Here Comes A New Challenger: League Of Legends Is On The Scene

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gamers of all ages; welcome to another interview with your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo_Cometh. Continuing our coverage of eSports and the various faces representing it here in Jamaica I present to you the driving force behind the League Of Legends community for Jamaica; Khadeed Fearon.

Q. Welcome to the blog, could you please introduce yourself for all the readers?

A. Hello, my name is Khadeed Fearon. I’m a League of Legends player in the Jamaica gaming community. I also play Street Fighter and I’m working on getting back into Counter Strike.

Q. eSports is becoming a movement in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean and a lot of people are stepping up to the plate to help lead in the task of setting up a foundation for eSports in Jamaica. What role do you play in the Jamaican eSports scene?

A. I work as a eSports Community Manager for Jamaica through an organization called “Jamaican G.A.M.E.S.” It stands for Jamaican Gamers Association in Multimedia Entertainment and Services. It used to be called Caribbean G.A.M.E.S. but it got changed recently for some reason due to something big that is happening in the Caribbean as a whole. The organization consist of the Island’s premiere tournament director and organizer Andrew Johnson. Wayne Benjamin who is the CEO of The LabVideo Game TV., Gregory Moore who owns Str8Games where you can find the latest video games on the Island and Triforce Johnson who founded the organization and is Jamaica’s eSports Architect and Consultant.

Q. The whole paradigm for eSports in Jamaica is rather diverse. What do you think are the games that will really push Jamaica forward into the future?

A. There are different types of gamers throughout Jamaica and we all play something differently, whether that may be competitively or casually. Based on my experience I’ve seen games likes Tekken, Street Fighter, Smash Bros. at our yearly tournament Mash Di Button. Although those games are popular in their own right, it’s really games like FIFA and League of Legends that pushes the island when it comes to eSports.

I’m a part of the growing League of Legends community and I’m working with them to push their tournaments throughout Jamaica. I use social media tools like Facebook to help me. There are gaming groups like LoLJa (https://www.facebook.com/groups/LoLJa/) and websites like http://lol-swallowtail.rhcloud.com/ that we use to support and foster the community. For the most part that is what is used for League of Legends. 

Our country’s main game “FIFA” is literately headed by Empire Arcadia’s FIFA team called The Silverbirds. The Manager’s name is Dean Barnnett and he has been running 90% of the FIFA tournaments long before I even got into the whole eSports thing. There are other games like Call of Duty, I don’t want to leave them out as the community has run a few tournaments as well for them. Most of these tournaments listings can be found in the Facebook group communities; mainly FAJ (Fighters Allegiance Jamaica).

Q. From your point of view what is the status of the progress coming along for eSports in Jamaica?

A. Before 2014, it was just local tournaments we could run from the community. We have one widely regarded yearly major and that’s Mash Di Button. Andrew Johnson has been doing that for about 3 years now I think. When Triforce came down to the Island earlier this year he and Andrew teamed up to revolutionize and commercialize the eSports exposure to the masses. It was obvious that some significant events were in the making.

Digicel and LIME, both of which are our telecommunication giants got involved and hosted a couple of tournaments between the two of them. You even have non tele-communications companies like Intcomex who have been hosting a yearly LAN tournament. Not too long ago we helped organize a League of Legends tournament at the Cyber Box Lan Centre with more to come in January 2015.

Q. Can you explain to my readers how does your group operate to get things done for eSports in Jamaica?

A. We’ll start from the top, first you have Triforce who set up the structure for it. This is his primary role as our eSports Consultant. From what I can say, he designed the whole system and  positions based on our strengths and that allows us to complete the task that best serves the community. He also brings in foreign help in terms of sponsors and supporters of the tournaments such as soon to be major supporter MVG (Multimedia Video Games).

Next you have Wayne Benjamin who pretty much covers all the media for us. Honestly without him the true coverage of eSports throughout Jamaica is impossible. If you look at his work on Youtube or TV on Channel 100 Flow you will see that he gives us the true professional coverage that we need so that people can look at our scene with respect and integrity. Not to add to fine a point on it but communication is key and through his media resources he is able to provide the entire country with info about the community, new games and tournaments.

