"[ MUSIC ]" "[ CROWD MURMURING ]" "♪♪" "GOOD LUCK." "I'M NOT KNOWN FOR " "ARE YOU GONNA GET ALL TEARY?" "YOU GONNA GET " "HUH?" "YOU GONNA GET TEARY?" "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" "♪♪" "[ CROWD CHANTING ]" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," "WELCOME TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!" "TO OPEN THE TOURNAMENT," "IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE DIRECTOR" "OF PRO GAMING, POLAND'S VERY OWN MICHAL BLICHARZ!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "IT'S AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR ME," "BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A DREAM OF MINE" "TO BRING THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS HERE." "WE ARE ALL HERE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW" "BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT," "SOMETHING SPECIAL CAN HAPPEN," "SOMETHING UNFORGETTABLE, SOMETHING EPIC." "A MOMENT THAT ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE HOME WITH YOU." "♪♪" "[ BELL TOLLING ]" "IF SHE DESTROYS THIS ON FILM, 10,000 NERDS WILL CRY OUT IN AGONY." "IT'S A LIMITED EDITION TOY FROM BlizzCon." "[ BABBLES ]" "YES, YOU BROKE IT." "LOOK." "[ SPEAKING POLISH ]" "[ LAUGHS ]" "[ BOTH SPEAKING POLISH ]" "THIS IS MY FIRST TRUE LOVE." "IT'S A GAME." ""UNREAL TOURNAMENT."" "[ KEYBOARD, MOUSE CLACKING ]" "AND, BY THE WAY, I HAVEN'T PLAYED THIS GAME" "IN QUITE SOME TIME, SO I'M HORRIBLE AT IT RIGHT NOW." "BUT I USED TO BE GOOD." "WHEN HE PLAYS AND IT'S A REALLY INTENSE MATCH," "WHENEVER HE JUMPS IN-GAME," "HE TENDS TO DO THIS..." "HE'S GONNA HATE ME SO MUCH FOR DOING IT," "BUT THIS IS WHAT HE DOES." "I STARTED PLAYING IT IN 1999," "AND I ORGANIZED TOURNAMENTS SO I COULD COMPETE MYSELF," "BECAUSE NOBODY WAS DOING IT AT THE TIME." "WE USED TO COME INTO INTERNET cafés" "LIKE HUSTLERS GOING TO A POOL HALL." "COME IN WITH AS MUCH SWAGGER AS POSSIBLE" "TO SCARE THE OPPONENTS, BUT THAT WASN'T PRO GAMING." "I MEAN, THE FIRST PLACE PRIZE WAS $50," "AND I WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO WIN THAT $50" "NOT TO STARVE FOR A WEEK." "MOST OF US WOULDN'T BREAK EVEN," "BUT WE PLAYED FOR THE THRILL OF IT, FOR THE LOVE OF IT." "AND, GRADUALLY, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE SPORT GREW." "PEOPLE WATCH OTHER PEOPLE PLAY VIDEO GAMES." "YES, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT." "WHO WOULD WANT TO WATCH TEENAGERS JUST CLICKING AWAY," "PLAYING THEIR VIDEO GAMES ALL NIGHT?" "SITTING, WATCHING OTHER PEOPLE PLAYING COMPUTER GAMES ALL DAY." "REALLY?" "IT'S HARD FOR ME" "TO BRING ANYBODY JUST FROM THE STREET," "SIT THAT PERSON ON MY COUCH," "AND TELL THEM TO BE ENJOYING THIS," "BUT TAKE THEM TO A STADIUM," "AND THEY WILL LOVE THE EXPERIENCE." "I THINK YOU DON'T NEED TO USE WORDS THEN TO TRANSLATE" "WHAT THIS PHENOMENON OF ESPORTS IS." "IMAGINE WHAT THEY'D DO TODAY IF GOLF BECAME A SPORT, RIGHT?" "WE'D NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE," "AND SOMEONE FROM SCOTLAND SAID WE'RE GONNA KNOCK" "A BALL 500 YARDS INTO A HOLE," "AND WE'RE GONNA PUT A TINY FLAG IN IT SO YOU CAN JUST ABOUT" "SEE IT AND GIVE YOU SOME HOPE." "AND THAT'S " "THEN GO TO ESPN AND SAY, "DO YOU WANT TO COVER IT?"" "AND THEY'D BE LIKE, "YOU MUST BE MAD."" "WHEN THERE WERE NO VIDEO GAMES," "KIDS PLAYED SOCCER, THEY PLAYED FOOTBALL," "AND THEY'D HAVE THESE DREAMS, "IF I COULD DO THIS" "FOR A LIVING, MAN!"" "BUT NOW ALMOST EVERY KID PLAYS VIDEO GAMES." "FOR THE FIRST TIME," "THERE'S PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES DOING THAT." "AND THAT DREAM'S POWERFUL." "YOU CAN LOOK AT" "THE PRIZE-WINNING POOLS FOR ALL THE PLAYERS." "THEY'RE ALL UP IN THE HIGHER ECHELONS" "OF GETTING CLOSE TO HALF A MILLION NOW." "IT'S MOVED FROM THIS LITTLE KIDS IN A BASEMENT" "TO EVERYBODY CELEBRATING WHAT HAS BECOME AN AWESOME SPORT." "INTEL EXTREME MASTERS IS A TOURNAMENT CIRCUIT" "WHICH IS THE OLDEST OF THEM ALL." "THE ONES THAT WERE STARTED BEFORE IT, THEY'VE DIED OFF" "BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL HASN'T BEEN REALISTIC." "WE'RE INTO SEASON NINE," "AND IT STARTED OFF IN THE OLD BEDROOM-CAST STYLE." "LOUNGE GIANT CRT MONITORS WITH PEOPLE TUCKED BEHIND THEM." "I AM MARCUS "djWHEAT" GRAHAM," "BROADCASTER FOR THE GLOBAL GAMING LEAGUE" "AND MEMBER OF INSIDE THE GAME." "RIGHT, SO THE FIRST QUESTION" "FOR YOU, HOW DID YOU GET INTO SHOUTCASTING?" "JUST TELL US THE FULL STORY." "DO YOU WANT THE LONG VERS -- WHOA, WHOA, WHOA." "WAIT A SECOND!" "HOLD ON!" "HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON." "I WAS A JOURNALIST BEFORE JOINING ESL." "I WAS WRITING STUFF AND I WAS CRITICAL OF A LOT" "OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN ESPORTS," "IN THE INDUSTRY OVERALL." "HE WAS VERY CRITICAL OF INTEL EXTREME MASTERS." "I REMEMBER HE WROTE A PIECE" "EXPLAINING WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE WERE RUNNING IT," "AND THEN..." "I OFFER HIM THE JOB TO RUN IT." "YOU KNOW, I HAD ZERO MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE " " NONE WHATSOEVER." "THEN, SUDDENLY, I'M RUNNING THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS" "TOURNAMENT CIRCUIT." "UH..." "[ CHUCKLES ]" "STICK AROUND." "I'LL BE BACK IN A QUARTER HOUR." "AH!" "AH." "SHE'S SLEEPY." "FIRST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT MICHAL" "IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AT HOME THAN HE IS AT WORK." "HEY." "WHAT YOU GOT THERE?" "WE NEED TO GET HER A DOG." "IT'S A BIT SAD, DON'T YOU THINK?" "SHE'S STAR-STRUCK, THOUGH." "SHE'S LIKE..." "WOW." "OH, MY GOD, APOLLO." "YES." "LOOK AT HER." "DO YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER?" "YES, YOU DO!" "AND NOW IN THE MOST STACKED QUALIFIER" "THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN IN THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS," "WE'RE GONNA BE OPENING UP WITH AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING GAME." "AND IT'S GONNA BE GOOD." "ESL IS THE COMPANY BEHIND THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS." "THEY ARE THE GUYS THAT GIVE THE PRODUCTION, THE ON-AIR TALENT." "YOU'RE DEALING WITH 200 TO 300 STAFF ESSENTIALLY." "AND THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO PULL TOGETHER FOR ONE BIG EVENT." "EVERYONE THAT WORKS HERE STEMS FROM BEING" "HOOKED ON VIDEO GAMES." "OH!" "WHEN MY MOM DROPPED ME OFF AT MY VERY FIRST COMPETITION," "SHE LOOKS AROUND, SHE'S LIKE, "IT'S ALL BOYS."" "IT'S LITERALLY " " IT'S ALL BOYS." "BUT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP ME" "INTERACT WITH PEOPLE SOCIALLY BETTER," "WHICH MADE ME GROW AS A PERSON OUTSIDE OF VIDEO GAMES AS WELL." "[ LAUGHS ]" "I FIRST STARTED PLAYING ONLINE MULTIPLAYER WITH MY BROTHER." "WE DIDN'T LIVE TOGETHER." "WE'D MEET UP ON THE INTERNET." "AND THIS WAS THE WAY THAT WE COULD STILL DO THINGS TOGETHER." "OH, NO!" "NO." "YEAH!" "OH, MY GOD!" "WORKING WITH ESL, I HAVE A PURPOSE." "LIKE, WE HAVE A COMMON GOAL, IF YOU LIKE." "WE WANT TO MAKE IT BIG, WE WANT TO MAKE ESPORTS ACCEPTABLE," "BUT WE AREN'T THERE YET." "WE'RE NOT ESPN, WE'RE NOT BBC." "WE DON'T HAVE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR MONEY" "AND THEIR BACKING." "WHEN WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE HUGE EVENTS," "IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW PEOPLE" "WHO NOT NECESSARILY KNOW ESPORTS HOW AWESOME IT IS." "AND THAT'S WHY I THINK SO MUCH STRESS COMES WITH IT" "BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE PERFECT." "THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS THIS YEAR FEATURES TWO GAMES " ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" AND "STARCRAFT II."" ""STARCRAFT II" IS A ONE-VERSUS-ONE GAME" "AND A SUCCESSOR TO "STARCRAFT:" "BROOD WAR,"" "WHICH IS THE GAME THAT HELPED LAUNCH ESPORTS IN 2001." "NEW TERRITORY." "HE HAS SO MUCH SUPPLY." "OH, A BIG DROP IN THE MAIN BASE HERE." "IT'S CAUGHT SNUTE OFF GUARD!" "FLASH MAKES THE UNBELIEVABLE RECOVERY!" ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" IS" "A FIVE-VERSUS-FIVE TEAM-BASED GAME," "AND BY FAR THE MOST POPULAR VIDEO GAME IN THE WORLD." "OH, NICK IS THROUGH." "IS HE GONNA BE THE SECOND?" "!" "YES, HE WILL!" "NORMALLY, "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" TEAMS" "COMPETE WITHIN THEIR OWN REGIONS." "THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS GIVES THE TOP TEAMS" "ONE OF THE FEW CHANCES TO COMPETE" "AGAINST THE REST OF THE WORLD." "BUT TO GET TO THE I.E.M. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP" "IN KATOWICE, POLAND, TEAMS WILL EITHER NEED TO BE" "ON TOP OF A MAJOR REGION" "OR WIN ONE OF THE FOUR I.E.M. QUALIFYING EVENTS." "♪♪" "WE'RE IN SHENZHEN, CHINA, AT THE ANIME EXPO." "THIS IS THE FIRST I.E.M. TO KICK OFF SEASON NINE." "WE'RE AT AN ANIME CONVENTION AS WELL." "YOU GUYS CAN SEE BEHIND ME THAT THERE'S, LIKE," "A GA-JILLION CHINESE PEOPLE WEARING RIDICULOUS THINGS." "THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS IS USUALLY HOSTED AT A COMIC-CON" "OR A FAN EXPO BEFORE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, THAT IS." "WE BUILT THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER WE COME TO AN EVENT" "SOMEWHERE, THE AUDIENCE" "WILL BE AT SOME POINT SO HUGE THAT IT WILL OVERFLOW" "AND WE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE." "AND THEN NEXT TIME WE DO IT, WE DO IT IN A STADIUM." "THE STARTER SHOW IS PROBABLY THE MOST NERVE-WRACKING." "I STILL GET NERVOUS." "YOU ALWAYS WANT TO DO THE VERY BEST SHOW YOU CAN DO." "AND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO A VERY WARM SHENZHEN." "OUR NEW SEASON IS WELL UNDER WAY." "IF YOU WANT TO RUN A SOCCER FINAL," "YOU GO INSIDE THE STADIUM, YOU TURN THE FLOODLIGHTS ON," "AND YOU OPEN THE GATES, THEN YOU'RE DONE." "WITH ESPORTS, WE HAVE TO BUILD THE ENTIRE STAGE FROM SCRATCH." "WE HAVE TO LAY THE NETWORK," "SET UP OUR STREAMING DEVICES," "AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SAFE FROM OUTSIDE ATTACKS." "SO THE LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY IS MUCH HIGHER." "THIS IS WORLD ELITE UP AGAINST EDWARD GAMING," "AND THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR A CHANGE FOR A SPOT" "INTO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP" "COMING UP NEXT YEAR." "HERE'S ENGAGED ON -- HE'S SO LOW ON HEALTH," "HE'S GONNA GO DOWN FROM THIS ONE." "WE'LL TRY TO HOP AWAY." "ACTUALLY, LOOK AT THE SHIELD!" "HE MIGHT SURVIVE THIS ONE," "AND IN FACT, HE WILL." "I THOUGHT HE WAS A GONER." "WORLD ELITE PLAYING LIKE A TOP " "PLAYING LIKE THE TEAM THAT YOU KIND OF EXPECTED" "TO COME INTO THIS." "IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SLIGHT LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE" "COMING INTO THE GAME." "AN AVERAGE CONVENTION" "HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE DO." "THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX IT," "AND I THINK IT'S ALREADY FIXED." "A LOT OF TIMES, YOU FEEL SORT OF LOST AND FRUSTRATED." "I DON'T KNOW, TO BE HONEST." "THEY'RE SORTING IT." "YEAH, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PAUSE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF." "WE'RE GOING BACK INTO THE GAME HERE, GUYS." "I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, NOT " "I DON'T KNOW IF THEIR GAME, OH, OKAY, THE GAME HAS STALLED OUT." "WE'RE HEARING EVERYONE DISCONNECTING." "I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT ONE." "WE SENT THEM THE PLANS OF HOW MUCH POWER WE NEED," "BUT WITH LANGUAGE BARRIER," "THE VENUE DECIDED THAT WE DON'T NEED THAT MUCH." "WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT WE HAVE POWER OUTAGES," "LIKE, FROM THE BEGINNING," "WHICH BASICALLY CUTS OFF THE STREAM IMMEDIATELY." "THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE FIGHT ON TOP OF THE BARRIER," "AND WE WILL SEE THE -- OH, DONALD'S GONNA COME IN." "IT WILL CONNECT WITH AT LEAST ONE." "Fzzf GONNA GET LOCKED DOWN HERE." "SO LOW ON LIFE." "AND FOR SOME REASON, A PAUSE COMES OUT DURING THE MIDDLE" "OF THAT TEAM FIGHT HERE AT SUCH AN INSTRUMENTAL TIME." "IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG, WE HAVE THOUSANDS" "OF ANGRY PEOPLE TELLING US IMMEDIATELY" "HOW BAD WE ARE AT WHAT WE DO." "IT'S BRUTAL SOMETIMES." "IF WE MESS UP, IT'S BRUTAL." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "I'M NOT FROM CALIFORNIA." "I MOVED HERE FROM MICHIGAN, ACTUALLY." "AND I BASICALLY LEFT A LOT OF MY FRIENDS." "MY GIRLFRIEND'S OVER THERE, MY FAMILY'S OVER THERE." "AND I BASICALLY STARTED A NEW LIFE LIVING" "OVER HERE IN CALIFORNIA WITH THESE FOUR TEAMMATES OF MINE." "IT'S KIND OF MESSY, BUT WE'RE FIVE COLLEGE-AGED GUYS." "WE'RE NOT TOO CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CLEAN OUR ROOM IS, I GUESS." "THIS IS THE MAIN LIVING ROOM" "THAT WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME IN." "AS FAR AS THE BED OVER THERE," "THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OUR TEAMMATE BOUGHT A NEW BED," "AND HE HASN'T PUT THAT ANYWHERE," "SO NOW IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE A COUCH." "WE DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME UP HERE" "EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A HOT TUB CHILLING THERE." "I HAVE NO IDEA, ACTUALLY." "I " " WAS IT LIKE THAT WHEN WE MOVED IN?" "WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A TEAM, YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR PEOPLE" "THAT, ONE, ARE GOOD AT THE GAME," "TWO, HAVE MOTIVATION TO BECOME BETTER AT THE GAME," "AND THREE, PEOPLE THAT YOU JUST GENUINELY LIKE." "SO FOR US, WE ALL TRUST EACH OTHER WHOLEHEARTEDLY," "AND THAT TRANSLATES INTO THE GAME AS WELL." "SO IF I DO SOMETHING IN THE GAME, AND," "LIKE, I JUMP INTO FIVE PEOPLE BY MYSELF," "MY TEAM WILL TRUST ME, AND THEY'LL BACK ME UP." "THEY'LL JUMP INTO THE FRAY WITH ME, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS." "HOW DID THAT HIT?" "YOU'RE SPIDER-MAN." "CLOUD9 HAS BEEN TOGETHER, LIKE, TWO YEARS." "SINCE WE'VE COME INTO THE SCENE, EVERY OTHER TEAM" "HAS HAD MULTIPLE ROSTER CHANGES EXCEPT FOR US." "AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE MESH TOGETHER FAIRLY WELL." "HEY, HAI?" "WHAT?" "ITALIAN SAUSAGE MARINARA, RIGHT?" "YEAH, PASTA." "YOU WANT HOT WINGS WITH HOT SAUCE?" "DAMN." "OKAY." "BACK IN THE DAY WHEN MY WIFE AND I STARTED DATING," "I HAD TO REVEAL TO HER, LIKE, MY BIGGEST SECRET." ""SO, I PLAY VIDEO GAMES."" "SHE'S LIKE, "SO?"" "AND I'M LIKE, "I PLAY THEM A LOT."" "AND SHE SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, A LOT?"" "I'M LIKE, "I PLAY, LIKE, 40, 50 HOURS EVERY WEEK."" "AND SHE'S LIKE, "WHAT?" "!"" "SAID, "I PLAY THIS GAME." "IT'S CALLED 'WORLD OF WARCRAFT,'" "I RUN A GUILD."" "NERD SCREAM!" "WHOO!" "AND SHE'S LIKE, "HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?"" "LIKE, "YEARS."" "AND SHE'S LIKE, "I GOT TO SEE THIS." "WHAT IS THIS?"" "WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN THE PLAY-DOH?" "YEAH." "YES." "WOW!" "HOLLY WAS ACTUALLY PREGNANT WITH MADISON" "WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR TSM." "TSM MEANS TEAM SOLOMID." "IT'S ONE OF THE EARLIEST ESPORTS ORGANIZATIONS" "IN "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS."" "JACK USED TO BE THE GENERAL MANAGER OF TSM." "LOOK, APRIL 5th, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW." "IS THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU PLAY?" "YEAH." "ALL RIGHT." "I'M NOT SHAVING UNTIL WE BEAT CURSE." "I FOUND MYSELF IN A STATE WHERE, LIKE, "HEY," "I'D LIKE TO DO THIS FOR MYSELF." "ALL I NEEDED WAS A TEAM."" "BUT THEN HAI COME TO ME, AND HE SAID, "HEY," "I WANT YOU TO MAKE A COMPANY FOR MY TEAM TO PLAY UNDER."" "I KNEW HAI'S TEAM." "HAI'S TEAM WAS REALLY GOOD." "THEY'D BEEN BEATING TSM 90% OF THE TIME." "AND TSM AT THE TIME WAS LIKE THE NUMBER-ONE TEAM" "IN NORTH AMERICA." "WE BOTH LIVED IN SAN JOSE AT THE TIME." "WE WERE LIKE CONSIDERED SISTER TEAMS OF CLOUD9." "YOU'RE HIS LEFT-HAND MAN?" "OH!" "WHOA!" "ORIGINALLY, TEAM SOLOMID DOMINATED NORTH AMERICA..." "UNTIL WE SHOWED UP." "NOW WE AND TEAM SOLOMID" "ARE CONSTANTLY COMPETING TO BE THE BEST IN NORTH AMERICA." "WE'RE, I WOULD SAY, THE PRIMARY REPRESENTATION" "OF THE NORTH AMERICAN REGION." "THERE'S A PERCEPTION RIGHT NOW" "THAT NORTH AMERICA IS THE WORST REGION," "AND THAT THE ASIAN TEAMS" "ARE GONNA STOMP OUT ANY NORTH AMERICAN TEAM." "WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A NORTH AMERICAN TEAM" "WON A MAJOR TROPHY IN ESPORTS " "AND IT WASN'T "HALO"?" "UH, MAJOR TROPHY." "OKAY, THAT'S A LONG TIME." "2005." "TO SEE A TEAM THAT COMES FROM NORTH AMERICA" "COMPETE AGAINST PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE WORLD" "AND STAND OUT..." "THAT'S JUST A DREAM." "YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST IDEAL." "IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET." "REALLY." "BUT I HAVE FAITH." "YEAH, YEAH, SO WE'RE EXPECTING ABOUT," "LIKE, BETWEEN 70 AND 100 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP." "MY NAME IS JUDY." "I'M FROM NEW YORK CITY, AND I'M THE COMMUNITY MANAGER" "OF THE NEW YORK CITY LEAGUE OF LEGENDS GROUP." "I HELP RUN ONLINE AND OFFLINE EVENTS." "WHEN THIS WAS FIRST STARTING," "I'M, LIKE, RUNNING AROUND TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT BARS" "SAYING, "PLEASE LET US PUT VIDEO GAMES ON YOUR TV." "I PROMISE IT WILL BE FUN."" "AND ONE PLACE FINALLY CAVES IN." "THEY'RE LIKE, "OKAY."" "GRADUALLY, PEOPLE START COMING IN." "WE START HAVING FUN AND WE'RE WATCHING A GAME." "AND SOON ENOUGH, WE'RE, LIKE, THE LOUDEST PEOPLE IN THE BAR." "AND THE MANAGER'S COMING UP TO US," "SAYING, "WHAT IS THIS GAME?" "WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO EXCITED ABOUT IT?"" "WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT'S AN ACE?" "!" "MY GOD!" "THAT JUST TURNED THAT FIGHT ON ITS HEAD." "WATCHING "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" FOR THE FIRST TIME" "CAN BE KIND OF CRAZY." "YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS REALLY CHAOTIC AT FIRST," "BUT I ASSURE YOU, EVERYONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING" "AND THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC ROLE" "THAT THEY NEED TO FULFILL IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WIN." "[ KEYBOARD, MOUSE CLACKING RAPIDLY]" "OKAY, WE JUST MANAGED TO ACE THEIR TEAM," "WHICH MEANS WE KILLED ALL FIVE OF THEM," "WHICH IS QUITE GOOD." ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" TAKES PLACE IN A BATTLE ARENA" "WITH FIVE PEOPLE ON EITHER TEAM." "YOU HAVE A SQUARE MAP," "POINTS IN EACH CORNER -- KNOWN AS THE NEXUS " "AND THE IDEA IS YOU NEED TO DESTROY EACH OTHER'S BASE." "YOU DO THIS BY FIGHTING YOUR WAY ACROSS THE MAP" "THROUGH THREE LANES." "STANDING IN YOUR WAY ARE OBSTACLES, INHIBITORS," "TURRETS, CONSTANT WAVES OF WEAK COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MINIONS" "THAT FIGHT FOR EACH TEAM..." "AND, OF COURSE, THE OPPOSING PLAYERS." "AT THE START OF EACH MATCH, A PLAYER CHOOSES" "ONE OF OVER 120 DIFFERENT CHARACTERS, OR CHAMPIONS," "TO PLAY, EACH WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES." "WHETHER IT BE TO START FIGHTS," "PROTECT TEAMMATES, DAMAGE ENEMIES," "OR ROAM THE MAP -- SPYING ON THE OTHER TEAM." "IF ANY PLAYER DIES, THEY'LL COME BACK TO LIFE," "BUT ONLY AFTER A SET AMOUNT OF TIME." "THE GAME ENDS WHEN THE NEXUS GETS DESTROYED." "ESPORTS GENERATES EXCITEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT OF PEOPLE." "WHAT?" "!" "THIS IS EMBARRASSING." "YOU SEE A BASEBALL PLAYER KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK..." "YOU WANT TO GO AND DO THE SAME WITH YOUR KIDS." "..." "IF IT STAYS FAIR..." "HOME RUN." "IT INSPIRES YOU EXACTLY THE SAME WAY." "WELL, HERE IT COMES." "OH, MY GOODNESS!" "OH, WOW!" "GOAL!" "THE UNITED STATES HAS WON THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP." "YOU SEE A MASSIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH" "OR A PLAYER DOES EPIC THINGS WITH THIS PARTICULAR UNIT" "OR THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTER," "YOU WANT TO GO AND TRY TO EMULATE THAT." "COMING IN THERE, PEKE IS DEFINITELY ON TOWARD NEXUS." "KEVIN IS GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO IT." "OH, MY GOD." "HE'S TRYING TO DO IT." "COULD BE." "THEY'RE IN THE BASE." "YELLOWSTAR'S TRYING TO DEFEND THE OTHER BASE," "PEKE IS TRYING TO TAKE THE NEXUS DOWN." "IS ANYONE GONNA BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS ONE?" "CATCHES HIM WITH ANOTHER AXE." "HE'S VERY LOW " "OH!" "THEY'RE PUSHING ON THE NEXUS!" "THEY'VE WON THE GAME!" "THE XPEKE BACKDOOR MOMENT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL," "I THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT." "FNATIC, ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED TEAMS FROM EUROPE" "WAS PLAYING S.K. GAMING AT THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS" "IN 2013." "THE GAME WAS AS CLOSE AS THEY COME," "AND FNATIC OVERREACHED AND LOST THE FIGHT." "THEIR STAR PLAYER, XPEKE BARELY SURVIVED," "LIMPING AWAY WITH VERY LITTLE HEALTH." "WITH THE ENEMY RUNNING TOWARD'S FNATIC'S BASE" "TO SECURE THEIR WIN, XPEKE SHOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO DEFEND." "BUT INSTEAD, HE WENT ON A SUICIDE MISSION." "HE SNUCK BACK INTO S.K. GAMING'S BASE" "AND STARTED DESPERATELY ATTACKING THEIR NEXUS IN A RACE" "TO FINISH THE GAME FIRST." "S.K. SENDS A PLAYER BACK TO STOP HIM," "BUT WITH PERFECT PRECISION," "XPEKE USED HIS CHAMPION'S UNIQUE ABILITIES TO DODGE" "NEARLY EVERY ATTACK THROWN AT HIM." "WITH TIME RUNNING OUT," "XPEKE LANDED THE FATAL BLOW ON THEIR NEXUS," "SEALING A MIRACLE VICTORY." "..." "VERY LOW." "THEY'RE PUSHING ON THE NEXUS." "THEY'VE WON THE GAME!" "THE WAY THAT IT WAS PLAYED OUT," "THE MOVES THAT HE DID IN THE GAME," "THE WAY THAT THE CROWD REACTED," "THE WAY THAT THE PLAYERS REACTED AFTER IT HAPPENED " "ALL THESE THINGS COMBINED TOGETHER MADE SOMETHING THAT IS" "SIMPLY GONNA LIVE FOREVER IN THE HISTORY OF ESPORTS." "IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOMENTS THAT ESPORTS HAS EVER SEEN." "THIS GAME IS GONNA LIVE LONG IN THE MEMORY" "OF "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS."" