Sup Guys this is Fawn Renee aka Fawntastic. I recently got up with the PMS Clan, the hot group of girl gamers, to talk about their recent deal with VerizonFios, the $100k gaming tournament, and the future of Pro-Gaming. Check it out.
Fawn: how did the collaboration with Verizon came about?
AD: VerizonFios emailed us asking about potential sponsorship. They were looking to support women in gaming, and had done some research in which the PMS Clan name had come up. Being multi-platform (Xbox, PC & Ps2), as well as competitors, they decided to support us for the 2006 PRO season with our PMS Teen team on Halo2. We are proud to call VerizonFiOS our main sponsor.
Fawn: What will tournament will be like?
AD: First of all, this is a pretty amazing tournament. One gamer is going to walk away with $100k. This has never been done in one tournament to my knowledge. Also, the event is mostly online, which is why FiOS is supporting it. FiOS is Verizon’s new broadband service that allows 30 MBS Download and Upload of up to 5 MBS. With that kind of performance, FiOS can be the difference between taking home a win or going home with a loss. Those gamers out there who are FiOS subscribers are going to have the competitive edge due to their faster speed. After the online event is done, which is judged by time spent in game and number of frags, the top 8 players will face off in LA at the final show down. 1 player; $100k. Pretty amazing!
Fawn: What is you guys’ actual involvement in the tournament?
AD: PMS Clan jumped on board the FiOS Grand tournament to host the PMS University. PMS University will offer those attending the finals classes on everything from how to get online via the Verizon Game Network’s PlayLinc client, to competitive tactics such as team play and weapons set-up. I had given Verizon FiOS a proposal for a charity event we were working on called “Gaming for a Cause” in which proceeds benefited selected charities like WITI’s Women in Tech scholarships and the Get Well Gamers Foundation, etc. and they loved it! They decided to host a “Celebrity Showdown” which will have 4 Celebrities on 4 PMS teams battling out for the charity of their choice. Verizon FiOS was generous to donate the $20,000 purse for the charity, and of course, PMS Clan’s time is donated for this event as well.
Fawn: What do you think this type of wide range exposure means for PRO Gaming and females in the gaming industry in particular?
AD: First of all, this type of exposure for gaming is amazing. I believe it is important for gamers to get involved with giving back to the community. Both PMS Clan and Verizon FiOS are hopefully setting a precedent for other companies and gamers to follow. DigitalLife will also be hosting another of our Gaming for a Cause events at the Digital Life Tournament & Expo in October. There, PMS girls will game for hours straight, earning money for our chosen charity, so you can come see us there as well! It is very similar to a jump-rope-for-heart only we are armed with our controllers and keyboards. Getting involved with great events, like our PMS University to teach and the FiOS & Digital Life charity event to give, is something Verizon FiOS and PMS Clan both support. PMS Clan has been blessed with recognition and support for the gaming community, it is only natural we want to give back.
Fawn: What would you like to see happen with gaming over the next couple of years?
AD: More diversity throughout the industry in making the games, marketing the games, players of the games. This is not just females I am talking about. This is age, race, lifestyles, and cultures. I would also like to see a 1st place win of any female team in a co-ed PRO tournament on a FPS title. This will happen as more women begin playing, start younger (like our PMS Teen FiOS team which are all under 18), and playing longer as their competitiveness’ increases. That is why women clans like ours are so important for many women gamers. We grow stronger in our love, dedication, and support for each other. Playing together is truly an amazing experience, win or lose. It has turned many of us from casual players into PRO competitors.
Fawn: Anything else you want to add? We want our readers to get to know you guys as much as possible.
AD: PMS Clan was formed at the launch on Xbox Live in 2002. We compete in 3 platforms: Xbox, PC, & PS2. We are open to any female gamer with a positive attitude and dedication to gaming in a team environment. If any women are interested in joining PMS Clan, they are welcome to visit our forums in our recruitment section. We are not gaming to be the best, just the best that we can be with a passion for games and each other. www.pmsclan.com
I would encourage any girl gamers reading to sign up for the FiOS Grand Tournament as we are not able to compete since we are partnering with Verizon FiOS. To sign up, please visit www.FiOSgrand.com
posted by Fawntastic