Then there is Greg from Str8games. Greg takes care of all our tournament gaming logistics. He has supplied LIME for their eSports integration challenge that they had in the fall through J.A.G (Jamaica G.A.M.E.S) and even before in past tournament. He has a game store in Sovereign Kingston and he’s our go to guy when it comes to that.

There is myself, which I mentioned earlier in my role as the Community Manager for League of Legends.

Finally you have the head of FAJ Andrew Johnson, a core piece to the whole strucutre from what we're doing. Everything that's done has to be relayed to him as he's the organizer for the grand scheme of things for the future Esports' Tournament lifestyle. As I stated before he’s our fearless leader and overall tournament director (T.O.). I gather relevant information on established or up and coming gaming scenes and present that information to Andrew who takes that and ascertains how to best support and incorporate that scene.

As you can see, the system works and although it’s very young it serves our scene well. I can see where we can and will improve. That alone brings promising results for future for eSports in Jamaica.

Q. What are the big eSports tournaments that you think we should look out for in 2015 in Jamaica?

A. For 2015 based on what I know when I last spoke to Andrew, you obviously have our premiere yearly tournament "Mash Di Button". Then there is foreign company called MVG that Triforce is introducing to Jamaica in hopes of being our first and primary international sponsor. Intcomex I think is going to be running a LAN tournament again. Then you have the big boys LIME and Digicel that will be hosting something again for 2015. Now that they have some time to prepare I think it’s going to be bigger and better this time around. Finally you have tournaments for League of Legends that I’ll be helping to run along with COD and more. 2015 is going to be a BIG year for eSports in Jamaica.

Q. Do you have anything to say in closing?

A. Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me Zalgo_Cometh. I know you do a lot for Jamaica behind the scene. You’re invaluable and a huge player in this whole thing. I also want to thank the gaming at large, all the supporter both corporate and otherwise and finally my friends and family for supporting me and all I do.

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The Man, The Mystery, The Martyr...

e-Sports! This is a word many will come to know in the days, weeks, and months ahead here in Jamaica. Fighter's Allegiance Jamaica, Str8 Games, and The Lab GameTV have answered the call to battle and currently are teaming up with LIME Jamaica to spread the good word of competitive gaming also referred to as e-Sports. How did this happen you might ask? Where did the initiative and infrastructure come from to facilitate a corporate investment in such a new and emerging market? Well let me introduce you to the man who started it all, a man who has seen the best and the worst of what the competitive gaming scene has to offer; CEO of Empire Arcadia, Isaiah-Triforce M. Johnson. I managed to get a quick interview with him so please take the time to educate yourself on the man so many love to hate...

1. What is your name?
My name is Isaiah-Triforce M. Johnson.

2. Is that your legal name?
Yes.

3. How did you come about such a name and why did you decide to make it as your legal name?
My friends didn’t want to call me GameMaster and tried to find a name for me. They knew I loved the Legend of Zelda a lot and they eventually came up with Triforce. It didn’t really end there though. My Father told me that your real name is the name you give yourself, not the name you are given at birth. I didn’t want to disrespect my Father by removing my first name so I amended it to my first name and that is why you get Isaiah Triforce Johnson. Everyone calls me Triforce for short though.


4. What exactly is Empire Arcadia?
Empire Arcadia is a Development Company for Digital Entertainment, Culture, Community, Industry & eSports. The organization has an eSports team named after the company and we use the exposure that we get from competition and winning to bring attention the organizations other services.

5. What is E-Sports?
eSports is just the modern name for competitive gaming. Its origin came about in 1999 around the CPL tournaments when gamers wanted to change the term to be more commercially viable. A lot of gamers got turned away from sponsors when they went to them asking for sponsorship for playing “video games”. Back then and even still now, the concept of paying someone money to pay video games is not appealing. Thus the moniker “eSports” was created to give outside business the true concept and vision of what Walter Day had laid the foundation down for competitive gaming. From that point on, more and more businesses get what we mean by eSports and have helped expand competitive gaming tremendously.