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "I WAS WATCHING IT LIVE" "WITH ONE FRIEND OF MINE BACK IN SWEDEN." "WE WERE AT MY PLACE WATCHING THE GAME AND ON THE BIG SCREEN," "AND JUST EATING CHIPS AND DRINKING COLA, PRETTY MUCH." "[ SPEAKING GERMAN ]" "IT WAS JUST SO COOL TO BE WATCHING IT LIVE." "REKKLES, HE'S THE YOUNGEST ONE OF THE TEAM." "HE IS THE ONE THAT HAS THAT MOST AMBITION." "HE CAN PLAY, LIKE, FROM 12 TO 15 HOURS A DAY," "AND HE HATES LOSING." "THAT'S WHY HE'S PLAYING SO MUCH." "HE JUST WANTS TO BE THE BEST." "WHEN I GREW UP, I WAS PLAYING SO MANY SPORTS AT ONCE." "I WAS TRYING SOCCER, HANDBALL, AND FLOOR BALL." "I KIND OF ALWAYS LIVED FOR THE COMPETITION," "AND THEN WHEN I INJURED MYSELF, I FOUND SOMETHING NEW" "AND SOMETHING INTERESTING TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING," "BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY." "[ ALL SPEAKING GERMAN ]" "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ] SALT." "IT NEEDS SALT." "IN YOUNG BOYS, LIKE MY SON WHO BEGAN COMPETITIVELY AT 17," "IT DRAINS YOU." "EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE US," "I CAN ONLY COME HERE TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR, WHENEVER I CAN GET AWAY." "THE REST OF THE TIME HE LIVES HERE." "THEY'RE HIS FAMILY." "I ALWAYS FELT REALLY CLOSE TO THEM," "SO JOINING THE TEAM DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I JOINED FOUR STAR PLAYERS." "IT FELT LIKE I JOINED FOUR FRIENDS." "SINCE IT'S A FIVE v. FIVE GAME," "IT MATTERS A LOT ABOUT HOW YOU WORK TOGETHER," "AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS," "THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS EVERYONE." "BACK!" "BACK OFF, BACK OFF." "TAKE CARE, REKKLES!" "I'M ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS WHO HAVE A LOT OF FANS," "BUT I'M ALSO ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS" "WHO DON'T PUT MUCH EFFORT INTO STREAMING OR SOCIAL MEDIA." "I'M REALLY QUIET IN A WAY," "WHICH MAKES ME EVEN APPRECIATE MY FANS EVEN MORE," "BECAUSE THEY'RE STICKING AROUND EVEN IF I'M NOT PAYING" "THEM BACK." "AND I THINK ESPORTS IN EUROPE," "THEY CARE MORE ABOUT THE MEDIA AND STUFF" "THAN JUST ACTUALLY WINNING THE GAME." "AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK KOREA IS AHEAD OF THE OTHERS." "♪♪" "SOUTH KOREA HAS BEEN DOMINATING THE COMPETITIVE GAMING WORLD" "FOR SOME TIME NOW." "THERE IS A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THIS," "ONE OF THE BIGGEST BEING THE CULTURE'S DIFFERENT." "SECOND PLACE IS THE FIRST LOSER, YOU KNOW?" "SO THEY DON'T WANT SECOND PLACE." "YOU WANT TO BE NUMBER ONE." "[ SPEAKING KOREAN ] IN KOREA, IF YOU'RE A PRO GAMER, YOU MUST SUCCEED." "IF YOU CAN'T PLAY GAMES, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING." "YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THE GAME." ""STARCRAFT:" "BROOD WAR" WAS THE PREDECESSOR" "TO ALL OF THIS EVEN HAPPENING." "IT STARTED OFF IN KOREA." "THEY START UP A LEAGUE FOR "BROOD WAR," AND THAT'S" "WHERE YOU STARTED GETTING THE HIGH-END PLAYERS AND THE TEAMS." "AND THEN THE FANS AND THE GROUPIES " "AND STARTED IT ALL HERE IN SOUTH KOREA." "♪♪" "ESPORTS HAS BEEN ON BROADCAST TELEVISION IN KOREA SINCE 1999." "ALL OF THE TEAMS ARE SPONSORED BY MAJOR CORPORATE ENTITIES." "THERE ARE COACHES WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE SCENE FOR A DECADE," "WHO KNOW HOW TO MAKE CHAMPIONS." "THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN KOREA IS JUST SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER." "DO YOU KNOW WHY COUNT VON COUNT FROM "SESAME STREET" COUNTS?" "IN TRADITIONAL VAMPIRE FOLKLORE, ONE WAY TO ESCAPE A VAMPIRE" "WAS TO THROW OUT A GROUP OF LIKE OBJECTS ON THE GROUND," "BECAUSE VAMPIRES WOULD BE COMPELLED TO COUNT THEM." "VAMPIRE OCD." "AND THAT'S WHY COUNT VON COUNT COUNTS." "[ CROWD CHANTING ]" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS." "HERE WE GO, GAME ONE." "SAMSUNG VERSUS G.E. TIGERS." "LET'S GET IN THE GAME." "THE G.E. TIGERS." "WHAT A PHENOMENON FROM KOREA." "THEY'RE A BRAND-NEW ORGANIZATION," "WHICH IS UNUSUAL IN KOREA," "BECAUSE KOREA HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY MASSIVE CORPORATE-RUN TEAMS." "THEY WERE COMPOSED OF EITHER PLAYERS" "WHO WERE ON BREAK FROM THE PROFESSIONAL SCENE," "AND THEN A BUNCH OF OTHER PLAYERS" "WHO WERE REALLY NOT AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME," "WHO HAD BEEN CUT FROM OTHER ROSTERS PREVIOUSLY." "SO WHEN WE CAME INTO THIS SEASON AS THIS IS THEIR FIRST YEAR," "REALLY, OF COMPETITIVE PLAYING," "THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY MIGHT BE OKAY," "BUT NOWHERE NEAR A TOP-LEVEL TEAM." "I DON'T THINK THE TEAM ITSELF KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING" "TO BE AS GOOD AS THEY ARE IN THE KOREAN LEAGUE, IN CHAMPIONS." "THEY ARE ACTUALLY UNDEFEATED," "AND MILES AHEAD OF EVEN THE SECOND-PLACE TEAM." "AND DEFINITELY THE FAVORITES GOING INTO" "THE I.E.M. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS." "[ SPEAKING KOREAN ] IT'S STILL FASCINATING TO ME NOW." "SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT WHERE I AM AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE." "THEY HAVE THIS AMAZING ENERGY" "AND THIS AMAZING SYNERGY THAT JUST KIND" "OF EXUDES FROM THEM." "ONE OF THE REASONS I LIKE OUR TEAM IS THAT NO ONE HAS AN EGO." "WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO FORM THE PERFECT UNIT." "I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR TEAM THE BEST." "AND OUR UNIFORMS..." "OUR UNIFORMS HELP." "WHAT THE HELL AM I LOOKING AT?" "CAT EARS?" "I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON." "THEY'RE CONSTANTLY CHANGING UNIFORMS." "MOST TEAM UNIFORMS ARE BORING BECAUSE THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME..." "SO OUR TEAM DECIDED TO SET OURSELVES APART." "I ALWAYS CHANGE MY UNIFORM EVERY SINGLE DAY." "I THINK OUR FANS LIKE THEM." "THE GETIGERS ARE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD." "WE WILL EASILY WIN AT IEM." "GOOD MORNING, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING." "A TIME-ZONE FRIENDLY WELCOME TO YOU," "WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD." "BUILDING EXCITEMENT TODAY FOR THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS" "AT THE S.A.P. ARENA IN SAN JOSE." "I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THERE." "THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS HAS ALWAYS HAD A TERRITORY" "THAT THEY WANTED TO BREAK INTO, WHICH WAS NORTH AMERICA." "ESPORTS HAS EXISTED IN AMERICA FOR A REALLY LONG TIME," "AND SOME WOULD ARGUE THAT IT STARTED IN AMERICA." "BUT THE PROBLEM THERE WAS ALWAYS" "THAT THE PEOPLE RUNNING THESE COMPANIES" "RAN AROUND LIKE CHICKENS WITH THEIR HEADS CUT OFF." "NORTH AMERICA'S HAD A SHADY PAST," "I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY, WITH EVENTS." "THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN HIT OR MISS," "AND GENERALLY, THEY'VE BEEN MISS." "L.A., ARE YOU READY?" "READY, SET..." "[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]" "WE'VE SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES" "INVESTMENT-FUNDED COMPANIES PUT UP EVENTS" "THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS ALWAYS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT," "BUT THEY WERE BURNING MONEY." "THEY WERE LOSING LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY." "COMPETITIVE GAMING FACED A BLOW" "TODAY AS IT HAS LOST ONE OF ITS BIGGEST NAMES." "THE WORLD SERIES OF VIDEO GAMES HAS OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN." "THE ORGANIZERS CLAIM THAT THE COST OF PRODUCING LIVE EVENTS" "IS JUST TOO HIGH," "AND INSTEAD, THEY'LL FOCUS ON THE WEB." "THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL IN AMERICA," "BUT WE NEED TO REBUILD A LOT OF STUFF" "AND ALMOST BUILD STUFF FROM SCRATCH." "THERE'S A LOT ON THE LINE." "JUST THE WORD "SAN JOSE" MAKES MY STOMACH TURN RIGHT NOW." "ESPORTS IN AMERICA HAS COME A LONG WAY." "WE'VE SEEN SOME BIG EVENTS." "DEVELOPERS AND PUBLISHERS HAVE" "ALL DONE THESE EVENTS THEMSELVES." "BUT I THINK THE SUCCESS OF COMPANIES LIKE ESL" "IS THE REAL MEASURING STICK" "THAT SHOWS YOU HOW HEALTHY ESPORTS REALLY IS." "WE HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF ALWAYS HAVING TO BREAK EVEN." "AND IF WE'RE IN BUSINESS FOR 10 YEARS, FOR 12 YEARS," "FOR 15 YEARS, THAT MEANS ESPORTS IS A VIABLE THING." "FOR LEGITIMACY OF ESPORTS, WE NEED A BIG, BIG EVENT" "TO WORK REALLY, REALLY WELL IN THE UNITED STATES." "WE'VE WAITED, CROUCHED," "TO A MOMENT WHERE THE WORLD WOKE UP TO ESPORTS." "WE COULD HAVE TRIED TO RENT OUT AN ARENA IN THE U.S." "THREE YEARS AGO, AND WE WOULD HAVE FAILED MISERABLY." "BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE RIGHT TIME." "THIS IS BASICALLY NINE YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT," "BUILDING UP TO THIS ONE EVENT." "WE'RE GONNA HEAD TO SAN JOSE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR," "AND WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER" "DONE BEFORE IN NORTH AMERICA." "FOR US, IT'S LIFE OR DEATH, AND I MEAN IT." "LIFE AND DEATH, LITERALLY, BECAUSE WE JUST" "DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW." "WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN FILL THAT PLACE." "♪♪" "IT'S JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT ORIENTATION THAT WE HAVE HERE." "'CAUSE WE HAVE TWO GAMES," "RIGHT " "TWO INDEPENDENT SHOWS, ESSENTIALLY." "YEAH, ESSENTIALLY, ONE HAS A SIGNIFICANTLY" "BIGGER AUDIENCE THAN THE OTHER." "YEAH." "AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO" "MAXIMIZE THE -- -"LEAGUE OF LEGENDS"?" "YEAH, EXACTLY." "THERE YOU GO." "I KNOW. [ LAUGHS ]" "AND THEN " "WHAT MY KIDS TELL ME." "[ LAUGHS ]" "THIS IS THE