Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, 21, is a Pioneer in Cyber Gaming

With popular first-person shooter games like Counter Strike, Quake, World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament, these players are gaining attention with highly competitive, adrenaline-driven gaming. Worldwide tournaments feature all the bells and whistles of a techie version of the Super Bowl.

I wouldn’t go as far as celebrity, but the game is growing and I’m glad I’m a part of it. I feel like a pioneer. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want to play video games, and I think someday that’ll be a reality."
- Johnathan Wendel, 21, on his status as a worldwide gaming superstar.

South Korea devotes a 24-hour television network to the sport, and top-ranked participants can earn over $150,000 a year through tournaments. It has even been featured on ESPN and MTV. Move over Shaq – computer geeks are getting their share of the sports reel, not on the court, but with a quick thumb and supercharged PCs.

“It’s a great way for gamers to get together," says gamer and casual tournament audience member freshman Andrew Crocker, student at Ithaca College. “It’s very high adrenaline. Everybody gets really into it and totally zoned in."

While tournaments vary in skill level and competitiveness, some of the largest and most renowned competitions in the business, like the Cyberathlete Professional League’s Grand Final, can feature a cash prize of up to $85,000. The CPL is in its eighth year and is the oldest known league of its kind. Up and coming leagues include the Global Gaming League, Major League Gaming and World Cyber Games to name a few.

No matter the league, no matter the tournament, the undisputed celebrity of the gaming world is 21-year-old Johnathan Wendel of Kansas City, MO. He earns a six-figure annual income through gaming and is feared by controller-clutching members of the e-sport everywhere.

Interview with Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel during the Winter CPL 2005 event.
Courtesy of Google Video / PlanetQuake4.net

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3448885409875619295&q=fatal1ty

“I don’t know, my life’s pretty easy," Wendel says. “I wake up everyday and do what I love."