6. How does the Empire Arcadia represent and impact E-Sports?
Our team is one of the oldest teams to date. We pride ourselves on that. Over the years the team has scene players come and go and right now we’re looking to adapt to the ever evolving eSports industry. As new games come into play we are working with new players to help maintain this historic legacy brand.

In terms of our impact on eSports, I would like to think we've made a significant impact. I think we can do a whole lot more but the brand team has brought exposure to eSports on a commercial level throughout various countries around the world. The United States and Europe as a whole doesn’t really need our help. However areas like the Jamaica, St. Maarten and other island’s throughout the Caribbean, along with countries like Belize in Central America and Kenya in Africa are all areas that we’ve been working to develop eSports in. So far I’m confident that we’re coming along well. We recently just finished a integrated eSports project with LIME Jamaica.

7. What has the business accomplished in order to reach their goals?
Over the years we've accomplished a lot from the grassroots community. Of recent our goal to bring eSports to my home country Jamaica has seen tremendous success. This is all part in thanks to our partners Andrew Johnson of Fighters Allegiance Jamaica, Gregory Moore of Str8 Games and Wayne Benjamin of The Lab Video Game TV. With their help Empire Arcadia has been able to work with telecommunication giants such as LIME Jamaica and Digicel Jamaica to lay down the first corporate backed eSports tournaments in Jamaica.

Our most accomplished goal is the amount of competitions and world championships that we have won. We've won so much that we have the Guinness World Record for the most tournaments won by a video game team. We are nearing our milestone of 2,000 tournament wins, which at our pace we should reach before the end of the first quarter in 2015.

8. Wow that’s pretty impressive, where can people check out more information on your records and Guinness World Records?
You can check out our record on the Guinness World Record Page

9. Who are the main players in the business who have helped the business reach where it is today?
The main players that have helped me with the business reach its goal are not necessarily here. Although many of the champions are now on new teams, for Empire Arcadia to be here, that is credit goes to the unsung players who don’t necessarily just compete. Players such as Royal “Lance” Eustache, Phillip “KDZ” Atkinson, Todd Rogers, Arthur “Red” Hill and many more who are not in the spot light, all have helped maintain the organization to this point.

10. What made you decide to approach E-Sports and its development as your life’s goal?
Originally, I was just a casual gamer; as were we all. Some time around 2006 I realized the true potential of Empire Arcadia. The organization became bigger than myself and then submitted to my position to serve it. Since then I’ve also realized that eSports in its purity is really the advancement technology and entertainment. This can aid in human evolution and because I love video games so much, I have accepted this as one of my life’s work.

11. What have been some recent projects that you and the Empire Arcadia been spearheading?
Well right now our major focus is preparing a new front line of players for 2015. Along with building a League of Legends team. I’m currently working as an eSports consultant and architect for a new gaming league by laying down its foundation throughout several countries around the world. This is a pretext to what is going to come in 2015.

I don’t want to say much because everything launches in 2015 but what I can give out is their social media information at now. The League is called the MVG. It stands for Multimedia Video Game League. You can visit their Facebook Page and you can also follow them on their twitter page which is @MVG_League.

The Global eSports initiative that I’m currently working on for MVG directly affects the Caribbean and Central America for 2015. Our mission is to help bolster the eSports landscape; by partnering up with existing eSports foundations in Jamaica such as Caribbean Games and the Belize Gaming League in Belize. The professional services along with its commercially viable image will grant both entities international support and strengthen the integrity of the eSports industry in these key locations. Keep your eyes on their social media pages for upcoming news.

