The crowds are turning out today to witness local game-masters battle it out on the first day of the Hong Kong leg of the Olympics of gaming. Sponsored by Samsung, the Hong Kong finals of the World Cyber Games (WCG) 2007 have arrived and 300 local gamers are putting their virtual-world skills to the test to see who has the right stuff to take on the world’s best in Singapore and Seattle later in the year.

“This is Samsung’s eight year as a global sponsor of the WCG.” said Mr. B.W. Kim, managing director, Samsung Electronics Hong Kong Co. Ltd. “It is a great pleasure for us to be able to support the WCG and to help it becomes the most prestigious e-Sport competition in the world as well as a multicultural festival promoting social harmony through digital innovation.”
In the Half-Life™: Counter-Strike™ contest, competing teams will try to out-shoot and out-wit each other for a chance to take on the cream of the crop – winners of this category will be entitled to go straight to the World Cyber Games Grand Final in Seattle from October 4 -7. A total of 1000 gamers will converge on Seattle Football Stadium for the Grand Final – there will be 8 Hong Kong gamers among them.

Those who enter the virtual worlds of FIFA Soccer 07, DOTA, Warcraft® III: Frozen Throne™, Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs and Dead or Alive® 4will play for a place at the Asian Championship in Singapore from August 2-8, where they will go up against 120 players from 12 Asia Pacific countries. Warcraft® III: Frozen Throne™, Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs and Dead or AliveR 4 contestants will also have a chance to qualify for the Grand Final in Seattle.

In addition to winning the honor of representing Hong Kong in an international contest, there are generous cash prizes and Samsung LCD monitors up for grabs today.

The gamers here today will fight it out in a football-themed Samsung booth, reflecting the international scope and diverse and colorful culture of the world’s biggest gaming event. Last year’s winners are on hand to provide insights and advice and lively Samsung Game Girls will be cheering on the contestants. Fans will also get a chance to experience the latest Samsung digital innovations, which will be displayed at the Samsung booth.

The World Cyber Games started in 2000 and has grown in scale and popularity since. Last year’s Grand Final in Italy saw over 700 of the world’s finest gamers, representing more than 70 countries, including Hong Kong, competing for US$400,000 in prize money and the honor of being the best of the best in gaming.

Samsung’s sponsorship of the World Cyber Games is a part of a broad and diverse range of sporting events the company supports. The company has built up a portfolio of sport sponsorship over the last 20 years that includes world class invites such as the Olympic Games and Asian Games as well as local events including the Olympic Day Run and Hong Kong Sport Star Awards. Through support for sport, Samsung is able to communicate its corporate philosophy and values, which are echoed in the ability of sport to unify people and encourage them to challenge themselves and find inspiration. Sport also demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to responsible corporate citizenship and the company’s desire to promote global friendship.