Let the games begin

With the staggering growth of PC power and technology, the gaming industry has rapidly evolved to a popular entertainment culture. Samsung Electronics is once again the Global sponsor of the World Cyber Games 2005 (WCG). The WCG is the world's first "Cyber Game Festival", designed to build a healthy cyber culture, with the best gamers around the world sharing the excitement and fun of the game tournaments. The Festival is set to commence in August 2005.

Held on an annual basis since 2000, the WCG has continued to set the standard in global game competitions as well as provide comprehensive and fun game-related content to the world. Just as sport is seen as a universal language, the WCG Challenge has broken the language barrier, with games becoming the second most common language for the world.

The current technological environment is propitious to content development activities, both on and off-line. E-commerce is already posting compelling results, and computer video games are enjoying phenomenal success. Players' swift adoption of gaming culture has triggered a host of initiatives in the sector

The South African qualifying events for World Cyber Games 2005 will be taking place in Gauteng and Cape Town in August 2005. Sponsored by Samsung Electronics SA and delivered by PenQuin International, a leading marketing solutions company, this event will culminate in a National Finals at Sandton City, Johannesburg, with winners flying over to Singapore from 16-20 November 2005 to compete in the Grand Finals against over 800 gamers from over 70 countries.

Recognising the WCG as the most effective channel to communicate with today's youth, Samsung Electronics has taken a pioneering role in supporting the WCG in achieving its goal of building friendships and a healthy digital entertainment culture through e-sports. Samsung Electronics has participated in the WCG as a worldwide sponsor for the last four years, thereby successfully enhancing its brand awareness and recognition.

Samsung and its subsidiaries worldwide are making great contributions to building the WCG preliminaries as some of the most important games and cultural events in those countries. There is a strong need to nurture a healthy and sound cyber world, and through such efforts, Samsung Electronics is positioning itself as an ambassador of those companies who show interest in games culture and e-sports.

The games culture has built a strong platform for the development of advanced IT technologies, with the positive effects of the cyber games industry expected to grow as participation and awareness continue to accelerate. Positive effects of games are used most commonly in education in the form of edu-games providing the youth with entertainment as well as mental stimulation. Games are also a display place for composite art, and they are making great contributions to overall cultural advancements. Through the WCG, gamers can fully exercise their skills and energy to attain self esteem and self actualisation as they utilise their talents to represent their country.

For more information please visit www.worldcybergames.co.za

South African Events are scheduled as follows:

Preliminaries: regional

Gauteng: Eastgate Shopping Centre - 6,7,13 and 14 August 2005
Cape Town: Canal Walk - 27 and 28 August 2005

Final

Sandton City - 17 and 18 September 2005