STAGE." "WE'VE GOT "STARCRAFT"" "GOING THAT WAY," ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" GOING THAT WAY." "AND THE SHOWCASE OVER THERE -- FAR, FAR END." "JUST BEING AROUND HERE JUST GETS ME EXCITED," "'CAUSE I'M IMAGINING ALL THE GREAT THINGS." "WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE JUST SCREAMING AND MAKING NOISE" "AND JUST CREATING THAT ATMOSPHERE." "I'M ALREADY IN IT, TO BE HONEST." "THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FILLING IT WOULD BE SCARY," "BUT IT'S NOT THE TIME TO BE AFRAID." "IT'S TIME TO BE BOLD, I THINK." "THE "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" BRACKET AT I.E.M. SAN JOSE" "WILL FEATURE SIX TEAMS." "TEAM SOLOMID AND ALLIANCE," "CURRENTLY THE TOP TEAMS FROM NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE," "HAVE BEEN INVITED, AND WILL HAVE A BYE." "BATTLING OUT TO FACE THEM WILL BE THE TWO LATIN AMERICAN TEAMS" "THAT QUALIFIED THROUGH ONLINE MATCHES," "AND ONE NORTH AMERICAN TEAM AND ONE EUROPEAN TEAM" "THAT WILL BE DETERMINED BY A FAN VOTE." "EVERY DAY, I WAKE UP REALIZING" "THAT THIS COULD ALL GO AWAY VERY QUICKLY." "THIS PERCEPTION THAT CLOUD9 IS THIS BIG COMPANY " " WE'RE NOT." "WE'RE A VERY SMALL, VERY SCRAPPY ORGANIZATION." "I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS IS ALL GOING." "I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GRAND MASTER PLAN FOR A YEAR FROM NOW," "FOR EVEN SIX MONTHS FROM NOW." "IN A BLINK OF AN EYE, THIS COULD ALL GO AWAY." "WHEN I.E.M. SAN JOSE WAS ANNOUNCED," "I KNEW I HAD TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT." "I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY VIDEO TEAMS MAKING VIDEOS," "GOT THE WORD OUT THROUGH TWITTER," "FACEBOOK " " EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA THAT I COULD GET," "LIKE, "PLEASE SUPPORT US, PLEASE GET US TO I.E.M. SAN JOSE." "THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT."" "I GREW UP IN THE BAY AREA." "MY DAD SPENT HIS WHOLE CAREER" "AS AN ATTORNEY WORKING IN SAN JOSE." "I FOUNDED CLOUD9 IN SAN JOSE." "SO THIS WAS LIKE, FOR ME," "I'M LIKE, "THIS IS NOT AN OPTION TO NOT BE A PART OF THIS."" "TSM ALREADY GOT INVITED." "SO IT'S TSM AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S EITHER US OR CURSE " "WHOEVER WINS THE FAN VOTE." "BUT IT DEFINITELY COULD GO EITHER WAY." "I THINK EVERYONE VIEWS NORTH AMERICA" "AS THE UNDERDOGS OF, GENERALLY, EVERY TOURNAMENT." "SO EVERY TIME WE LOSE," "I JUST WANT C9 TO WIN BECAUSE I WANT TO PROVE PEOPLE WRONG." "WHEN I WAS VERY NEW INTO ESPORTS," "I WAS A VERY DIFFERENT KID." "I WAS VERY SHY AND INTROVERTED." "SO THE WAY I REALLY REACHED OUT TO MY FANS" "WAS THROUGH MY STREAM." "I'M GONNA KILL SOMEONE HERE IN, I THINK, SIX SECONDS." "I'M GONNA START COUNTING DOWN." "SIX, FIVE, FOUR..." "I WAS GOOD AT THE GAME." "I KNEW MY STUFF," "BUT I JUST PLAYED BY MYSELF." "...TWO, ONE..." "[ LAUGHS ]" "OH, MY GOD." "I LOVE "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS."" "BUT THEN I WAS STREAMING AND ALL THESE PEOPLE" "WOULD COME IN, AND THEY WOULD ASK ME QUESTIONS." "AND I'D BE LIKE, "OH, I CAN HELP OTHER PEOPLE IMPROVE." "I CAN SHOW THEM WHAT I DO."" "IT WAS A FEELING OF REALLY, LIKE, REACHING THE TOP" "AND FEELING THAT THE FANS RESPECTED MY OPINION." "WHEN THE GAME DOES DIE, IF IT DOES," "I WOULD MOVE ON TO CATERING TO MY FANS," "BECAUSE THEY'RE THE REASON" "WHY I'M SO POPULAR IN THE FIRST PLACE," "WHY I HAVE THE JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE." "GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!" "ALL RIGHT, FINE." "♪ I'M A BARBIE GIRL IN A BARBIE WORLD LIFE ♪" "♪ LIFE IS PLASTIC, IT'S FANTASTIC ♪" "THAT WAS AMAZING." "[ LAUGHS ]" "WOW!" "RIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD A WEEK BREAK," "AND MY DAD TOLD ME THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO PLUMBING." "I WORKED WITH HIM FOR A YEAR," "AND I GOT FIRED MAYBE THREE TIMES." "AND, IRONICALLY, A WEEK AFTER I GOT FIRED," "I QUALIFIED, AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING STARTED." "A LOT OF THESE GAMERS, WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO" "IS THEY HAVE TO GET REALLY HIGH RANKING ON THE LADDER" "AND REALLY BUILD HYPE AROUND THE COMMUNITY." "BECAUSE EVER SINGLE TEAM IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW TALENT." "FOR TRADITIONAL SPORTS, THERE'S A VERY CLEAR PATH" "ON HOW TO BECOME PROFESSIONAL AT IT." "FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER," "YOU PLAY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU CAN PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL." "IF YOU'RE GOOD IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU GET SCOUTED BY COLLEGES." "THEY PAY FOR YOUR SCHOLARSHIP." "BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS,"" "FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S VERY HARD TO " "JUST BECAUSE THE PATHWAY IS DIFFERENT." "THERE'S 67 MILLION PLAYERS" "PLAYING THIS GAME EVERY SINGLE MONTH." "AND THERE'S 50 PLAYERS IN NORTH AMERICA" "THAT ACTUALLY PLAY AT THE PRO LEVEL IN THIS GAME." "JUST AS IT'S VERY HARD TO GET INTO THE NFL" "OR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, IT'S JUST AS HARD" "TO GET INTO PROFESSIONAL "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS."" "ONCE YOU GET PICKED UP BY AN ESTABLISHED TEAM," "YOU SHOULD GET A GOOD SALARY." "AND WITH LIVE STREAMING," "YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE OVER SIX FIGURES." "IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH IT ECONOMICALLY." "IF SOMEONE'S, LIKE, OFFERING YOU, YEAH," "JOIN OUR TEAM, BECOME A PROFESSIONAL," "I WOULD SAY DEFINITELY DO THAT." "BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS OFFER," "YOU'RE JUST LIKE A PLAYER OF THE GAME," "I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND TRY TO BECOME THAT." "I PURSUED MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE." "BY THE TIME I TRIED TO GO PRO," "I WAS ALREADY ALMOST DONE WITH SCHOOL ANYWAY," "SO IT JUST MADE A LOT MORE SENSE TO FINISH IT OUT" "SO THAT I HAD THAT KIND OF -- THE BACKUP." "BUT ALL OF MY TEAMMATES DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE." "THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT COLLEGE DEGREE TO FALL BACK ON." "[ WHISTLES ]" "YES!" "GOOD!" "SWING IT WIDE." "HEY, MAKE THAT BACKDOOR, EDSALL, EDSALL, EDSALL!" "SERVICE!" "MY NAME IS KURT MELCHER." "I'M THE ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR" "AND HEAD WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH" "AND ESPORT COORDINATOR AT ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY." "WE'RE ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF OUR CAMPUS," "AND THIS WAS ROOM 305." "NOW IT IS OUR ESPORT ARENA." "WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS,"" "AND WE WANT TO ATTRACT SOME OF THE ELITE PLAYERS" "THAT WANT TO HAVE THAT COMBINATION" "OF GETTING AN EDUCATION AND LEARNING" "AND GETTING BETTER AT THE GAME." "OKAY, NOW, LET'S ROTATE BOT NOW." "EVERYBODY BOT RIGHT NOW." "YEAH, ROTATE TO HELP HERE." "ROTATE TO HELP HERE." "THE SCHOOL RECOGNIZES THAT STUDENTS GENERALLY" "PERFORM BETTER IN THE CLASSROOM" "WHEN THEY'RE INVOLVED IN ATHLETICS" "OR PERFORMING ARTS OR THEATER." "YOU DON'T WANT TO LET YOUR TEAMMATES DOWN," "SO YOU'RE GONNA WORK HARDER IN CLASS." "YOU KNOW, FOR 20 OR 30 YEARS," "WE'VE BEEN PLAYING GAMES ON COMPUTERS." "SO I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE" "THAT FINALLY, THEY'RE BECOMING RECOGNIZED AS REALLY" "A LEGITIMATE AND VIABLE SPORT." "GOOD GAME." "[ SIGHS ]" "THERE ARE A LOT OF DIRECTIONS IT COULD GO." ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" IS JUST ONE GAME." "THERE ARE MANY OTHERS." "I THINK IN THE NEXT YEAR," "YOU'LL SEE MORE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES" "LOOKING AT ESPORTS, AND I THINK WE'LL JUST SEE" "A JUST -- "GROW" ISN'T REALLY THE RIGHT VERB." "I THINK WE'LL SEE IT EXPLODING." "IT'S GREAT TO BE A TECHNICALLY SEMIPROFESSIONAL FEMALE PLAYER" "PLAYING FOR A COLLEGIATE TEAM FOR "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS."" "THAT'S AMAZING." "I WANT TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY." "I KNOW THAT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF FEMALE PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS" "IN THE "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" OR ESPORTS, IN GENERAL," "AND MY GREATEST GOAL IS TO BE A ROLE MODEL" "FOR THOSE THAT WISH TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS." "I REALLY LIKE LEMONNATION BECAUSE HE'S AN OLDER PLAYER," "AND I THINK IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE AN OLDER PLAYER IN THE SCENE" "'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT, "OH," "ONCE YOU TURN LIKE 22, 23," "YOUR CAREER IN PROFESSIONAL ESPORTS IS OVER WITH."" "IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE SOMEONE" "WHO'S 26 ON THE GREATEST TEAM IN NORTH AMERICA." "I REALLY LIKE CLOUD9." "[ MOUSE CLACKING RAPIDLY ]" "I THINK IN THE PAST, MAINSTREAM MEDIA" "HAS PORTRAYED US AS JUST KIND OF" "NERDY GUYS IN THE BASEMENT TYPE THING." "AND I THINK SINCE IT'S BECOMING A LOT BIGGER" "AND THEY SEE, LIKE, THE NUMBERS GROWING," "PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO RESPECT IT A LOT MORE." "♪♪" "A TON OF PEOPLE ARE JUST WATCHING ONLINE," "AND IF WE MESS UP, IT'S GONNA BE SEEN BY ALL THESE PEOPLE." "ANY MOMENT, I COULD SCREW OVER THE ENTIRE GAME." "I CAN ONE-V-TWO." "I CAN ONE-V-TWO." "CAREFUL, CAREFUL." "WATCH OUT, SNEAKY." "THEY'RE COMING." "THEY'RE COMING." "GET OFF." "GET OFF." "WHEN IT COMES TO FAN FEEDBACK," "IMAGINE A BIG SPORTS GAME LIKE AN NBA FINALS GAME" "AND THE BIG MVP JUST MESSES UP THE CRUCIAL SHOT" "AND THEN THOUSANDS OF FANS TEEM OUT OF THE STADIUM COMPLAINING." "REKKLES ACTUALLY PLAYING A LITTLE RECKLESS." "OUR WORLD IS LIKE WE HEAR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE VOICE" "BECAUSE IT'S POSTED ONLINE, AND ALL OF US ONLINE." "WE'RE ALL CONNECTED." "IT'S EGO-SHATTERING." "WHEN I'M LOSING, I'M ALWAYS REALLY HARSH ON MYSELF." "I REALLY HATE THAT FEELING." "LIKE, LOOK WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO." "I'M GONNA PUT IT IN SLOW MOTION." "I'M ALWAYS ALONE." "HERE IS YOUR MISTAKE." "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "AT TIMES, IT'S VERY HARD BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE." "THAT'S HARD FOR FIVE BOYS WHO ARE ONLY IN THEIR 20S." "WITHOUT HELP FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST OR STRONG TRAINERS." "YOU NEED TO ALWAYS BE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME" "BECAUSE IF YOU SLIP UP," "THAT MEANS YOU COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE YOUR JOB." "I THINK OFTENTIMES, WE FORGET THAT THEY'RE JUST NORMAL KIDS" "AND NORMAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO GROW UP VERY RAPIDLY." "THEY WERE PUT INTO THIS WORLD" "WHERE THEY ARE ALL OF A SUDDEN ON CAMERA," "THEY ARE ALL OF A SUDDEN COMPETING FOR A LOT OF MONEY." "DO YOU KIND OF FEEL THAT THE PROBLEMS" "YOU RUN INTO HERE ARE THE SAME PROBLEMS" "YOU RUN INTO WHEN YOU PLAY THE EUROPEAN TEAMS?" "WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS" "BECAUSE WE KIND OF LACK THE TEAM COORDINATION." "I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE WHY WE'RE NOT DOING IT." "WE WILL, FOR SURE, FOCUS ON IT IN THE FUTURE" "AND HAVE A MORE SOLID AND CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE." "THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT REKKLES LEAVING FNATIC." "I THINK HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF HIS TEAMMATES," "LIKE MOTIVATION." "SO I THINK HE WANTED TO LEAVE THE TEAM FOR THAT REASON." "REKKLES CAME IN, THIS NEW SUPERSTAR LAST YEAR." "HE BROKE RECORDS." "HE WAS A PLAYER THAT WAS NOT COMPLETELY HAPPY" "IN HIS CURRENT ROLE AT FNATIC." "WANTED MORE." "HAD A BIT MORE PASSION." "HE WAS ONLY A 17-YEAR-OLD KID COMING THROUGH," "SO IT SEEMED OBVIOUS THAT AFTER" "A SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING YEAR FOR FNATIC," "MAYBE CHANGES WOULD HAPPEN." "NOW, ALLIANCE, THIS NEW SUPER TEAM" "COMING UP, PIQUED HIS INTEREST," "AND IT'S NO SURPRISE TO SUDDENLY SEE THESE TRANSFERS HAPPENING." "THIS IS THE GROWTH OF SPORTS, IF IT WERE." "ONCE SPORTS GET BIG ENOUGH," "PEOPLE START PAYING FOR THE BIG PLAYERS." "ESL AMERICA OFFICES." "MY SECOND VISIT." "COMING IN FOR A CHAT WITH THE PRESIDENT" "AND TO SEE AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER," "FIGURE OUT IF I CAN MOVE OVER" "AND IF I CAN TRANSITION TO AMERICA." "WE ARE MOVING TO AMERICA NOW " "L.A. DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA " "EARTHQUAKES." "HE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK IN AMERICA AT SOME POINT." "SO WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME," "WE'VE DECIDED THAT IF WE'RE EVER GOING TO DO THIS" "IT HAS TO BE NOW." "HI." "I'M MICHAL." "HI, NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR." "NICE TO MEET YOU." "I WORK AT THE EUROPE OFFICE." "OH, OF COURSE." "SO, YEAH, WE'RE MOVING TO AMERICA." "WELCOME BACK." "LIKE WHAT YOU DID WITH THE PLACE." "I LOVE THEM." "I LOVE THEM." "I LOVE THIS SETUP, BY THE WAY." "THIS THING." "WE'VE HAD 50-PLUS EVENTS IN INTEL EXTREME MASTERS HISTORY." "SAN JOSE'S THE MOST DIFFICULT," "AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT." "IF WE FAIL, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN." "MAYBE WHAT I'M DOING WILL NOT BE THERE ANYMORE." "MAYBE THAT WILL BE OBSOLETE COMPLETELY AND JUST " "YOU KNOW, JOUSTING USED TO BE A SPORT." "IT'S NO LONGER HERE." "WE WON THE FAN VOTE FOR SAN JOSE," "SO WE ARE GOING TO THE SAN JOSE I.E.M." "COOL!" "AND WE ARE GOING AGAINST THE UNICORNS OF LOVE " "IS ALSO THE QUALIFIED EUROPEAN TEAM." "I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING." "WE HAVE TO PLAY AGAINST UNICORNS OF LOVE FIRST ROUND," "AND THEN LATER ON," "WE'RE EXPECTING TO FACE CLOUD9 OR ALLIANCE." "REKKLES IS VERY GOOD, AND HE'S ONE OF THE BEST" "A.D. CARRIES I'VE EVER PLAYED AGAINST." "SO I JUST HOPE WE DON'T CHOKE OR ANYTHING." "IF WE WIN THIS TOURNAMENT, THAT MEANS WE GO TO THE GRAND FINALS" "IN KATOWICE, WHICH IS VERY BIG FOR US." "A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE TSM ORGANIZATIONS ARE FROM SAN JOSE," "AND I CAN TELL THAT IT'S SOMETHING" "THAT THEY WANT US TO DO WELL AT." "WE'VE ACTUALLY NEVER WON AN I.E.M. EVENT." "I.E.M. SAN JOSE IS THE ONE THAT I WANT." "IT'S BY FAR " " THAT'S -- I NEED TO TAKE THAT HOME." "I'M GONNA HAVE MY FAMILY IN THE AUDIENCE." "I'M GONNA FLY MY DAD DOWN." "I WANT TO WIN THIS EVENT." "WE'RE SELLING TICKETS TO THIS EVENT." "WE'RE COUNTING ON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO SHOW UP." "AND WE NEED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO SHOW UP IN ORDER" "FOR US TO CALL THE EVENT A SUCCESS" "BECAUSE WE WORK WITH REAL MONEY" "AND WE HAVE TO BREAK EVEN AND IF WE DON'T DO IT," "MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, PEOPLE WILL DOUBT US." "MAYBE THEY'LL THINK," ""GUYS, MAYBE THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME." "LET'S WAIT ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS."" "WE TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH ON SAN JOSE," "AND WE NEED THIS TO WORK IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD." "WE REALLY DO NEED THIS TO WORK." "SAN JOSE WITH A SEASON-HIGH SEVEN." "THAT'S A GOOD NIGHT HERE AT S.A.P." "FOR THE SAN JOSE SHARKS." "MY TV SAID THAT ONE OF THE STAGES IS FACING THAT WAY?" "COME ON." "I'LL SHOW YOU A RENDERING." "OTHER SIDE -- "STARCRAFT II."" "IF WE WANT TO CHANGE IT, LET'S CHANGE IT AT THE VERY END" "WHEN EVERYTHING IS CLEAR." "All right, 10-4." "Thank you." "WE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE," "NOT ON THIS SCALE, NOT IN THIS TIME PRESSURE." "AND IT'S TAKEN ITS TOLL ON EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM." "WE ONLY HAVE THREE MORE ROWS." "YOU ALSO HAVE TO BUILD A STAGE." "LOOKING GOOD?" "I MEAN, NOT GOOD." "NOT GREAT." "WHAT TIME WILL HAVE FULL DRESS REHEARSALS?" "DRESS REHEARSALS?" "MY CREW IS HERE," "AND THEIR TOOLS ARE NOT." "I REMEMBER WHEN ESPORTS WAS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BASEMENT" "AT THE HILTON HOTEL," "AND IT LOOKED LIKE A VIDEO CASINO." "AS WE GREW, AND THEN ESL BROUGHT IN MICHAL," "WE TOOK THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL." "MY FIRST TOURNAMENT THAT I EVER ORGANIZED" "WAS IN AN INTERNET café." "IT HAD 12 OR 14 P.C.s TOTAL." "♪♪" "DO WE HAVE THE COUNTDOWN IN THE CORNER?" "PAUL SHOULD HAVE HIS HEADSET ON THE OTHER WAY, RIGHT?" "DO YOU GET ME NOW?" "WE NEED TO BE DONE BY 11:00, LATEST," "WITH EVERYTHING." "I HAVEN'T EATEN YET, I JUST REALIZED." "ALL RIGHT." "TIME TO REALLY START MOVING THEM." "THEY'RE OFFICIALLY LATE AS OF NOW." "THAT'S ESL WONDERING WHERE THE HELL WE ARE." "HEY, WHAT'S UP?" "I DON'T LIKE IT LIKE THAT." "I WANTED THE PLAYERS BACKSTAGE," "AND WE CAN SHOW THEM BACKSTAGE WAITING, LIKE IN FOOTBALL." "JUST, PLEASE, GET ME THAT." "ALL RIGHT." "YOU'RE THE BOSS." "♪♪" "[ CROWD MURMURING ]" "WHEN I WALKED IN, THE ENERGY AND THE NOISE WAS ORDERS" "OF MAGNITUDE GREATER THAN WHAT I EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE." "I'VE HAD TWO HEART ATTACKS," "AND THE SENSATION THAT I GOT WITH SITTING IN HERE" "WAS THE SAME KIND OF FEELING -- PRESSURE BUILT UP." "IT'S GOOD?" "YEAH." "ARE WE BEGINNING?" "NO." "ARE WE?" "...4, 3, 2, 1!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," "WELCOME TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS SAN JOSE!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "IT'S GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND" "AS WE GO LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT I.E.M. CHAMPION." "[ SIGHS, LAUGHS ]" "IT'S RIGHT NOW THE PRESSURE IS OFF." "FIRST UP, IT'S THE FANS THAT GOT THEM HERE," "WITH 42% OF THE FAN VOTE." "THEY'RE ON THEIR HOME TURF." "GIVE IT UP FOR CLOUD9!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX," "BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO WATCH THAT CAN HELP" "YOU UNDERSTAND THE GAME." "THE TEAMS ALTERNATE BETWEEN RED AND BLUE SIDES," "DEPENDING ON THE GAME." "AND THE NUMBER OF KILLS A TEAM HAS" "IS A GOOD INDICATION OF HOW WELL THE TEAM IS DOING." "FORMAL SHOT!" "THERE IT IS!" "HAI GETS THE KILL!" "AN ACE MEANS THAT EVERY MEMBER" "OF THE ENEMY TEAM HAS BEEN KILLED," "WHICH GIVES THE SURVIVING TEAM COMPLETELY FREE REIGN" "OF THE MAP FOR A WHILE." "AND IT'S ALL NOW GOING CLOUD9'S WAY." "INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS CAN OBTAIN DOUBLE..." "DOUBLE KILL." "..." "TRIPLE..." "TRIPLE KILL." "..." "QUADRA, OR THE EXTREMELY RARE PENTA KILL," "BY KILLING MULTIPLE ENEMIES THEMSELVES." "SNEAKY WITH THE QUADRA!" "WAIT, HE GOT THE PENTA!" "OH!" "WOW!" "OH, THEY TRIED SO HARD TO GIVE THAT OVER TO SNEAKY." "EVERY CHAMPION HAS DIFFERENT ABILITIES." "FOR EXAMPLE, A CHAMPION THAT LEMONNATION" "OFTEN PLAYS HAS A HOOK THAT HE THROWS OUT TO CATCH" "AND HOLD ENEMIES SO HIS TEAMMATES CAN KILL THEM." "OH, THEY GET THE HOOK ON SIRT." "THERE WE GO." "LOOK HOW QUICK HE GOES DOWN." "ONE NEXUS TURRET GOES DOWN." "THE SECOND WILL FOLLOW." "AND IT'S CLOUD9 TO REACH THE SEMIFINAL." "NOT SAYING HI?" "HEY." "WHY NOT?" "I THINK " " I THINK I'M RUNNING AROUND WITH REKKLES." "WHAT'S THIS?" "THERE'S A NUMBER ON IT: 69." "IT'S NOT A GOOD NUMBER." "I DON'T HAVE MY OWN SHIRT, THAT'S WHY." "FAIR ENOUGH." "YOU TRANSFERRED." "GO DO YOUR THING." "GO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO." "GOOD SEEING YOU." "IN ALLIANCE, WE'VE RECENTLY PICKED UP REKKLES, WHICH IS ONE" "OF THE BIGGEST TALENTS IN THE WESTERN WORLD." "HE JUST MESHES REALLY WELL WITH THE REST OF OUR LINEUP." "AND HE HAS A VERY DEDICATED MIND-SET TO THE GAME" "THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE A LOT." "HE'S A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR LINEUP." "THAT ONE POINT," "WHEN YOU BECOME AS GOOD AS YOU CAN," "THE STRATEGY IS WHAT DECIDES WHO WINS AND WHO WILL LOSE THE GAME." "IT'S SORT OF LIKE CHESS IN A WAY," "BUT YOU HAVE A MATTER OF MILLISECONDS" "TO MAKE YOUR DECISION." "REACTION TIME IS REALLY IMPORTANT." "AS YOU CAN SEE, UNICORNS OF LOVE" "MOVING VERY FAST THROUGH THE BRACKET," "AND WE'RE GONNA COME UP TO OUR FIRST GAME OF THE DAY." "YOU CAN SEE IT." "ALLIANCE VERSUS CLOUD9." "BEFORE A MATCH, I'M COMPLETELY FOCUSED" "ON TRYING TO COME IN WITH THE BEST PLAN POSSIBLE." "LEMONNATION IS FAMOUS FOR HIS NOTEBOOK." "IT CONTAINS ALL OF HIS CLOUD9 SECRET STRATS." "WHAT IS IN HIS BOOK?" "THIS IS THE TACTICS BOOK WE ALWAYS SEE." "TIPS OF HOW TO GROW A MAGNIFICENT BEARD." "I NEED THAT BOOK." "AT THE POINT YOU GO ON THE STAGE," "I'M REALLY NERVOUS." "THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AROUND THE REKKLES CHANGES," "AND I THINK HE'S KIND OF TAKING IT TO HEART" "IS THAT IT'S ON HIS SHOULDERS TO MAKE THIS WORK." "SLOW START 11 MINUTES INTO THIS GAME." "NO FIRST BLOOD JUST YET." "VERY MUCH EQUAL ON GOLD." "LEMONNATION GETTING FOCUS ON -- COULD THEY GET FIRST BLOOD?" "AND HE GETS AWAY SAFE." "IT'S BUILDING UP SO MUCH TENSION FOR THIS GAME." "HERE IT COMES." "IT FINALLY IS." "IS IT?" "THAT'S THE QUESTION 'CAUSE" "THE TELEPORT GOES DOWN." "THERE'S THE ROOT ON HAI." "CATACLYSM ON FROGGEN," "AND EVERYBODY FROM ALLIANCE BACKS AWAY." "IT'S JUST THEY'RE TAKING LEISURELY