South Africa, Serbia, Russia crack global top ten eSport rankings

eSports, for those of you in the dark about it, is a real thing. Gaming events (Modern Warfare, Starcraft II) organised with military precision and sponsored by billion-dollar franchises is the norm. Players become genuine sport stars, with fans and sponsorships propelling them into the pantheon of the gods. As dramatic as this all sounds, it’s also resoundingly true.

eSports is a serious business and to this end, even a major Hollywood studio is now sponsoring StarCraft II tournaments in the US. So, where do South Africa, Serbia and Russia fit into this global gaming money-spinner? Into the official top ten ranked countries list for 2013, as set by the International eSports Federation (IeSF).

“The character and strength of the South African gamers has overcome the odds to rise up and demonstrate their worth.” says SA-based ISP MWEB, which in turn sponsors local gaming tournaments.

In 2012, South Africa was in a 18th position overall, but a silver-medal win from the 2012 Women’s StarCraft II team helped to further bolster SA’s performance in the worldwide rankings.

Despite no medals being awarded to SA in 2013, the players individual and team performances helped to secure a 10th place position SA currently holds with Serbia (both countries scored 43 points in the global rankings).

The South African team attended the 2013 MWEB Protea eSports team took part in the IeSF World Championships held late last year, with the IeSF only recently releasing the global standings. For those who’d like to know the level of extreme sportmanship and talent these players have, simply watch this incredible display of skill below, of Korea vs. Russia. The match below is a game of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.

We tend to button mash

South Korea holds the top spot with its Terminator-style players, but South Africa has tenacity, with players like Nick Holden (Modern Warfare), Conradie van Heerden (League of Legends), Yolandi Williams (StrCraft II) and Lyrene Kühn (Tekken Tag Tournament II)  keeping their country on the charts.

Image via Flickr