First official gaming association launched

Halo competitions can now go international

Gaming enthusiasts in The Netherlands have launched the Dutch Electronic Sports Association.

The organisation plans to launch a nationwide league by 2006 and is seeking a membership position with the NOC*NSF, the Dutch equivalent of the British Olympic Association or the US Olympic Committee.

The Dutch association aims to promote competitive gaming by creating official nationwide leagues and rankings, and offer support for official gaming events including so-called 'local area network parties' and online competitions.

Perry van der Wiel, owner of GameParty, and one of the association's backers, claimed that it is the first of its kind in the world.

"The Netherlands is the first country in the world where competitive gaming will get the attention that it deserves," he said.

South Korea is home to many gaming events, some of which attract tens of thousands of supporters. Tournaments in the country have given rise to an elite group of professional gamers who can earn up to $1m a year.

The South Korean World Cyber Games organises an annual competition that claims the title of 'world championship'. The 2005 event is scheduled to take place in Singapore and will move to Monza in Italy in 2006. 

Dutch gamers swept the board at the World Cyber Games last year in San Francisco, claiming three gold medals and one bronze in the competition's eight events. South Korea finished second, followed by the US.