START TO THE DAY." "DEFINITELY WARMING UP THE CROWD, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY." "GET HIM, HARTMAN!" "THERE'S GONNA BE FIRST BLOOD!" "YES, IT WILL!" "YEAH!" "JUST GO IN." "YOU READY?" "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT." "GO IN!" "THEY HAVE FLASH THIS TIME AROUND, BUT HAI'S LOCKED UP." "LEMONNATION'S GONNA GET TAKEN DOWN." "ALLIANCES ARE PICKING UP SOME KILLS." "REKKLES GETS HIMSELF WHUPPED." "THEY CAN CLEAN UP WITH THIS." "OH, MY GOD!" "A.D. CARRY VERSUS A.D. CARRY!" "BUT REKKLES COMES OUT VICTORIOUS." "AND IT'S THE ACE FOR ALLIANCE!" "THAT IS WHY ALLIANCE PAID THE MONEY" "TO TRANSFER THIS MAN INTO THEIR TEAM." "NICE!" "[ SIGHS ]" "AT THE MOMENT, CLOUD9 ARE THE ONES FEELING THE PRESSURE." "WE'RE A LOT STRONGER THAN THEM." "GOT TO NOT BE AFRAID." "FROGGEN IN TROUBLE." "HE'S GONNA GET LOCKED UP" "AND DROPPED LIKE A PANCAKE." "SNEAKY PICKS UP TWO." "CHASES ON TOWARDS REKKLES." "REKKLES HAS TO GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE RIGHT NOW." "REKKLES IS IN TROUBLE." "TRIES TO CLEAR IT." "OH!" "DEAD!" "AND HE GOES DOWN!" "IT'S THE ACE FOR CLOUD9 IN GAME ONE OF THE SERIES." "♪♪" "OH, HERE WE GO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN." "GAME TWO UNDERWAY." "OH, HE'S GONE FOR LEMONNATION." "REKKLES!" "OHH!" "COMPLETELY PAINTS HIM OUT." "BEAUTIFULLY DONE!" "AND, WOW, CLOUD9 ARE DESTROYING ALLIANCE IN GAME TWO." "[ LAUGHS ]" "IF I DO A MISTAKE," "I INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE IT," "THEN RIGHT TO STOP IT BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AGAIN." "EVERYONE STAY AND WORK TOGETHER." "JUST STAY TOGETHER." "THEY CAN'T KILL US IF WE STAY TOGETHER." "THEY'RE NOT THAT DAMAGED." "REKKLES COMES AROUND THE SIDE." "THEY CAN CLOSE HIM." "AND REKKLES PICKS UP THE KILL." "AND IT'S THIS TIME ALLIANCE COMING OUT 3-1 UP." "THAT'S UPSETTING." "I'M BACK IN THE GAME NOW, SO I'M GOOD." "ALLIANCE MAY WELL HAVE JUST WON THEMSELVES A GAME." "THEY'RE JUST GONNA RUN STRAIGHT FOR THE NEXUS NOW." "THIS SERIES TIES UP ONE-ALL." "WE WILL HAVE A WINNER IN THE NEXT MATCH-UP." "STILL IN, MAN." "NOT A GOOD GAME." "STILL IN." "WE'RE STILL IN IT." "CONFIRMED " " WE'RE BLUE?" "WE'RE BLUE." "OKAY." "GOOD?" "ANOTHER THING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS GAME" "IS THAT THE RECIPIENT OF THE FIRST BLOOD MONEY " "WHOA!" "REKKLES JUST DESTROYING BALLS IN THE TOP LINE." "TELEPORT COMING STRAIGHT OUT FROM BALLS, OF COURSE." "OF COURSE, DEATH BY HAMMERS ARE NEXT TO NOTHING." "BUT WICKD IS GONNA T.P. IT," "AND THEY MAY LOCK UP FOR A SECOND KILL HERE." "BALLS TAKEN LOW ONCE AGAIN," "AND REKKLES GETS ANOTHER!" "WOW!" "I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN ANYONE DIE TWICE SO QUICK IN MY LIFE." "HE LITERALLY TELEPORTED STRAIGHT BACK TO DIE AGAIN." "ALL RIGHT." "YEAH, THAT'S A ROUGH START." "REKKLES TRYING TO BAIT OUT HERE." "REKKLES GETS HIMSELF A VERY EASY THIRD KILL." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "ALL RIGHT, BOYS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?" "CAN YOU HOOK HIM?" "THEY NEED TO FOCUS IN." "AND THERE'S A HOOK FROM LEMONNATION." "OH, SHOOK IN TROUBLE!" "YEAH, WE GOT HIM." "WE GOT HIM." "WE GOT HIM." "WE CAN FIGHT THIS." "OH, ANOTHER HOOK!" "HE'S GOING DOWN!" "CLOUD9 TURNED THE GAME ON ITS HEAD RIGHT NOW." "AND REKKLES IS RUNNING AWAY." "CLOUD9 TRYING TO FINISH THE GAME RIGHT HERE." "WHAT IS GOING ON?" "!" "CLOUD9 WILL TAKE THE GAME AND GO THROUGH TO THE FINALS" "OF THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS HERE IN SAN JOSE!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "♪♪" "WHAT DID WE PRACTICE?" "THREE WEEKS?" "THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING TOGETHER FOR QUITE SOME TIME." "YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR A LONG TIME." "SURE ENOUGH, LEMONNATION LANDS TWO OF THE BIGGEST HOOKS OF THE GAME." "WE WERE WAY ON TOP UNTIL THAT HAPPENED." "I STILL THINK WE PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT, TO BE HONEST." "OKAY, LET'S TAKE SOME DESSERT TO DAMP THE BITTERNESS." "I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE GRAND FINALS WITH TSM." "AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT GO TO THE LAST GAME AND US WIN." "THAT WOULD BE AMAZING." "I'D LOVE THAT." "UNICORNS OF LOVE VERSUS TEAM SOLOMID." "TSM IS THE BIG FAVORITE, I THINK, FOR THIS TOURNAMENT." "THE BUILD-UP TIME TOWARDS A MATCH," "I ACTUALLY GET NERVOUS " "VERY NERVOUS EVERY SINGLE TIME." "I RECOGNIZE IT'S A BIG MATCH." "HONESTLY, I THINK PLAYING AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TEAM" "IS MY FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A PROFESSIONAL PLAYER" "BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHERE I STACK UP." "I REALLY WANT TO PROVE MYSELF." "WELL, HERE WE GO, THEN." "I GUESS IF THERE'S A TIME TO PROVE YOURSELF" "ON THE BIG STAGE IN SEMIFINAL, IT'S PROBABLY HERE." "PLAYING IN A BIG ARENA, IT DEFINITELY ADDS PRESSURE" "AND ADDS TO ADRENALINE." "SOME PEOPLE CAN GO IN, AND ALL THE JITTERS " "IT JUST GETS TO THEM," "AND THEY CAN'T PERFORM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL." "HE'S TAKING, AND HE DOES GET FIRST BLOOD." "BJERGSEN JUST NEEDED TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT" "MORE RESPECT IN THAT LANE." "KIKIS TURNS AROUND." "THIS COULD BE REALLY BAD FOR TSM." "THEY WALK RIGHT INTO IT." "TURTLE DOESN'T GET TO DO ANYTHING IN THAT FIGHT." "YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THE GAME," "SO WHEN YOU LOSE, IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE WORST FEELINGS EVER." "THE NEXUS TURRET CANNOT BE HELD." "THE UNICORNS OF LOVE ARE PUSHING AT IT." "THE UNICORNS OF LOVE MOVE THROUGH!" "I'M MORE SURPRISED THAT TSM " "THEY, LIKE, JUST DIDN'T SHOW UP AT ALL." "LIKE, IT JUST FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T COME TO PLAY." "WE LEARNED THAT ON AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE," "WE PLAY A LOT WORSE THAN WE DO ON PRACTICE," "AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FIX FOR THE FUTURE." "AND NOW WE'RE ONTO THE FINAL MATCH " "CLOUD9 VERSUS UNICORNS OF LOVE." "IF YOU'VE NEVER FACED A TEAM LIKE CLOUD9 BEFORE," "IT'S GONNA BE REALLY SCARY." "JUST STICK WITH THE PLAN." "AND THE CULLING IS KEEPING THEM AT BAY," "BUT ONLY SO LONG!" "A BEAUTIFUL KICK BY METEOS!" "AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE UNICORNS ARE ACED BY CLOUD9." "CLOUD9 IS THREATENING TO RUN AWAY WITH THIS GAME." "SNEAKY WILL GET THE FIRST ONE." "KIKIS IS LOW." "HE WAS HOOKED IN THERE BY LEMONNATION," "AND THAT MEANS A TWO-FOR-TWO." "SNEAKY, YOU GOT THIS." "BETTER, BETTER, BETTER!" "DO IT!" "DO IT!" "DO IT!" "DO IT!" "AND WILL PROBABLY GET HYLISSANG, AS WELL." "PENTA KILL!" "THE PENTA KILL" "THAT WILL SURELY WIN CLOUD9" "THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS HERE IN SAN JOSE." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "YEAH!" "WE DID IT, MAN." "GOOD GAME, BUDDY." "GOD BLESS EVERYONE." "I LOOK OVER AT THE PEOPLE," "AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WE HAD A REAL BREAKTHROUGH." "WHICH ONE?" "!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "WE'VE GONE TO A PLACE WHERE I, FRANKLY SPEAKING," "NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD GO." "♪♪" "BYE-BYE." "BYE-BYE." "BYE-BYE." "WHEN I LOOK AT MY MILEAGE ACCOUNT," "IT SAYS THAT I TOOK 41 FLIGHTS THIS YEAR." "AND THAT'S JUST FLIGHTS ALONE." "SO I'D ESTIMATE I WAS AWAY FROM HOME 60 DAYS, 65 DAYS, MAYBE." "THAT'S A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT LITTLE KID'S LIFE." "AND I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT GUY WHO MISSED HIS KIDS GROWING UP." "MOM, THERE'S A STRANGE MAN." ""HEY, IT'S DADDY." "NO, YOU'RE NOT."" ""YEAH, YEAH, I AM."" "AHH." "AHH!" "AHH!" "CANNOT THINK IT'S NOT HARD SOMETIMES." "IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD WHEN BABY WAS VERY LITTLE" "AND I WAS ALL BY MYSELF" "AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY NO ONE TO HELP ME." "BUT, I MEAN, IT COMES WITH THE PACKAGE, SO..." "IS THAT A BOX?" "[ LAUGHTER ]" "♪♪" "LUCKILY, MY MOM TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO THIS." "I THINK THE BIG THING ABOUT HAVING THESE STUDIO EVENTS" "IS THAT PEOPLE GET TO STAY A LITTLE BIT CLOSER" "TO THE PLAYERS, GET TO KIND OF LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDERS." "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS" "COLOGNE." "IT'S A TRIPLE KILL FOR DOUBLELIFT!" "THIS IS INSANE!" "22-20." "I HAVE NO IDEA WHICH WAY THIS GAME'S GONNA GO." "THIS?" "THIS IS LIVE RIGHT NOW." "OH, MY GOD." "THIS GAME HAS TO BE OVER." "HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING" "AGAINST FOUR GAMBIT PLAYERS HAMMERING AWAY ON THE NEXUS." "HELLO, AND WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," "TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS TAIPEI." "THEY CAN FINISH THE GAME RIGHT HERE," "AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE DOWN A NEXUS TURRET." "THE YOE FLASH WOLVES DO THE UNTHINKABLE " "COME BACK FROM A 2-0 DEFICIT" "TO WIN THE GAME AND THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS TAIPEI." "NOW WE HAVE OUR FOUR QUALIFIED TEAMS FOR I.E.M. KATOWICE." "JOINING THEM WILL BE THE TOP TEAMS FROM THREE REGIONS " "S.K. GAMING FROM EUROPE, THE G.E. TIGERS" "AND C.J. ENTUS FROM KOREA," "AND FINALLY, TEAM SOLOMID FROM NORTH AMERICA," "WHO, DESPITE LOSING IN SAN JOSE," "FOUGHT TO THE TOP OF THEIR REGION," "GAINING THEM A SECOND CHANCE" "AT THE I.E.M. