CPL : The Game?
Could we soon see a game built specifically around the needs of pro-gaming?
It's no great secret that the CPL, who have run several large professional gaming events in America in recent years, have been looking to have a game built specifically with the needs of tournament gaming in mind. In fact, if you were following our coverage of the Razer-CPL event back in April you will have read about it here first! But although there are still no definite plans in place for a CPL game, more details are beginning to slip out.
"The CPL would rather work closely with a developer to build a game from the ground up that has all of the characteristics and features we need for a true professional tournament game", according to founder Angel Munoz, who goes on to list some of the people who have expressed an interest in working with the CPL to develop such a game. "John Carmack, John Romero, Stevie Case, Tom Mustaine, Richard Gray (Levelord), Gathering of Developers, Gearbox, and others."
Most of those names should come as no surprise, as John Romero, Stevie Case and Tom Mustaine are all on the CPL's advisory board, along with the Gathering of Developer's CEO Mike Wilson and President Harry Miller. But hearing John Carmack's name listed amongst them frankly surprised us. His company id Software have made it clear in the past that they have no real interest in professional gaming, and fiascos like the changing of fundamental physics and weapons balance in the recent 1.25 beta patch for Quake 3 have shown us that they don't have any real understanding of the needs of the growing sport that their games have spawned either. No doubt we will know more in good time though...