The Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine Introduces Halo: Reach as Headliner for Largest-Ever Amateur Gaming Competition

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Doritos Major League Gaming (MLG) Pro-Gaming Combine, a nationwide amateur gaming competition to find the next generation of Pro-Gamers, is joining forces with MLG's Pro Circuit to create the largest-ever video game competition series under one roof. The first competition to stage both gaming events will take place in Washington, D.C. on October 15-17 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center and is expected to boast the highest turnout to date with nearly 3,000 professional gaming hopefuls in attendance.

The Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine offers talented hopefuls a clear path to take their shot at becoming pro gamers.  Gaming enthusiasts and aspiring pros will play for a chance to win big cash prizes, league recognition and ultimately promotion from amateur ranking to pro status.

As part of the Washington, D.C. Combine stop, Doritos is introducing the newly released Halo: Reach game to the event stage, marking the first time ever the title will be played on a competitive platform of this size. In addition, the Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine is providing fans with a unique peak inside Halo: Reach through information sessions where participants can learn the tips and tricks of this new title straight from the pros to advance their gaming knowledge to the next level.

The 2010 Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine series consists of a four-city tour across the nation, seeking to identify the next league of talented video gamers who will earn coveted pro gamer status and the opportunity for significant earnings, league prestige and corporate sponsorships. Following three successful events in Nashville, Chicago and Denver, the Washington, D.C. event marks the final stop on the tour before the National Championship in Dallas this November.

Top MLG pro players at each Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine event will individually evaluate amateurs' skills.  Key MLG pros scheduled to attend the Washington, D.C. event include some of the biggest talent in the league:

• Dan "Ogre 1" Ryan is one of the renowned Ogre Twins and an original star of MLG. The Ogre Twins blazed the trail for competitive gaming, winning more Halo National Championships than any other player, excluding their former teammate "Walshy".  They were among the first players in the league to be awarded major brand sponsorships. Now retired from competing and living in Australia, Dan "Ogre 1" Ryan will be making a special appearance in Washington, D.C. for the Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine to provide player evaluations and tips to aspiring gamers.
• Ian "Enable" Wyatt, who has played competitively since 2007, is a member of third-seeded team "Status Quo" – a team that has consistently performed well on MLG's Pro Circuit since the 2009 season.  Ian "Enable" Wyatt has been a breakout star this year, making him one of the youngest and brightest talents in MLG.
• Chris "Shockwave" Smith is currently the color commentator for MLG broadcasts. Formally a pro player and MLG National Champion, Shockwave made a name for himself by being one of the most strategic and intelligent players in the league.  Now he applies that in the commentating booth by providing his valuable insight and expertise to deliver the best possible spectator experience for video game fans. Chris "Shockwave" Smith is currently a junior attending Virginia Tech University.

Eight winners from the Washington, D.C. Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine will advance and four players will earn MLG Pro status at the ultimate finals showdown at the MLG National Championships in Dallas on November 5-7.

Players can visit www.doritoscombine.com daily for information about where they can hone their skills online and get a first-hand taste of the level of competition they will see in person at the Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine. More than 1,100 individual players and nearly 256 teams of four competing in the 4X4 bracket have filled the playing field to date. Individuals competing in the Free-For-All (FFA) can sign up in-person on the first day of the event.

Spectators can attend free of charge to cheer on their friends and family members, or they can sign up to compete in one-off competitions against other spectators, and meet many of MLG's Pros and personalities in person.  

MLG Pros and personalities will be holding a "Q&A" session on Saturday, October 16, beginning at 4 p.m., as well as four strategy seminars during the weekend that will be led by MLG Pros with topics including "Teamwork and Communication," "Control" and "Tournament Play." Full details about the event are available at www.doritoscombine.com, including specifics about the Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine format and other upcoming events.  

Doritos MLG Pro-Gaming Combine

At each three-day Combine, more than 400 players will be selected and evaluated by MLG in key areas including: communication, accuracy, decision making and situational performance.

A total of eight Combine winners will be chosen, which will consist of the top four-person team and four individual players. Each winner will receive:

• $500 in prize money.
• Round Trip Airfare ($500 limit) to the upcoming National Championship Competition to compete for Pro Status and a three night stay in the Pro Circuit Competition Hotel booked by MLG. MLG will have the option of either booking the airfare for winner or providing winner with a $500 airfare stipend (or cash) at the upcoming Pro Circuit Competition.
• Free Entry into the upcoming Halo Reach Pro Circuit Event and the opportunity to purchase a Reserved Team Pass for that Event.   
• A profile page on the Doritos Pro-Gaming Combine website.
• The ability to play on a Feature Station, at the upcoming Pro Circuit Competition, dedicated to Matches featuring Combine Winners.

ABOUT FRITO-LAY

Doritos tortilla chips is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.  In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fritolay.

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses – Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade – also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries.  With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose.  By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide.  For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

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.

SOURCE Major League Gaming