StarCraft 2 is designed to be a competitive eSports game that can grow to dominate the scene. But in order to so, it must first penetrate eSports Mecca, South Korea.In February, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime set foot in South Korean soil during a routine trip to check out the situation at Blizzard Korea. But this event couldn't go unnoticed as Mike Morhaime settled in a private hotel where he wanted to do a brief presentation of the StarCraft 2 beta directly to the progamers and proteams.
The event was cancelled because most of them turned down the invitation. To lower the tension, Blizzard Korea said that this was just a product of "scheduling misunderstandings".
Some speculate this happened because Blizzard didn't get KeSPA's "approval" to hold this kind of event. There is also an anonymous source saying that "Blizzard Korea doesn't want to recognize KeSPA as negotiations partner regarding intellectual rights, but that's not the right way to think about it... ...KeSPA was created together by the teams, and KeSPA is essentially the teams themselves.".
Wherein lies the problem? Between Blizzard and KeSPA? or do Blizzard Korea have any unresolved business with the Korean eSports Association? How much will this, seemingly not up to par relationship between producer and organizer affect the progaming world as we know it today?
Links
Sports.Khan.Co.Kr - Source
Teamliquid.net - Source
