The WCG Ultimate Gamer Experience

Well obviously I can’t go into details and can only really relay or explain things that were already written or shown about the show online, but expect to see the WCG Ultimate Gamer as an eight episode elimination-style reality competition, pitting 12 of us competitor’s against each other in a series of physical and video game challenges. This was done in an effort for WCG to find the "Best All-Around Gamer" in the United States. The WCG Ultimate Gamer reality show began this last Tuesday, March 10th and can be watched on Sci-Fi on Tuesdays 10EST/9CST/7P, scifi.com, or hulu.com and is like no other video gaming or reality show you have ever seen.

As you may have seen in the video commercial for the show, you will find some of the most popular games in America being played, spanning into many genres. Games such as Rock Band 2, Virtual Fighter 5, Halo 3, Dance Dance Revolution Universe, NBA Live ’09, and more- in a format that includes physical challenges that bring the video games to life, virtual competitions on the games themselves and head-to-head elimination challenges in the arena before hundreds of spectators where one of the competitors will go home. Expect to see some surprises in the competition aspect that will make you rethink competitive gaming in general.


This exciting new format features a diverse group of competitors to include a few professional and upcoming gamers and gaming personalities such as:

• Myself: CPL Rainbow Six Vegas champion Amy Brady a.k.a. Athena PMS/Valkyrie FD of PMS Clan and the Frag Dolls,
• CGS Dead or Alive National champion and gaming personality Adonde Thorne a.k.a Swoozie,
• CPL Rainbow Six Vegas champion Alyson Craighead a.k.a Nin9tyNin9 formerly Calyber of the Frag Dolls,
• StarCraft WCG U.S. champion Geoff Robinson a.k.a. iNcontrol,
• CPL Halo 2 Champion Kelly Kelly a.k.a.vVv MrsViolence of VVV Gaming,
• Two time Iron Man of Gaming champion- Jamal Nickens a.k.a. Zophar321,
• Multiple tournament champion and holder of 4 world game records, Robert Paz a.k.a. ProD1gy X,
• Quake 4 Shoot-Out Pro Chelsea Alek-Finkleman a.k.a PMS Delicate of PMS Clan,
• Multiple LAN tournament champion Mark Smith a.k.a mmmApplesauce,
• Guitar Hero multiple tournament champion Ciji Thornton a.k.a. StarSlay3r,
• Professional Game Tester Kim (Dante) Junong a.k.a. DevilsAlastar
• Madden fraternity tournament champion J.D Dorfman a.k.a Kosherhamm

All of us were involved in an intense and highly emotional journey with the goal to win a prize package that included $100,000 and a chance to earn a job being the WCG Representative and spokesperson- not to mention the pride, respect, and overall glory in being crowned the winner. While I know many people will have their favorites on the show and an idea of who they would want to win, I will say that all of these people were amazing and could and deserved to win it.

In WCG Ultimate Gamer, we were first tested in real life challenges based on the games mentioned above and then we competed on the actual video games themselves. We earned points in both challenges which were tallied and the lowest scorer would automatically be sent to compete at Samsung Stadium against the person that the winner, defined by the highest scoring person, chose. While we had to rely on many real world and virtual skills, ultimately strategy, personal relationships, and knowledge of our opponent’s weaknesses were a large factor in survival. However, no matter what, in the end you could pull yourself out of elimination solely on your skills at competing on the video game itself.

The best part of the show, for many of us competing, were the physical competitions in which we stepped outside our gaming systems and got to perform the games in real life. As you saw in the commercial we performed a rock concert in front of hundreds of people with real instruments, we drove real race cars, we played real life Halo, and more! That in itself was the best part of the show for me. Never once could we guess what was going to happen next, and if WE couldn’t, I can guarantee what was going to happen and the outcomes, I can promise you that the viewers won’t...

The hardest part of the show for me was dealing with the already existing and some developed personal relationships that existed inside the loft. Worrying about yourself, as well as many other people that you consider your friends, being put up for elimination and going home is a situation that I think most people would have a hard time dealing with. However, even through the stress and drama that occurs throughout the show, I don’t think anyone could say they would have traded this experience for the world- it was really one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I would encourage anyone to participate in.
I have to say I am very proud to have been a part of WCG Ultimate Gamer and thankful for the many happy, embarrassing, and amazingly fun things we got to do. I made myself do things that I would never have had the courage to do before and even though I cringe to think of some of the more humiliating moments, I am glad to have had a hand in something that I feel will bring more attention to this sport, this industry, and overall every gamer out there- not the least female gaming which is very close to my heart.

I hope all you gamers out there watch the show and see how amazing it really was and hope that you will support this, if not for future opportunities for yourselves then for other gamers overall. Maybe you can have the chance that we got to get to play games in ways you have never played them before and look at competitive gaming in ways that you never dreamed. I feel it is important that gamers support this show simply for the opportunity it brings to the players for once. The potential attention and money that can come into the industry AND players pockets is as gigantic chance to bring this sport to the mainstream. I have long been an advocate of player rights, player control, and of course female gaming and that is the reason why I even went on this and will support anything that helps gain the power of the player. But one thing is for sure, it was the most amazing experience of my life, the good, the bad, and the embarrassing and I want a second season so that more gamers get an opportunity to do this as they make it even better. This is a competition AND a reality show and should not be made into more then what it truly is: a fun, crazy, and dramatic opportunity for all players.

Thank you Sci-Fi, World Cyber Games, Samsung, and all the producers and staff that bent over backwards and took a chance on gaming and us gamers in general.

WCG ULTIMATE GAMER AIRS TUESDAYS ON SCI-FI AT 10EST/9CST/7PST