12. What do you think is the potential for e-Sports across multiple gaming genre?
We haven’t even scratched the surface of eSports true potential. Despite the fact that there are too many gamers and games out there, the demand is still high. Which is a good thing by the way. When we eventually get to the point of creating a Global eSports Network, I think that is when we will see the true potential of competitive gaming which will dwarf the combined accomplishment of what traditional sports has done for us in terms of entertainment. That statement may come as a surprise to many, but eSports has something that traditional sports does not have to help it evolve and that is technology.

With technology the world is literately and I stress literately is at our finger tips. No matter who you are or what you do, the technology in video games and the multimedia platforms that they are available in such as phones, tablets, handhelds, arcades, computers and consoles just opens up the world to not only spectate but also participate in a way traditional sports does not.

13. How well do you think implementing a better E-Sports influence in a region such as Central America will benefit the region?
Developing eSports in Central America is “CRITICAL”. I didn’t just randomly decide to go to Belize and set up eSports there with the ambitious eSports director Ahijah Holland. This is a strategy. Just as Jamaica is the focal point for the Caribbean, Belize is a crucial point for Central America. It will be one of the merging points to connect the entire west to eSports. From the North American Union, down to Central America, connecting to South America and then throughout the Caribbean; which finally connects the entire Latin America region. We will be one step closer to our ultimate goal, a “Global eSports Network”. If I were you guys keep an eye out for Belize and Jamaica in 2015. There is a rivalry coming.

14. In closing what do you see as the potential end game scenario that you want to accomplish with E-Sports and Empire Arcadia?
The potential end game for Empire Arcadia in eSports is to become one of the world leaders in this industry. We’ve already partly accomplished that in the competitive element. Now we need to follow suit from the business stand point. This is why the organization is taken a slightly different approach as we head towards 2015.

Well that is about it from your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo_Cometh, as we forge ahead on this new path. Next big event upcoming is a League Of Legends tournament being held on the 27/11/14. Please do make the effort to come out and support the event as the more support these get the better they can grow to be. Until next time keep on gaming...

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eSports in Jamaica

Retrospect on the movers and shakers in eSports in Jamaica

2014 has been an exciting year for Jamaica for gaming and the industries that surround it. The gaming communities have strived to bring competitive gaming to the forefront for years but has not really made any significant progress until now. I would like to take the time to look at the key players that have made a big difference in the gaming scene here in Jamaica. Here is my top 5 movers and shakers for eSports in Jamaica.

5. Dean Barnnett

If you play FIFA competitively in Jamaica then you will know who Dean is. Founder of the Silverbirds Steel Pan Band, Dean is also the Captain and Manager of Empire Arcadia’s FIFA video game team. Dean hosts monthly FIFA tournaments at the Silver Birds manor located at 21 WestLake Richmond Park.

Dean’s multi-talent in management between his band and eSports division has earned him respect throughout the gaming community and peers in business alike. His band is renown throughout Jamaica as well as his FIFA Division which not only won the International Caribbean Championship for FIFA in St. Maarten in 2013 but has also won the Digicel DigiCup FIFA eSports Championship in Jamaica over the summer.

Dean continues to host his monthly FIFA Tournament which you can find more information about here: http://bit.ly/1ugir4p for more information on Dean you can contact him on his team’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/EmpireArcadia or follow on twitter at: @EmpireArcadia   

4. Gregory Moore

One of Jamaica’s premiere retailers for video games is Str8Games; owned by Gregory Moore. Gregory has worked with countless companies in Jamaica to host a number of video game oriented events. From providing video game equipment to structuring the event itself, you name it and Gregory has played a part in it.

Str8Games is currently in the planning phases to set up a local tournament series in Sovereign Mall in Kingston Jamaica. With his experience in direct business sales via retail and business development Gregory is one of the key players in the development of eSports in Jamaica and is the one to watch out for. 

You can find out more about Gregory and Str8Games at the stores Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/str8games or follow him on twitter at @str8gamesja

3. Wayne Benjamin

It’s a shame that a lot of people in Jamaica have no idea who “Wayne Benjamin” is. The fact of the matter is, Wayne is single handily responsible for Jamaica’s sole gaming channel “The Lab Video Game TV”. Aired on FLOW Channel 100, the Lab Video Game TV show case some of the newest video games out to date along with what is going on in the video game industry.

