games to seek instant gratification,
COGnitive Gaming. Yet
and when they didn’t get it they
that shouldn’t stop those
were either too casual or to those
who come to competitive
called casuals would see others
gaming communities
as try-hards. Some people felt like
from becoming the big
they were forced out of this elite,
competitor. Amateur level
exclusive club and they could never
tournaments help you
be invited to the seats of golden
get a feel for what top level
gods. A bar was set for eSports
competition will be like. When you
with amateur competitions, giving
have a gigantic prize pool waiting,
them to get past, finally getting
people a realistic goal to reach.
the competition will become a lot
to those gigantic stadiums and
Too often with these competitive
more intense than the average
earning those great prize pools,
games, a lot of people are turned
game of SMITE; a safer place to
makes the community much
away by the serious atmosphere.
learn how to deal with these high
friendlier. One group who has
When you have a realistic goal
level competitive attitudes helps
done this well for the SMITE
to reach, however, it’s easier to
the tournament scene grow in
community is Iron Gaming.
aspire to that level. Tournaments
any game. We don’t all have to
where new teams are welcomed
like these levels of competitive
Iron Gaming have recently
and encouraged were exactly what
play; any game, even one as
partnered with Hi-Rez to host
competitive gaming needed. Not
competitive as SMITE, can be
amateur tournaments for SMITE.
all of us want to be competitive
played for fun. However, when the
They have set up rules for LAN
gamers, sure. Not all of us want
player draws their fun from the
dodging and have a system in
to be the next Team SoloMid or
competition, having hurdles for
place to help everyone have a
“IRON GAMING
HAVE RECENTLY
PARTNERED
WITH HI-REZ TO
HOST AMATEUR
TOURNAMENTS
FOR SMITE.”
The SMITE Community Magazine Issue #4
chance to enter the tournament.
This is probably the biggest boon
that E-sports can have right now.
We needed that hope for others
to join into these high levels of
competitive gaming and Iron
Gaming has given us just a new
step to access those levels of
eSports. Thank you Iron Gaming
for being one more thing to make
the competitive gaming community
just a little bit friendlier.
By Julian Martinez
The GameOn Magazine
43