Why The World Cyber Games Suck

By
Sluggo
– May 14, 2009Posted in: Guitar Hero

I enjoy playing in Guitar Hero and Rock Band competitions. Not because I think I’ll win, especially when it’s some kind of nationwide tourney, although I do generally expect to win a few matches along the way. It’s rare you’re able to do something on a level that puts you in the top, say, 100 people on the planet, and so merely the act of competing against similar competition is something I really enjoy. Even in tourneys where I’ve gotten to the final four or two and lost, it’s been exciting and memorable.

But the World Cyber Games continues to give me the finger.

This week I was scheduled to play in a West qualifier tourney in Guitar Hero World Tour, and the fun started Monday when my scheduled opponent was a no-show. I sent him an XBL mail and he finally showed up completely confused, so we played our match and I beat him handily. But when I went to record the results, the WCG brackets had been shuffled, and it turned out I had a bye. My next match was scheduled for Tuesday night.

I make myself available Tuesday night, send my opponent an email, and he’s a no show. I wait out Wednesday, and still nothing. And then Thursday, and find *I’VE* been disqualified. Why? No idea. I immediately sent in a support mail asking what happened, but 12 hours later, not only has it gone unanswered, but the next match in the bracket has taken place, so it looks like I’m screwed. 

What this ultimately means is that I set aside my Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights to participate in this tourney, tried to chase down my opponents, and for my trouble, I was eliminated without playing a single match or getting any notification whatsoever. WTF indeed.

This, sadly, is EXACTLY what I’ve come to expect from the World Cyber Games. Its website is an impenetrable mess. Tourneys are disorganized and advancing through brackets is less about actually winning matches and just trying to survive the silly process of trying to set up matches.

So what can be done about it? Hard to say. It often seems that these various e-sports organizations are managed by volunteers and are complete chaos. It would be nice to see someone step up and get their act together, but the World Cyber Games still have a long way to go.