old [CoD:MW3]: Loco: "experience the EGL atmosphere!"

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NEWS

By Brian 'qntm' Krämer

Jul 20, 2012 13:20

Josh 'Loco' Nino is one of the men behind EGL, the biggest console event in Europe. He gave us some insights in EGL and answered our questions regarding EGL and its future. You should definitely have a look at it!

Josh 'Loco' Nino De Guzman is definitely no stranger in the console community. As one of the most popular guys in the community, Josh offers a helping hand to everyone in need of it. Furthermore, he played Halo on a top level which lead him to represent organizations such as Power Gaming at ECL2 where they finished 2nd. Moreover, he finished first at EGL4's Gears of War 3 tournament.
In the meantime however, Josh became more and more active behind the scenes. Not only does he cover events for Decerto, the largest European community site for Call of Duty, but he also works for the European Gaming League (EGL). The EGL is by far the biggest console event in Europe today, offering four events a year for Call of Duty, Halo, FIFA and Gears of War.
As a part of the core staff, Josh has taken over the role of the marketing and event co-ordination and is therewith an inherent part of the EGL team. For SK Gaming, he took some time to answer some questions about the development of EGL and what we can expect from upcoming events such as EGL7 in Blackpool and Dreamhack Valencia where they will host the tournament with the local staff of DHV.

Loco (far left) as professional Halo player for Power Gaming at ECL2

How would you describe the progress of EGL from EGL1 to EGL6?

"Overall we've enjoyed steady progress and the EGL is in its strongest position so far, having hosted the world's largest Call of Duty tournament at EGL 5 and our first event in mainland Europe, EGL 6 Stockholm. EGL 7 will be our third event at the Norbreck Castle in Blackpool; there will be a marked difference not just in our production at the event itself, but also in terms of our relationship with local businesses in the city."

Before we turn to EGL7, let's have a closer look at EGL6 in Stockholm. This was the first EGL to take place outside the United Kingdom. The turnout of the event wasn't that good. What's the feedback on this event and will we see some more EGL events in Sweden in the future?

"EGL 6 Stockholm was one of our most important events to date. We have every intention of expanding our presence in the continent and working with the EEE was a perfect opportunity to begin that aspect of the league. We received great feedback from the teams in attendance and a gripping 11-game final made a fitting end to a very entertaining broadcast over the weekend. Our experience here, in addition to a strong relationship with the EEE team, has allowed us to further gauge the potential of events in Sweden and we will certainly keep the location in consideration for the future."

That's good to hear. So you are still looking for new possibilities to hold events in Europe. Are you aiming on getting something similar like MLG in North America?

"We're always looking for venues in Europe and we welcome any feedback regarding possible locations. A circuit of events in both the UK and Europe has been a part of our plan from the beginning. The EGL community spans across the continent and we want to take the league across cities there as well, so that more gamers have the chance to attend and experience the EGL atmosphere first-hand. Gamers will be able to see the world whilst competing for tens of thousands of Euros. For many people that is a dream opportunity, regardless of their profession."

You speak of the "EGL atmosphere". What do you think makes EGL so special? And in what way was EGL5 a milestone in EGL history?

"It's special because of the communities that compete at our events. The staff and players have come together to make this Europe's professional gaming league. Together we are the EGL, our development and vision is a collective effort that makes no sacrifice at the expense of our origins. Players from various continents have experienced what we have to offer and they want to continue to be a part of it. The atmosphere is a result of an organic and unique unity.
EGL 5 was a milestone for a number of reasons. It marked the start of our 2012 season. It was our first return to a venue and the difference was a proud moment for everyone involved. Two world class American teams attended, making the competition a fight for teams to call themselves the best in the world. Let's not forget the Modern Warfare 3 attendance, which at 113 teams, established Europe as the place to compete on Call of Duty."

You mention the American teams in attendance. In what way does their participation influence the event?

"Americans have long been the best in the world in console e-sports. They have a committed attitude and a level of confidence fuelled by a genuine belief in their ability. At present they are the masters in preparation. Their attendance benefits European teams because they increasingly appreciate the necessity to adopt a similar methodology. There's more hype, more speculation and people take the game more seriously."

At EGL5, both US teams won their tournaments in Halo and Call of Duty confidently. Do you think that EGL will see some Americans on top again with FeaR, OpTic and Collapse in attendance or is there any EU team that could break through and take the title in MW3?

"As we all know, anything can happen at LAN. There is some excellent European talent across all the games on our circuit. Through the EGL, I am certain that they'll grow in confidence and realise the full extent of their abilities, perhaps as soon as EGL 7. Nevertheless, I am expecting some spectacular matches on MW3 with the Americans involved and I have no doubt that they will live up to their half of the overall performance."

The competition for them will definitely be big. How many teams do you expect for the upcoming MW3 tournament?

"It is always quite difficult to predict, even up until we open the doors for registration. At this rate we are preparing for over 100 teams."

Ok, this would mean you have to deal with a situation like at EGL5. You earlier mentioned though that there will be some changes/improvements to EGL5. Can you give us some more detail on these changes?

"We have more resources and equipment for every aspect of the event, including the tournaments. There will also be some noticeable improvements in the production and general aesthetics of the event. I don't want to give too much away, but we are also adding to something that was very well received at EGL 5."

Loco (center) at ECL2 in Blackpool

Fair enough. Let's switch to the future for a last time. Recently, it was announced that EGL is going to partner up with Dreamhack Valencia for a MW3 tournament there. This is a big step for EGL and the console scene in general, as the Dreamhack is one of the most popular lans in the world and it includes a console title for the first time. What do you expect from this partnership and how will it look like?

"It's an exciting prospect and we're committed to ensuring that our relationship with Dreamhack serves to benefit both parties. It will be one of the most significant gaming events of the year and we're delighted to be a part of this important development in e-sports. The Spanish Modern Warfare 3 scene is one of the most active in Europe and the EGL and Dreamhack are ready to provide them with an exceptional tournament."

Alright, thank you a lot for taking the time to do this interview. You gave us some good insights behind the scene of EGL. Do you want to give any shoutouts?

"Every EGL fan out there, thank you for helping to create a medium through which gamers can compete professionally and meet friends from across the world. Regardless of whether you've attended or not, you still make a contribution that we're extremely grateful for and I hope to see more of you in the future.
Shout out and love to all the competitive community sites. We all come from one somewhere down the line.
Thanks for the interview Brian."

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