IGN Entertainment Creates Dedicated Professional Gaming Group

Video game media company IGN Entertainment is expanding its professional gaming business by creating a dedicated eSports group, the company announced Friday. The new group will be managed by David Ting, who was internally promoted. Ting's role is described as an entrepreneurial position that will create new business that wi'll "help legitimize video gaming as a profession." "We want to make professional game play a joy to watch and a prestigious career. We believe this can be big," said Ting in a statement. "The time is ripe for eSports: the biggest game franchises are often more popular than other mass-market entertainment, and gamers are beginning to watch and learn from others." IGN announced its eSports initiative earlier this year with a live streaming Starcraft II tournament, described at the time as a "first step" toward a larger professional gaming initiative. A new tournament is set to debut July 14.