Samsung launches prelims of World Cyber Games at Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Samsung India Electronics has launched the preliminaries for the World Cyber Games 2004 from the city. The preliminary round will be held for the first time in the city on August 6 and 7.

According to Sonal Anand, deputy general manager (volume products) Samsung India Electronics, "The number of countries taking part in the competition would be around 64 this year compared to 55 last year which saw over six lakh people participating in the various rounds."

Participants can chose among five games to play in the preliminary stage and one winner from each game would qualify for the semi-final round to be held in Mumbai on August 23.

The prelims are to be at PC gaming zones set up at Sify iWay centres and the five games are Warcraft, Counter Strike, Need for Speed Underground, Unreal Tournament 2004 and FIFA football 2004.

Participants need not pay any registration fee to enter but there are age barriers for some of the games said Anand.

Anand said nine participants from India would qualify for the World Cyber Games 2004 and would compete for prizes worth $2 million at San Francisco in October.

Gaming company Indiagames, Sify I-way and chipmaker AMD are also partnering for the World Cyber games.