Major League Gaming Kicks Off a Thrilling 2010 Pro Circuit Season in Orlando April 16-18; Pro Circuit Now Includes Fighting Titles; Over $700,000 Prize Pool Up for Grabs

NEW YORK, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Top pros, aspiring amateurs, and thousands of fans are set to convene in Orlando as the 2010 Major League Gaming (MLG) Pro Circuit debuts next weekend.  With the addition of exciting new game titles, more great broadcast programming, and an impressive prize pool, the first event takes place April 16-18 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The competition is the first of a challenging five city US Pro Circuit tour that will place the most talented players alongside their toughest opponents to culminate in a national championship event.

MLG is thrilled this year to bring fighting games back to the competitive fold. Storming the circuit is Tekken 6™, a fast-paced gaming experience that demands the most highly technical skills. Also making its 2010 season debut and bringing with it an intensely devoted 'Smasher' fan base is Super Smash Bros.® Brawl for the Wii™. The popular Halo 3 FFA (free-for-all or individual) competition is also on deck for the 2010 season thanks to the support of BIC® Flex4™. The top FFA players from each event – the BIC® Flex4™ Elite – will be flown to the finals at the 2010 National Championships to compete for the $2,500 first prize.

Halo 3 makes its third season return to the Pro Circuit and 2010 promises to bring tougher competition than ever before. 208 teams will compete in a three-day, double-elimination tournament in Orlando.

The Orlando competition will also feature home team favorites and league superstars Str8 Rippin, one of the best Halo teams in the world and one of the biggest success stories of the MLG Pro Circuit. Competing in the circuit will be leader Tsquared, one of Halo's greatest and longest-standing players alongside teammates Snipedown, Heinz and Legit.  

Another strong contender on the Pro Circuit is Orlando-based, Sean 'Legend' Hinsinger. The 24 year old led his former team Classic to second place at the 2008 Pro Circuit and is now heading up team Darkest Hour.

Eight winners from the 2010 MLG Doritos Pro-Gaming Nashville Combine, the first dedicated amateur competition for the league, will also compete at the Orlando event as part of their prize package.  Included in the lineup is 17-year-old Ryan 'a.reallygoodnoob' Geddes from Zephyrhills, Florida who wowed the MLG evaluators in Nashville and promises to be a home favorite at the Orlando competition.

Fans can purchase passes for the Orlando competition and experience first-hand the biggest home to competitive gaming.  Spectators will see world-class competitive gaming up close, interact with fan favorites during "Play-a-Pro" matches, and put their own skills to the test in exhibition matches, participate in merchandise giveaways throughout the weekend, as well as be in the audience for MLGPro.com's live broadcasts of The Pre-Game Show, Friday Night Kick-Off, MLG Saturday Night, and MLG Championship Sunday.  

Registration for the Orlando event is open online until April 12 and full details about the event and the Pro Circuit are available at http://www.mlgpro.com/pro-circuit/2010. Passes can also be purchased onsite.

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING

Founded in 2002, Major League Gaming (MLG) is the dominant media property exclusively targeting the approximately 40 million consumers in North America who have a passion for playing video games as a competitive social activity. The company exclusively represents the best professional gamers and gives millions of aspiring gamers around the world an opportunity to compete, improve their skills, and socialize through our thriving online competitive community and live Pro Circuit competitions. For more information: www.mlgpro.com.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 300 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, accommodating 60 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 220-acre facility features: The Fieldhouse, a 165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,500 for basketball; Champion Stadium ballpark (cap. 11,500); Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; Jostens Center, an 80,000-square-foot multi-sport fieldhouse; and the  Innovation Lab,  a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology group  to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom.  In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 handheld and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art Production Center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.wdwnews.com  for releases, photos and videos.  Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports.

SOURCE Major League Gaming