The first US$1,000,000 computer game tournament

As the world evolves rapidly into a digital age, the skills to which we ascribe value are changing rapidly. A good billiards player once signified a “misspent youth” but you’d be hard pressed to explain that to the hundreds of professional billiards and pool players on the planet … and who would have thought a century ago that someone would be paid a king’s ransom to kick an inflated pig’s bladder around a paddock. And you don’t need to go back too far to see computer and video games regarded by parents, the education system and main media as a complete waste of time. Now, the world’s best videogamers earn US$250,000 plus a year and this week the first US$1,000,000 tournament was announced. Given the rate of penetration growth into households, world championship gaming skills will undoubtedly be worth a lot more in time to come. It's now quite conceivable that we'll see videogamers earning as much as elite sportspeople.

Planetwide Games ( http://wwww.ryl.net/ ) announced that leading video game retailer, GameStop, is now taking reservations for "RYL: Path of the Emperor." "RYL" is one of the world's most popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games.

GameStop has available "RYL: Path of the Emperor" reservation boxes featuring a trial version of this brand-new Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Paying Game (MMORPG).

The reservation customers who purchase the game at retail or online at GameStop are eligible to enter the US$1,000,000 tournament that starts on July 1, 2005 as well as delivers them an exclusive virtual item to be inserted into the player's account once the full version is received.

"Planetwide Games is pleased to be working with and distributed by GameStop in North America," said Donovan. "'RYL: Path of the Emperor' has become a live interactive global community.

'RYL' is also the first fantasy MMORPG to be comprised of true Player vs. Player and Guild vs. Guild action. RYL's realistic 3D game play comes complete with ever changing weather and environmental effects and its intuitive combat system is quick and clean, allowing players to move more easily through the levels, much more so than in any other MMORPG."

"RYL: Path of the Emperor" is the first MMORPG to offer a US$1,000,000 Grand Prize to the winner of a Player vs. Player Skill-Based Tournament.

The "RYL" qualifying tournament will start July 1, 2005 and will end April 30, 2006, culminating in a "RYL: Path of the Emperor" Final Tournament event to be broadcast live and to take place in conjunction with the E3 Video Game Expo in May 2006.

"RYL: Path of the Emperor" is a persistent universe or role-playing game (RPG). "RYL" players start off at Level 1, with minimal skills and abilities, but over time they gain experience points, through achievement, which allows them to advance to Level 2, and beyond. As "RYL" players advance to each level they discover new and stronger skills, which assist them in their ability to try and survive during all encompassing battles against powerful monsters.

In the game, players can choose from 20 character classes and assume the role of a Warrior, Cleric, Mage, and Assassin and then explore the many exotic locations within boundless miles of terrain and virtual real estate. In "RYL: Path of the Emperor," players meet other players in a diverse real time environment where thousands of players simultaneously compete and take part in specific quests and missions, fight monsters and other players, battle in Guild vs. Guild duels, buy, sell and trade virtual merchandise, build fortresses and even raise their own virtual Dragon. Lastly, "RYL" players have the chance to receive the ultimate gaming reward; to become the actual Emperor of "RYL," Rule over the Land and win $1,000,000.