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP." "THE SECOND CHANCE MEANT THE WORLD TO ME." "IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW," "WE HAD THE SECOND CHANCE TO SHOW OURSELVES" "AND TO PROVE TO OUR FANS THAT WE COULD BE THE BEST." "FANS OF ESPORTS ARE AT WORST FICKLE, HARSH," "BUT AT THEIR BEST," "THEY'RE THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE," "THE MOST PASSIONATE PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET." "A WEEK OR SO AGO, HAI JUST RANDOMLY TOLD US" "THAT HE WOULD BE VISITING NEW YORK," "SO WE ARE KIND OF SCRAMBLING RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE" "THAT EVERYTHING GOES FAVORABLY." "HEY, WHAT'S UP?" "IT'S ME AND HAI." "WHERE OUR FANS BE?" "SAY HELLO." "SAY HELLO." "WE GOT A PARK PERMIT AND WE PUT OUT A FACEBOOK EVENT" "AND WE WERE EXPECTING LIKE 100, 150 PEOPLE." "[ ALL CHEERING ]" "[ SIGHS ]" "LIKE 2,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP." "THIS IS LONGER THAN I THOUGHT." "[ CHEERING CONTINUES ]" "ALL RIGHT, SO, LET'S TRANSITION" "INTO TALKING ABOUT I.E.M. KATOWICE," "WHICH IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS." "G.E. TIGERS MIGHT BE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD." "THEY'RE THE BEST TEAM FROM KOREA." "C.G. ENTUS AT LEAST IS TOP-FOUR AT THE MOMENT IN KOREA." "S.K. GAMING " " PERHAPS THE BEST TEAM FROM EUROPE." "TSM " " PERHAPS THE BEST TEAM FROM N.A." "CLOUD9 " " WHATEVER, SECOND-BEST TEAM FROM " "IT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU RANK IT, OKAY," "BUT THESE ARE TOP-LEVEL TEAMS FROM THEIR REGIONS." "CLOUD9 PLAYS G.E. TIGERS." "HOW DOES CLOUD9 POSSIBLY MATCH UP?" "CAN THEY DO ANYTHING AGAINST G.E. TIGERS?" "NO." "[ LAUGHS ] I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS TOURNAMENT" "CAN DO ANYTHING AGAINST THE G.E. TIGERS." "I WAS AT THE G.E. TIGERS' HOUSE THE OTHER DAY," "AND GORILLA WAS SAYING IN AN INTERVIEW" "THAT THEIR GOAL WAS TO WIN THIS TOURNAMENT" "WITHOUT LOSING A GAME." "I GOT NEWS YESTERDAY THAT MY PAPERWORK" "WAS APPARENTLY FILED FOR THE VISA THING, SO..." "YEAH, ANOTHER COUNTRY WILL SEE ANOTHER POLISH GUY." "LOOKS OKAY." "WE'RE EXPANDING FROM JUST THE SPORTS ARENA" "ONTO AN 8,000-SQUARE-METER HOLE." "IN THE SPORTS ARENA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE GIGANTIC STAGE " "THE BIGGEST STAGE IN THE COMPANY'S HISTORY," "ONE OF THE BIGGEST STAGES IN ESPORTS HISTORY, ACTUALLY." "AND THIS IS WHERE THE "STARCRAFT II" STAGE" "IS GONNA BE AT THE EXPO." "ESPORTS WAS A SIDESHOW," "AND NOW EVERYTHING THAT USED TO BE THE MAIN SHOW" "IS NOW THE SIDESHOW TO ESPORTS." "AND IT'S THE EXHIBITORS THAT ARE NOW PIGGYBACKING" "OFF OF THE COMPETITIONS." "NOW, THERE'S A RIGHT WAY TO SEE IT," "AND THERE'S A WRONG WAY TO SEE IT." "WE'RE GONNA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY." "♪♪" "WE WANTED TO LOOK LIKE A PRINCE," "BUT ACTUALLY," "THEY ARE NOT THAT GOOD-LOOKING," "SO I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THAT." "THE POSSIBILITY OF NORTH AMERICANS" "WINNING THIS TOURNAMENT IS KIND OF SLIM, I THINK," "BECAUSE THERE'S THE YOE FLASH WOLVES," "WHO WE HAVE NO EXPERIENCE AGAINST." "THERE'S ALSO THE G.E. TIGERS." "I JUST WORRY ABOUT " "'CAUSE THEY ARE A BIT TIRED NOW, SO..." "BUT THAT'S OKAY." "OUR TEAM IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD, I THINK." "WE'RE AGAINST PROBABLY THE BEST TEAM IN THE WHOLE WORLD," "SO WE HAVE TO PLAY BETTER THAN WE'VE EVER PLAYED BEFORE." "IF AMERICA COMES OUT AND WINS EVERYTHING," "IT'S GONNA FLIP THE WORLD ON ITS HEAD." "IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, YOU'D THINK IT'S MADONNA." "GOOD MORNING, GUYS." "GOOD MORNING." "HOW'S IT GOING?" "YES." "ME?" "I'M NOT READY." "ME, NEITHER." "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE." "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE A FULL 1 1/2 DAYS." "IT'S REALLY A FULL, PROPER DAY OF REHEARSAL." "YEAH, IT'S PRETTY GOOD." "WE'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY PROUD ABOUT IT." "TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT!" "TAKE OFF MY SHIRT?" "NO, I CAN'T DO THAT." "THIS CROWD IS THE ROWDIEST CROWD" "I'VE EVER HAD TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF." "RELAX." "BREATHE IN." "IT HELPS WITH JET LAG." "I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THERE YET, AND THE CROWD IS STREAMING IN," "SO..." "I'M TRYING TO HOLD IT OFF 'CAUSE I'LL BE REALLY NERVOUS." "REHEARSAL'S OVER." "EVERYBODY'S GETTING INTO PLACE." "I LIKE YOUR OUTFITS." "THANK YOU." "WE HAVE THE OPENING OF THE BIG SHOW ON THE MAIN STAGE." "AND TODAY, EVERYTHING STARTS." "WHEN THE STAGE IS BUILT, I WILL WALK EVERY INCH OF IT." "I SUPPOSE TRYING TO GET THE EMOTION," "CAPTURE IT, KEEP IT INSIDE ME," "AND THEN DELIVER IT IN TUNE WITH THE CROWD" "TO THE WAY THAT THEY FEEL THE SAME EXCITEMENT" "I DO ABOUT THE GAMES THAT ARE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE." "AND ALSO JUST ABOUT HOW FAR WE'VE COME." "IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE THAT TO ME." "IT FEELS LIKE, "YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DELIVER" "SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL." "I MEAN, SUPER SPECIAL, THAT WILL MAKE YOUR SPINE TINGLE" "AND THE HAIRS ON YOUR ARMS STAND UP."" "AND WHEN THAT MOMENT ARRIVES" "AND THE MUSIC PLAYS AND THE LIGHTS BLAZE" "AND I'M STANDING BACKSTAGE" "AND MY STOMACH IS DOING SOMERSAULTS" "AND THE PRODUCER TELLS ME IN MY EAR, "GO"..." "IT'S JUST " " IT'S MAGICAL." "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME" "TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "FROM MY PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW," "GOING OUT IN FRONT OF A CROWD LIKE THAT" "AT A VIDEO-GAME TOURNAMENT " "IT'S EXTRAORDINARY." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME ONCE AGAIN" "TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP." "IT'S DOUBLE-ELIM -- LOSE TWO, YOU'RE OUT." "WIN TWO, AND YOU'RE IN." "THE OPENING MATCH!" "GAME ONE OF GROUP "A."" "THE FIRST TEAM -- THE UNDEFEATED, THE G.E. TIGERS!" "AND THEIR CHALLENGERS, A STAPLE NAME FROM NORTH AMERICA" "AND THE WINNERS OF THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS SAN JOSE " "NONE OTHER THAN CLOUD9!" "CAN CLOUD9 BEAT THE G.E. TIGERS?" "ANYTHING IS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE," "BUT IN THE REALISTIC UNIVERSE" "IN WHICH WE RESIDE CURRENTLY, IT'S A VERY LOW CHANCE." "AND WE ARE READY TO GET IT ON HERE IN OUR FIRST GAME" "IN THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS KATOWICE." "CLOUD9 LURKING IN THE BRUSH." "OH, AND THERE HE IS -- LEMONNATION." "CAN THEY GET HIM WITH SOME C.C.?" "THEY ALREADY GET THE FLASH." "HE'S GONNA TRY THE AQUA PRISON." "AND THAT'S FIRST BLOOD FOR CLOUD9 " " BALLS!" "WELL, I MEAN, GORILLA WAS NOT EXACTLY PAYING ATTENTION," "SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL FOR C9." "THEY'VE GOT THE START THAT THEY WANTED HERE." "WELL, LOOK AT THIS." "WE ALL SEE AN LE" "WAITING AROUND IN THE MIDDLE." "HERE WE GO." "THEY MANAGE TO GET THE CHAINS DOWN," "AND HAI IS DEAD JUST LIKE THAT." "COMING IN." "HERE'S A TELEPORT." "SMEB MAY HAVE OVERSTAYED HIS WELCOME HERE." "METEOS IS TAKING THE -- BUT HE'S GONNA GO DOWN!" "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" "!" "IT'S OVER FOR YOU, MY FRIEND." "AND JUST LIKE THAT, IT'S 5-1 TO THE G.E. TIGERS." "IT IS LOOKING PRETTY ONE-SIDED SO FAR." "I'M JUST REALLY SURPRISED AT C9." "I JUST " " THE DESPERATION IS SUCH A HUGE FACTOR RIGHT NOW." "I THINK THAT'S A PERFECT WORD FOR IT RIGHT NOW." "I THINK IT CERTAINLY IS JUST DESPERATION." "I MEAN, THIS GAME IS JUST A SLAUGHTER." "THE G.E. TIGERS ARE GONNA PICK UP THE FIRST GAME" "OF THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP." "THE G.E. TIGERS." "WHAT A STATEMENT" "FOR THEIR FIRST GAME, HUH?" "[ SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS ]" "HAI IS EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL." "HE TAKES LOSSES EXTREMELY HARD." "THIS TOURNAMENT IS DOUBLE ELIMINATION," "SO WE HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE." "LET'S NOT MAKE ANOTHER UNICORNS OF LOVE." "OH, YEAH." "ANY TIME YOU GUYS WANT TO GET COMPLACENT," "JUST THINK UNICORNS OF LOVE." "YEAH, JUST THINK UNICORNS OF LOVE." "I WOULD RETIRE." "I WOULD REALLY RETIRE." "C.J. ENTUS VERSUS TSM," "AND THE WINNER MOVES ON TO TOMORROW." "AS FAR AS THE KOREAN TEAMS OF THIS TOURNAMENT, OBVIOUSLY," "G.E. THE BIG FAVORITE, BUT C.J. IS A BEATABLE TEAM." "SO I DON'T THINK IT'S OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY FOR TSM" "TO TAKE THIS ONE." "[ CROWD CHANTING "TSM!" ]" "WILDTURTLE WILL DESTROY HIM," "AND THAT DID NOT GO TO PLAN FOR C.J. ENTUS." "THEY'RE GONNA GO FOR THE FIGHT." "SPACE WILL BE CAUGHT COMPLETELY OUT OF POSITION." "THAT'S TWO KILLS FOR TSM." "AND IF THEY PLAY THIS RIGHT, MAYBE THEY CAN FINISH." "I THINK THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO." "GUYS, AT 29 MINUTES, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?" "TEAM SOLOMID TAKES DOWN C.J. ENTUS." "THEY'RE MOVING ON." "G.G. WOW." "YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING VERY WELL IN NORTH AMERICA," "COMING IN AS THAT FIRST SEED AND ALSO BEATING A KOREAN TEAM." "IS THIS TSM IN YOUR PRIME?" "WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING RID OF INTERNATIONAL FEAR" "OF NOT PERFORMING ONSTAGE." "WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN FASTER," "AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE STILL NEED TO LEARN." "WE BEAT A KOREAN TEAM." "WE BEAT A KOREAN TEAM!" "MONTE SAID IT WAS "IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY"" "THAT WE BEAT THEM." "I TWEETED, "DOES ANYBODY BELIEVE THAT TSM CAN WIN TOMORROW?"" "PRETTY MUCH, VERY FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY ANSWERED YES." "NOW I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE." "[ LAUGHTER ]" "AT THE EXPO, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THESE OTHER PARTS OF ESPORTS" "THAT ARE COMING BACK UP." "TONS OF STUFF GOING ON, LIKE "STARCRAFT II."" "THIS IS GONNA BE OVER." "THE LAST MARAUDER" "HAS BEEN PICKED OFF, AND BBYONG IS GONNA LOSE MAGNUM." "HEARTHSTONE IS REALLY PICKING UP THIS YEAR." "FEMALE FPS IS COMING BACK." "SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO HOW" "THESE THINGS ARE GONNA ALL COME TOGETHER IN FUTURE CONVENTIONS" "AND MAYBE HAVE THEIR OWN MAIN STAGE AT FUTURE EVENTS." "IT KIND OF REMINDS US THAT IN THE END," "WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME GROUP." "DO IT UP." "WE PLAY THE WOLVES." "THEY'RE THE BEST TEAM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA." "ALL RIGHT, GUYS, IT IS OUR FIRST ELIMINATION MATCH" "HERE AT THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS." "CLOUD9, YOE FLASH WOLVES " "ONE OF THESE GUYS IS MOVING ON TO TOMORROW." "ONE IS GOING HOME." "WE GOT THIS, GUYS." "DO IT FOR YOURSELVES." "TAKE THAT RESPECT BACK." "THE ONLY THING I DO WANT TO SEE FROM CLOUD9 IS WHETHER OR NOT" "THEY CAN ADAPT FROM THEIR GAME EARLIER TODAY." "AS A TEAM, THEY WERE DOWN ON THEMSELVES." "THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN A VICTORY." "IS THIS GONNA BE FIRST BLOOD?" "HE DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF HEALTH UP." "THEY REALLY WANT IT " " CLOUD9." "WILL THEY GET THIS FIRST BLOOD?" "THEY WILL." "NO, THEY WON'T!" "THEY WON'T!" "OHH!" "METEOS " " HE'S SO LOW NOW." "THIS IS DANGEROUS." "THEY HAVE TO BACK OFF." "WHAT A COLOSSAL MISTAKE BY CLOUD9." "I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T GET THAT." "BIG LOSS REALLY AFFECTS YOUR MENTALITY." "KIND OF LOSE CONFIDENCE." "THIS IS NOT GOING WELL FOR CLOUD9." "ONLY METEOS REMAINING." "THIS COULD EASILY BE AN ACE." "YOE FLASH WOLVES STEPPING UP, DIGGING DEEP." "CLOUD9 IS SIMPLY NOT IN IT HERE IN KATOWICE." "I HONESTLY THOUGHT