, a cable network devoted to gaming and corporate-sponsored tournaments attended by tens of thousands, the video game industry has cemented its place in pop culture. And by promoting the best gamers as professionals, the industry helps push its product ? much the same way the visibility of pro golfers sells clubs and balls.
The financial rewards of video games are immense. For example, Halo 2 grossed $125 million during the first 24 hours of its release, according to Microsoft sales statistics. Another example: Friday morning's launch of the PlayStation 3 ? one version with a retail price of $500, another for $600 ? drew throngs to electronic stores across the country.
Major League Gaming (MLG) recently signed five players to some of the biggest professional contracts ever awarded gamers, including one four-person team to a $1 million, three-year contract. Taylor signed a $250,000, three-year deal in 2004.
Taylor practices three hours a night. He also runs 3 to 5 miles a day and lifts weights, which he said clears his head and boosts his focus.
Like every professional sport, there's always a prodigy. In video games, it's a child prodigy, 8-year-old Victor DeLeon III.
He doesn't travel with an entourage and prefers playing with his dwarf hamster Cortana and watching Star Wars.
But put him in a Halo 2 tournament and ?Lil Poison,? as he's known, is venomous. His father, also named Victor DeLeon, said the gaming whiz has already earned enough money to buy a luxury car and pay for his college tuition.
full article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/tech/20061117-1237-games-richyounggamers.html
ARTICLE EXCERPT:
Tom Taylor is anything but a computer geek.
Yeah, he spends hours a day behind a screen obliterating little green men or ?master chiefs,? but this self-professed ladies man has made more than $450,000 blasting sinister agents since becoming a professional video gamer in 2004.
Taylor, aka Tsquared, is very different from the stereotyped computer nerd trapped in his parent's basement. He's one of a handful of teens who have made their own fortunes in the $7 billion a year industry in the U.S. ? a sales figure that's almost doubled since 1996, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Thanks to the Internet, a couple dozen magazines, a cable network devoted to gaming and corporate-sponsored tournaments attended by tens of thousands, the video game industry has cemented its place in pop culture. And by promoting the best gamers as professionals, the industry helps push its product ? much the same way the visibility of pro golfers sells clubs and balls.
The financial rewards of video games are immense. For example, Halo 2 grossed $125 million during the first 24 hours of its release, according to Microsoft sales statistics. Another example: Friday morning's launch of the PlayStation 3 ? one version with a retail price of $500, another for $600 ? drew throngs to electronic stores across the country.
Major League Gaming (MLG) recently signed five players to some of the biggest professional contracts ever awarded gamers, including one four-person team to a $1 million, three-year contract. Taylor signed a $250,000, three-year deal in 2004.
Taylor practices three hours a night. He also runs 3 to 5 miles a day and lifts weights, which he said clears his head and boosts his focus.
Like every professional sport, there's always a prodigy. In video games, it's a child prodigy, 8-year-old Victor DeLeon III.
He doesn't travel with an entourage and prefers playing with his dwarf hamster Cortana and watching Star Wars.
But put him in a Halo 2 tournament and ?Lil Poison,? as he's known, is venomous. His father, also named Victor DeLeon, said the gaming whiz has already earned enough money to buy a luxury car and pay for his college tuition.
full article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/tech/20061117-1237-games-richyounggamers.html
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