Samsung launches Hyd prelims of World Cyber Games

To promote the concept of computer gaming, Samsung India Electronics Limited launched the Hyderabad preliminary for the World Cyber Games 2004.

The preliminary round will be held for the first time in the city on August 6 and 7.

Addressing a press conference, Sonal Anand, deputy general manager (volume products) Samsung India Electronics Limited, said: "This year the number of countries that would take part in the competition would be around 64 as compared to 55 last year which saw over six lakh people participating in the various rounds."

According to Anand, there would be five games to choose from 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 preliminaries will be held at PC gaming zones set up at Sify iWay centres and will have five games "� Warcraft, Counter Strike, Need for Speed Underground, Unreal Tournament 2004 and FIFA football 2004.The registration is free but there are age barriers for some of the games," Anand said.

Anand said that the Indian contingent for the World Cyber Games 2004 would have nine members and they would compete for prizes worth $2 million at San Francisco in October.

Besides Samsung, multi-platform gaming company Indiagames, Sify I-way and chipmaker AMD are partners for the World Cyber games.

Anand also said that customers buying Samsung IT products would get added value for products during the games period.