EPSON Projectors Bring North American Star League StarCraft II eSports Tournaments to Life

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, the number-one selling projector brand worldwide(1), will be working with North American Star League (NASL) to take eSports viewing to the next level. As the one of the biggest StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty™ organizations outside of Korea, NASL began its third season on April 11, with its Sunday ShowDown live events beginning Sunday, April 22, at the Anthill Pub on the University of Irvine campus. On display at these events will be the EPSON® PowerLite® 1900 series multimedia projectors, which will be used to broadcast division match-ups and the Sunday ShowDown series on the big screen. The final tournament, to be held this summer, is expected to draw thousands of fans viewing the NASL Season 3 Grand Finals displayed on the EPSON PowerLite Pro Z8455WUNL multimedia projector.

Video game tournaments as spectator sports, also known as eSports, are a growing phenomenon, attracting both casual gamers and other non-professional competitive teams. A recent StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty™ tournament in Las Vegas drew 100,000 viewers(2); for comparison, Major League Soccer games averaged 70,000 viewers last season on Fox Soccer(3). For players, winning and losing can be determined by fractions of a second in competitive eSports and viewers want to see all the action, and image quality, color fidelity and brightness make all the difference. EPSON projectors leverage 3LCD technology, delivering true-to-life colors and detail that ensures viewers and players see the enemy in the split second needed to take the kill shot.

"With the growth of eSports and demand by viewers to watch events in real time, it is critical to have display technology that can showcase the action and bring game play to life," said Mark Brown, chief operating officer, North American Star League. "BarCrafts – events which host video game fans in local bars to view tournament play – present the perfect opportunity to bring eSports into the mainstream, and EPSON high-quality projectors at BarCrafts ensure avid fans can truly be a part of the game."

NASL will project the Sunday ShowDown matches using an EPSON PowerLite 1900 series projector, which offers up to 5,000 lumens color and white light output(3), WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution, and vibrant high-resolution, widescreen images even when ambient light conditions are not optimal. Designed for easy installation and integration with existing wired or wireless networks, the projector features Epson 3LCD technology and a contrast ratio of up to 3000:1, delivering images with amazing color and crisp detail. The PowerLite 1900 series is also equipped with an HDMI and DisplayPort inputs to facilitate a wide range of digital and high-definition video signals.

For the league finals, NASL will display the games using the EPSON PowerLite Pro Z8455WUNL projector, which delivers 7,000 lumens color and white light output(4), WUXGA resolution, 3LCD technology and a contrast ratio up to 5000:1 for brilliant ultra-widescreen images ideal for large auditoriums and entertainment venues. The PowerLite Pro Z8455WUNL also offers built in edge-blending for seamless transitions between multiple projectors. The projector also includes a Faroudja DCDi chipset to enhance video quality with de-interlacing, video noise reduction and improving sharpness.

"Epson has a broad range of projectors designed to meet any multimedia need, whether in the home, office, or even large, high-traffic venues like restaurants or bars," said Phong Phanel, product manager, Corporate and Higher Education Projectors, Epson. "Our projectors will help NASL to bring its Season 3 tournament to life, and will provide images so vibrant, that fans will feel like they're in the game."

For more information about the EPSON PowerLite 1900, the PowerLite Pro Z8455WUNL and other EPSON projectors, please visit www.epson.com.  For more information about the North American Star League, including dates and locations for future NASL Sunday ShowDown events, please visit http://www.nasl.tv/.

About Epson

Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader dedicated to exceeding the vision of customers worldwide through its compact, energy-saving, high-precision technologies, with a product line-up ranging from printers and 3LCD projectors for enterprise and the home, to sensors and other microdevices. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 78,000 employees in 99 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. To learn more about Epson, please visit: http://global.epson.com.

You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (http://facebook.com/EpsonAmerica), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonAmerica and http://twitter.com/EpsonEducation) and YouTube (http://youtube.com/EpsonTV).

About North American Star League

The North American Star League was established to foster the prominence of eSports and professional StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty™ play in North America through highly visible, organized, and invigorating competition. Located in Southern California, the North American Star League is the premiere eSports broadcaster in the world delivering over 20 hours of new content over 40 broadcast hours weekly. The NASL is renowned for broadcasting high definition, high quality eSports league events involving the top competitive titles in the scene.  

Note: Epson and PowerLite are registered trademarks and Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks.

1. Based upon Q3 2011 worldwide front projection market share estimates from Pacific Media Associates.

2. "Video game tournament hints at future of spectator sports," Vegas Inc., April 8, 2012

3. "Major League Soccer struggles on NBC Sports, while Real Salt Lake on ABC 4 is a hit," RSL Soapbox, March 22, 2012

4. White and color light output will vary depending on mode selected. White light output measured using ISO 21118 standard.

SOURCE Epson America