Wanted: gamer. High scorer nice, but not necessary. Must be team player — and Canadian.
“There would be a silhouette with a question mark in the middle, maybe with a line saying, ‘Do you have these attributes; communication skills and hand-eye coordination,’” said Nelson Triana.
A professional gamer, Triana and his two teammates are in town as part of a Canada-wide search to find another player to join their North of 49 gaming team.
“We are looking for a fourth, so we can make a team and go around the world and compete,” said Triana, who is one of Canada’s top gamers. “They are going to be travelling with us a lot, so we want to make sure they are compatible.”
“We are also looking for someone who can communicate, and looking at how they play in and away from the game,” added Bo Kovacevic, who rounds out the team with Leo Vitelli.
To find the perfect addition to their video-world, the team’s sponsor, Amp Energy, has set up a gaming tent near the Halifax Common skate park featuring 80 gaming stations.
The tent will be up until Sunday, and people can go in to play games. Those who pre-register before Friday can also compete for an opportunity to be on North of 49.
“We found three of the best gamers we could,” said Amp Energy’s Kevin Durkee. “They were keen on going pro and fulfilling their dream.”
The tour will cross Canada this summer on its search, including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton.
“I like to think that most everybody games on every level — whether on your cell phone or computer with solitaire or Mine Sweeper. Here, we are taking it to the next level,” said Triana.
While gaming is becoming more mainstream in North America, it is already hugely popular in other parts of the world, where it is broadcast on TV and draws large crowds.
“It’s just like poker. It is something new which caught on and now a lot of people are playing — that is what we are doing.”
