Major League Gaming has teamed up with EA Sports to bring us a new era of competitive sports video gaming. MLG will be hosting the 2009 EA Sports Challenge series on the PlayStation 3, with sony and bestbuy as the sponsors. At MLG Dallas in August we will see the first lan event for the Challenge series. Online qualifiers will begin on August 17th.
Prizes for both online and offline events total up to $170,000 in cash. With this partnership, MLG will now be taking PlayStation 3 onboard. It’s online Pro Circuit is already very popular with just the xbox360, so it will be interesting to see what level PS3 can take them too. With MLG saying this is the first year they will make profit, it very much seems like they can and will with this deal.
You can read the full press release below.
NEW YORK AND REDWOOD CITY, CALIF—JUNE 20, 2009— Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Major League Gaming today announced a collaboration to bring the 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series to gamers around the world. Beginning this summer, MLG will operate live and online qualifying competitions for multiple titles from the EA SPORTS line-up. Best Buy, one of the nation’s leading gaming retailers, continues its commitment to the EA SPORTS Challenge Series as presenting partner for the competitions. The 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series will be played on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.
MLG and EA SPORTS are also teaming to create new online offerings for the EA SPORTS Challenge Series, allowing for competitors to join the 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series online for the first time. Both online and live competitors in the 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series will be competing for cash and prizes totaling over $170,000, made possible by Sony PlayStation.
“Working with EA SPORTS has been a dream of ours for some time. Together, we’ll bring the intensity and excitement of competitive video gaming to sports fans across North America,” said Matthew Bromberg, president and CEO of Major League Gaming.
“For nearly a decade, the EA SPORTS Challenge Series has represented what our brand is all about —competition and a passion for sports,” said Steven Chiang, senior vice president, EA SPORTS. “In partnering with MLG and Sony Entertainment America Inc., we’re going to offer our consumers the chance at competition like they’ve never had before, at the highest levels of gaming, and with all the bragging rights on the line.”
“As the partnership with EA Sports and MLG takes the Challenge experience to the next level, Best Buy is committed to making sure gamers have everything they need to successfully compete live and online,” said David Benson, Merchant Director, Gaming. “We bring together the knowledge, products and services for players to make the most of their gaming and entertainment experience.”
EA SPORTS and MLG will launch the first event of the 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series in Dallas, Texas, on August 28-30. For more information about the 2009 EA SPORTS Challenge Series, visit www.easportschallenge.com.
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING
Major League Gaming is the largest professional video game league in the world. MLG is the dominant media property exclusively targeting the approximately 40 million consumers in North America who have a passion for playing video games as a competitive social activity, while giving sponsoring brands access to this highly influential demographic. We represent the best professional gamers and give millions of aspiring players around the world an opportunity to compete, improve their skills, and socialize through our thriving online community and live Pro Circuit competitions. www.mlgpro.com
ABOUT ELECTRONIC ARTS
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA Mobile TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. “PLAYSTATION” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.