Posted at 10:40 a.m. - Monday, March 9
Gamers and fans of video games will want to tune in to the Sci-Fi Channel on Tuesday, March 10th @ 9pm CST for the premiere of WCG Ultimate Gamer. Featuring a cast of gaming experts from across the country, WCG Ultimate Gamer takes these virtua-nauts and sets them up in a loft apartment before pitting them against each other in a competition to prove who is the top gamer in the world. The winner gets a lucrative contract and the opportunity to make a nice living playing video games. Wow, where was this show when our parents told us to stop playing our Atari systems so much?
My own experiences with gaming and gamers tells me that the sub-culture definitely has its hierarchy, and it becomes quite evident in the premiere episode. The better known gamers are looked at as formidable opponents and held in high esteem. And, as in any case where the activities tend to be more male-dominated, there's a bit of sexism present. Watching the pilot episode I chuckled when one of the male competitors commented that the female gamers in their group must not be very skilled since they were - ahem - attractive. The dude must not get out much.
If you ask me, female gamers are not only good, but pretty darn competitive, a sentiment shared by Executive Producer Michael Agbabian in a conference call about the show: 'I actually think that the women on our show are quite competitive and in
fact quite fierce in their wanting to win. A lot of them have that drive
because I think the gaming community is predominately males so I think the fact
that they are women and they’re sort of at the top of their game, no pun
intended, I think that they really want to prove something. And I
think on this show they’re hoping to do that.'
Beyond presenting the nature of competition between gamers, WCG Ultimate Gamer also gives us a 'Big Brother-type' look into the personal interactions of people who are most comfortable dealing with each other in virtual realities. Almost from the onset, we see relationships form and get a glimpse into some of the shared histories of these players.
'Within hours of them moving into the house already alliances had been
formed' says Executive Producer Dwight D. Smith, 'within days there was romance brewing and conflict and constant drama
and fights developing so the reality portion of the show was definitely a huge
component.'
In addition to the interpersonal dramas, the show takes the gamers outside of their personal comfort zones and gives them challenges outside the virtual world that they sometimes find difficult to conquer. After competing in rounds of the game Rock Band 2, the premiere episode has the players trying their hand at being real rock stars, performing with real musical instruments and in front of a live audience. Oh, and they have to perform a song by The Donnas with the actual band serving as their judges. Pressure much?
The set-up is fine, but will a show about folks who play video games be enough to attract non-gaming viewers?
'It has a huge human interest component.' says host Joel Gourdin, 'I mean these gamers, they have
lives, they have full back stories, they’re really fascinating people. And
they’re also really, really expressive as people, you know, these aren’t kids
wearing black trench coats in a basement. I
think WCG Ultimate Gamer is really going to show everybody that gamers are not
just that type of person anymore. This is kind of for everybody, you know, the
show is for everyone to explore gaming, yes, but also to get an insight into
this sort of community that revolves around this medium.'
Having an interest in gaming drew me in, but it's going to take even more 'Big Brother-type' drama to keep the attention of casual fans. The show will also need to provide more insight into the strategies these accomplished players use if it wants to hold on to its gaming audience. Its got a tight rope to walk, for sure.
Tune in to the Sci-Fi Channel on Tuesday night and see for yourself.