This is a huge contribution to gaming in Jamaica on so many levels. Of late Wayne has been focusing his attention on eSports in Jamaica by lending his resources and multi-year talents in filming to help develop eSports in Jamaica from the media end.

Wayne recently launched season 6 of The Lab Video Game TV series which focuses on the core development strategies for laying down the foundation of eSports in Jamaica. You can view the episode here: http://youtu.be/H17D579S_90 for more information and video content on the Lab Video Game TV you can check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TheLabVideoGameTV?fref=ts  or follow on twitter at: @TheLabGameTV

2. Andrew Johnson

Andrew is no stranger to competitive gaming in Jamaica. Not only is he a competitor he is also Jamaica’s premiere tournament director. Andrew manages one of Jamaica’s largest online social communities for gaming via Fighter’s Allegiance Jamaica on Facebook.

Andrew’s passion to see Jamaica move forward in eSports is shown through his hard work and dedication as he self-funded the National Jamaican eSports Tournament “Mash Di Button” which he founded. Andrew is one of the core components in making eSports work in Jamaica as he was instrumental for bringing international support for eSports to Jamaica to help lay down its foundation.

Andrew is now working behind the scene with key eSports enthusiast of like minds to ensure that competitive gaming will be a huge industry in Jamaica. For more information about Andrew check out his Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fightersallegianceja/ or follow on Twitter at: @FAllegianceja  

1. TriForce Johnson

A Jamaican Native comes home to master mind a plan to put his home country on the map in the eSports world. Triforce has created a network with members in the Jamaican gaming community and major companies both in Jamaica and the United States.

TriForce spent one year working behind the scene with Digicel while in the United States to set up the country’s Virtual World Cup tournament which has now created a rippling effect that has gained the attention of other major businesses in Jamaica to help spearhead eSports in Jamaica.

Continuing his work abroad, TriForce is slowly giving Jamaica international exposure in eSports to officially welcome the country to the industry. When at the Digicel FIFA Championships, TriForce dedicated his team Empire Arcadia’s; World Record for the most documented Tournament wins for a gaming team to the country of Jamaica in respect to his late mother who was buried in Jamaica in 2012. 

For more information on TriForce you can visit his Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/EMP.TriForce.GameMaster or follow him on Twitter at: @EMP_TriForce_GM

The future for gaming in Jamaica is bright and I would like to know your thoughts on other movers and shakers in Jamaica for eSports. So please leave your comments below and tell me who you think should have made this list. I’m really interested to know who else out there is helping to push the cause because they need the recognition as well. You can also follow me on Twitter at: @Mr_Gamehead and visit my Facebook page for more news on gaming in Jamaica and worldwide. 

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Party Over Here...

Well guys its another Monday and boy oh boy do we got some good news. We got to go to a LAN Party this weekend and boy oh boy was it good. Haven't been to one of those since my University days of legend, glad to see little by little more people turning out for events like thee as well as more and more companies taking the initiative to be a part of events of this nature. Its an emerging market and a very good look for the forward progression of our country as a whole. Not much to say or show on my end since I was participating in the event and had to be at my station all the time but Ill leave you with the link to few pictures I did manage to take. Special thanks to all the sponsors and companies represented IntcomeX Jamaica, Microsoft, Pixel 3D Studios, AOC, Game On Jamaica, and Logitech. Honorable mention goes to the Knutsford Court Hotel for having us and also ATL motors for providing the generator to power all these epic machines that were in attendance. Great people, great machines, great atmosphere, great times and lots of bodies hitting the floor. Hope to see an even better turn out next time they have one of these. With all that being said I do believe i'm gonna go read some more manga on my new AOC tablet.

--->Click Here For Pictures Of The Event<---

If that's not enough and you still want more Rebel Queens got some coverage of the days events as well so you can go check out their Facebook fanpage

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