CLOUD9 WOULD BE ONE" "OF THE CONTENDERS FOR THE SEMIS." "IT'S JUST REALLY SAD SEEING THEM GO OUT LIKE THAT." "IT'S PART OF THE GAME." "LOSSES HAPPEN." "HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT TO KEEP YOUR TEAM ON POINT STILL" "IS A BIG PART OF WHAT I DO." "SO, TIME TO PICK UP THE PIECES." "♪♪" "THIS I.E.M. MAKES NO SENSE." "WE BEAT A KOREAN TEAM." "C9 WENT FULL CHOKE THIS TOURNAMENT." "IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME." "MAYBE IT'S THE JET LAG." "I'M JUST GONNA BLAME IT ALL ON JET LAG." "WHAT THEY WANNA MAKE-- WHAT THEY WANNA MAKE..." "HE'S ALREADY HERE." "OH, NO!" "ALL I REALLY CARE ABOUT IS WINNING FOR MY TEAMMATES" "AND THEN NOT BEING BELITTLED BY OTHER REGIONS." "TSM'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF CATCHING ALL OF YOE'S MIS-PLAYS." "THAT IS TSM TAKING DOWN FOUR MEN." "THEY'RE GONNA PUSH THROUGH THIS ONE TO MOVE" "ON TO THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL." "I THINK TSM IS GOOD TEAM." "SO MAYBE FINAL MATCH IS TSM VERSUS G.E. TIGERS." "G.E. TIGERS FOR SURE." "100% G.E. TIGERS." "PRAY IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE." "KNOCK-UPS COMING IN." "THAT'S A DOUBLE KILL NOW FOR MYSTIC." "G.E. ON THE RUN." "G.E. JUST GETTING DESTROYED IN ANOTHER TEAM FIGHT." "G.E. TIGERS PROBABLY GONNA TAKE THE GLOVES OFF NOW," "PLAY IT A BIT MORE SERIOUS." "WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING?" "WELL, STILL, THERE'S THE CHANCE OF THE FREAK ACCIDENT," "BUT YOU CAN'T BE UNDERSTATED." "IF THE G.E. TIGERS LOSE THIS GAME, THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY" "THE BIGGEST UPSET IN "LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" HISTORY." "THERE'S A CATCH ONTO SMEB." "MEANWHILE, SPIRIT COMES IN, DOES KNOCK-UP ONTO PRAY." "AND G.E. TRYING TO TURN THIS ONE AROUND." "THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL FOR G.E. TIGERS." "AND THAT IS AN ACE." "W.E. IS POISED TO WIN THIS MATCH" "AND GO TO THE GRAND FINALS AGAINST TSM." "THE WORLD'S BEST TEAM IS BEATEN BY CHINA'S WORST TEAM!" "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT." "IT IS OVER." "WHOA!" "WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RESULT." "AND THIS TOURNAMENT HAS JUST BEEN CHOCK-FULL OF SURPRISES," "OF THESE UPSETS." "AND THAT'S IT." "THE BEST OF THREE " "THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN" "THE G.E. TIGERS LOSE A BEST-OF SERIES." "W.E. COMES IN HERE AND TAKES OUT AN UNDEFEATED KOREAN TEAM." "ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE." "OUR FIRST LOSS." "SO THIS IS WHAT LOSING FEELS LIKE." "WELL, I THINK THAT THE G.E. TIGERS GOT A BIT COCKY." "I'M SORRY YOU LOST." "BOY, IS THAT COMFORTING." "WE WILL TRY MORE." "THANK YOU SO MUCH." "I HOPE YOU LIKED IT." "YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME, AS AN ORGANIZER, YOU KIND OF " "YOU WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD LUCK" "TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FINAL IS GOOD AND EXCITING." "AND I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR MORE, REALLY." "I..." "SHE WANTS TO PUT A TRAPDOOR IN BOTH OF THE PLAYER BOOTHS," "AND THE LOSER GETS TO FALL DOWN THE TRAPDOOR." "HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?" "PLEASE WELCOME C.J. HERO!" "YEAH!" "[ LAUGHTER ]" "HI." "HI!" "NO WAY." "THIS IS YOURS?" "YEAH." "IT'S MINE." "OH, CUTIE." "HEY." "MICHAL'S QUALITIES ARE MANY, BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST ONE" "TO ME ARE THAT HE IDENTIFIES PEOPLE'S TALENTS." "HE SEEMS TO SENSE WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOOD AT" "AND HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM." "HE HAS AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD," "TO MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL." "WITHOUT YOU GUYS HERE, WITHOUT THE PEOPLE IN LINE," "THIS HOLE IS AN EMPTY SHELL WITH SOME LIGHTS IN IT." "AND IT IS YOU WHO MADE IT A DREAM" "FOR EVERY PROFESSIONAL GAMER IN THE WORLD" "TO COME HERE AND PLAY." "SO THANK YOU." "[ APPLAUSE ]" "♪♪" "WE ALL KNOW OUR TIME AS A PROFESSIONAL" ""LEAGUE OF LEGENDS" PLAYER ISN'T FOREVER." "EITHER THROUGH US NOT BEING AS GOOD AT THE GAME ANYMORE" "OR JUST THE GAME DYING OUT." "BUT EVEN IF THIS GAME DIES, ESPORTS IS NOT GOING AWAY." "I DO THINK ABOUT THE ENDING A LOT," "BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT." "I DON'T KNOW WHERE ESPORTS IS GONNA GO." "THE LEAGUE HAS MEANT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING TO ME." "IT TOOK ME FROM GETTING BULLIED IN SCHOOL" "AND JUST GENERALLY HAVING A PRETTY BAD LIFE TO REALLY" "GIVING ME A PURPOSE AND GIVING ME MOTIVATION." "THE STIGMA OF BEING A GAMER HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED." "ESPORTS IS GOING TO STAY, AND IT'S GOING TO EVOLVE." "WE'VE HAD A FANTASTIC SEASON 9." "INCREDIBLE SCENES." "BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S THE GRAND FINAL!" "[ CROWD CHANTING "TSM!" ]" "FIRST UP, HUNTING DOWN THE UNDEFEATED G.E. TIGERS" "TO GET TO THIS STAGE " "TEAM W.E.!" "COMING FROM NORTH AMERICA," "THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVE TO THE WORLD" "THAT TIMES SURELY HAVE CHANGED " " TSM!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "♪♪" "WE'RE ABOUT TO GET INTO THE BIG FINAL HERE." "WOW." "YOU SEE W.E.," "THEY'RE PLAYING SUPER AGGRESSIVE HERE." "THAT'S A DOUBLE KILL FOR XIYE." "AND TSM LOSING ANOTHER TWO-FOR-ONE." "WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL." "CAN WE FIRE HERE?" "CAN WE FIRE HERE, TURTLE?" "I'M COMING." "I'M COMING." "I'M WALKING DOWN." "WALKING DOWN." "AND THEY'RE GOING IN." "OH, SPIRIT WILL DIVE TO THE BACK." "LUSTBOY ACTUALLY INCREDIBLY LOW." "A LITTLE BIT WISHY-WASHY THERE FROM TSM." "CAUGHT OUT OF POSITION." "THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING THEY CAN DO AT THIS STAGE, HONESTLY." "MAYBE THEY CAN COME BACK," "BUT IT'S GONNA BE REAL HARD." "IF YOU REALIZE THAT THERE'S NOTHING" "YOU CAN DO TO COME BACK AND WIN," "AT THAT POINT, YOU BASICALLY JUST ACCEPT DEFEAT" "AND TRY TO FOCUS ON WHY YOU'VE LOST." "EVEN WHEN YOU'RE AT A PRO LEVEL, YOU'RE NEVER PERFECT." "NO PLAYER IS PERFECT." "YOU HAVE TO TRY TO STAY POSITIVE" "BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO JUST TURN AROUND" "AND START WINNING AGAIN." "YEAH, WE HAVE TO DEFEND THE TURRET." "YEAH." "I THINK WE CAN, THOUGH." "CAN WE FIGHT?" "I'M HERE." "HE'S LOW." "HE'S LOW." "I GOT HIM." "W.E. TRYING TO RALLY AND BACK AWAY FROM THIS ONE." "FIGHT ON CLOSEST TARGET." "RIGHT THERE." "RIGHT THERE." "RIGHT THERE." "SPIRIT." "SPIRIT." "SPIRIT." "SPIRIT." "YOU GUYS GOT THIS." "YOU GUYS GOT THIS." "NICE." "NICE." "GOOD JOB." "BUT A FOUR-FOR-ONE FOR TSM." "AND SUDDENLY, THEY WIN THE FIGHT HERE." "JUST DO YOUR BEST." "NEVER GIVE UP." "DON'T TELL ME THE GAME'S OVER, LUSTBOY." "THE GAME'S NEVER OVER." "[ CROWD CHANTING "TSM!" ]" "LOOK AT THIS." "LOOK AT THIS." "LOOK AT THIS." "BJERGSEN WILL DIVE INTO THE MIDDLE," "AND AGAIN, IT'S A MESSY ONE," "WITH DYRUS GETTING THE FIRST KILL," "PUTTING HIM NOW ONTO A KILLING SPREE." "NICE." "I COULD KEEP GOING." "TSM ARE GONNA CHASE, AS DYRUS WILL FALL." "LUSTBOY'S GONNA GO DOWN." "BJERGSEN, THOUGH, IS STILL ALIVE!" "I GOT HER." "I GOT HER." "IT'S A TRIPLE KILL!" "IT'S GONNA BE AN ACE FOR TEAM SOLOMID!" "WILL THEY BE ABLE TO END RIGHT HERE IS THE QUESTION WE HAVE." "THE SUPER-MINIONS, THE BARON." "THEY'VE GOT THE PRESSURE." "HERE WE GO." "THE NEXUS TURRET" "IS FALLING DOWN." "THE CROWD GOING WILD." "TEAM SOLOMID ARE THE INTEL EXTREME MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONS!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "[ CROWD CHANTING "TSM!" ]" "WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, TSM MADE OUR REGION LOOK GREAT." "EVEN THOUGH I WAS SAD THAT MY TEAM LOST," "I FELT REALLY GOOD STILL ABOUT NORTH AMERICA AS A WHOLE." "NO ONE IS GONNA TAKE NORTH AMERICA FOR GRANTED ANYMORE." "THE BIGGEST JOY IN THE WORLD IS MAKING OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY." "SIMPLE AS THAT." "[ LAUGHS ]" "YEAH, THAT WAS PRETTY INSANE." "ALL OF MY FORMER TEAMS " "THEY'VE MOVED ON TO OTHER THINGS." "I WAS THE ONLY GUY TO STAY AND FOLLOW THIS PASSION," "FOLLOW THIS HOBBY." "IT'S EXTREMELY HEARTWARMING FOR ME TO SEE WHERE" "I CAME OUT OF AND TO SEE THAT THE GUYS BACK FROM THE HOOD" "ARE PROUD OF ME." "IT'S JUST GREAT." "BASTY." "HI." "THANK YOU, BASTY." "THAT WAS KATOWICE." "[ CHUCKLES ]" "ALL RIGHT." "I'M IN MY HOMETOWN." "I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO A PLACE" "WHERE I STARTED BEING A SUPER TOTAL NERD." "THIS USED TO BE THE KITCHEN." "AND THIS IS, LIKE, A SECOND ROOM FOR THE INTERNET café." "YEAH, IT'S JUST A GREAT TIME OF MY LIFE." "I WISH I COULD GO BACK." "LAST ONE." "THAT'S LOCKED UP." "SOME OFFICE." "SOME OFFICE IN THE PLACE OF THE LAST INTERNET café" "THAT I FREQUENTED A LOT TO PRACTICE AND PLAY" "AND ORGANIZE A COUPLE OF TOURNAMENTS HERE, AS WELL," "BACK IN 2005, I WANT TO SAY." "NOW IT'S CLOSED, AND NOW IT'S..." "GONE, LIKE ALL THE OTHERS." "KATOWICE'S ALREADY IN THE PAST." "JUST SITTING DOWN AND ADMIRING HOW AWESOME IT WAS" "GIVES YOU NOTHING" "BECAUSE THE REST OF THE WORLD ISN'T SLEEPING." "SO WE REST A WEEK," "AND WE GO AGAIN." "SCREW THIS." "JACEK?" "HEY!" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" "WOW." "I BARELY RECOGNIZED YOU." "SO YOU DON'T HAVE THE CAFE ANYMORE?" "NO." "SINCE WHEN?" "DECEMBER." "THERE WAS NO POINT IN KEEPING IT." "EVERYONE'S GOT INTERNET AT HOME NOW." "TIMES HAVE CHANGED." "HEY..." "YOU KNOW WHAT?" "FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, I'VE GONE AROUND THE WORLD ORGANIZING TOURNAMENTS." "REALLY BIG ONES." "WOW." "THAT'S SO COOL." "[ BOTH SPEAKING POLISH ]" "I'M GONNA TELL MY DAUGHTER ABOUT IT," "AND IT'S GONNA BE NORMAL FOR HER THAT SHE WATCHES PEOPLE" "PLAY VIDEO GAMES FOR A LIVING." "YOU KNOW, THEY SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AND STUFF." ""DO YOU KNOW I WAS ONE OF THE GUYS THAT SAW IT PRO" "AND HOPEFULLY HAD A HAND IN HAVING IT GROW" "TO WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW?"" "I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GONNA BE," "BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL TIME TO SEE SOMETHING." "HELLO." "I'M HAI." "THIS IS..." "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" "INCARNATI0N." "HE'S A NEW MID-LANER FOR CLOUD9 SINCE I'M RETIRED NOW." "[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS ]" "[ UP-TEMPO MUSIC CONTINUES ]" "[ CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS ]" "[ CLASSICAL MUSIC CONTINUES ]" "MINE!" "MINE!" "MINE!" "MINE!" "MINE!" "[ CLAPPING ]" "BRAVO!" "[ SPEAKS POLISH ]" "EEEE!" "[ SPEAKS POLISH ]"