If Philippine athletes are bound for China for this year for the Beijing Olympics, Filipino cyber athletes are also now preparing for the biggest game of their lives as they compete in the World Cyber Games (WCG) competition to be held in Cologne, Germany this November.

The Philippine delegation to the annual WCG, dubbed the Olympics of e-gaming, was picked last Sunday, July 13, during the local preliminaries held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Like their counterparts headed for the Beijing Games, the country’s “e-sportsmen” are seeking their first medal in the “e-sports” competition which the Philippines first joined in 2002.

The WCG, which is now on its 8th edition, is expected to feature 800 of the world’s best gamers from 80 countries. Last year’s staging of the games in Seattle, Washington was dominated by the host country USA with a medal haul of 3 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze.

Participants in Germany will compete in 14 events or game titles. The Philippines, however, is slated to join in only four events.

Representing the Philippines for WCG’s Counterstrike event is a team called “Horsemen of the Apocalypse” composed of members Arvin Agbisit, Paolo Nancho, Jupiter Mars Gaboy, EJ Clores, and Gary Guevarras.

For the Warcraft event, the country will be bannered by Frederick Pe. John Raymond Tan, meanwhile, will carry the country’s torch in the Command and Conquer event. Rafael Formoso completes the Philippine contingent as he competes in the Guitar Hero event.

Also chosen during the local finals to participate in the Asian Cyber Games to be held in Malaysia is Team Meneski comprised of Rhymel Olete, Jose Silva Jr., Ronald Robins, Kendrick Sy, and Rovic John Perez.

The national champions received a cash prize of P30,000, a Samsung mobile phone, Quad Core processor from Intel, Villman premium items, Logitech gaming keyboard and mouse, Asrock motherboard, Sparkle Video Card, P1,000 gift certificate from SM, Datablitz Game Boxes, and a one-year subscription to Playground Magazine.

A total of 104 gamers entered the quarter finals which began last July 11, following a series of eliminations held in various Internet and LAN shops in Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao.

The competition is backed by South Korean tech firm Samsung and chip maker Intel.

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