Star players heading en masse to StarCraft II

By Kim Tae-gyu

Three legendary players of StarCraft, the popular real-time strategic game, will switch to its newly-released sequel based on three-dimensional (3D) graphics so as to regain their former glory.

Lim Yo-hwan, better known by his pseudonym BoxeR, said on his online fan site over the weekend that he would pick up StarCraft II, which came to town this summer after years of preparation.

As one of the top-earners ever, Lim played a pivotal role in boosting StarCraft in Korea. With a fan club of more than 1 million members, the 30-year-old substantially expanded its fan base over the past decade.

``My team tendered a generous offer to me for playing StarCraft I. But I do not intend to rest on my past laurels. I am ready to face new challenges in order to keep my words of remaining as an active professional player in my 30s,’’ he said.

Lim joins two other all-time greats with multiple titles in the tough Korean tournament ― Park Sung-joon, aka JulyZerg, and Lee Yun-yeol, dubbed NaDa, who is already working on StarCraft II.

Park, 23, who takes on the Zerg race that are basically composed of alien monsters like those in the science-fiction movie Starship Troopers, was touted as the ``God of War’’ thanks to his unrivaled capacity in combat.

Lee, 26, who opts for the human race of Terran, dominated the game in the mid and late 2000s with innovative tactics and out-of-the-box ideas to earn a moniker of ``Genius Terran.’’

Lee is still an idol for many fans and players worldwide, as is Lim, who also plays Terran.

The three are poised to participate in the second StarCraft II tournament of the year that kicks off this month supported by its creator Blizzard Entertainment and domestic contractor GomTV.

Yet, there is pessimism that the above-mentioned over-the-hill players will fail to underpin StarCraft II because they are not top contenders today. In fact, they have hardly had a chance to compete of late in the StarCraft I league.

``They are living legends. But that does not mean that they are the best of the breed at the moment. Their movement to StarCraft II will make headlines but will not draw the attention of fans for a long time,’’ a Seoul analyst said.

``Plus, the royal followers of the original StarCraft seemingly do not easily defect to its sequel, which has often generated complaints that its 3D graphics distract viewers accustomed to two-dimensional ones.’’

Since its debut in the late 1990s, StarCraft has chalked a big success in Korea, the hotbed of the e-sports in the world.

StarCraft I leagues continue throughout the year in Asia’s fourth-largest economy televised by local TV around the clock with a dozen professional teams competing, sponsored by big corporations from various businesses.

U.S.-based Blizzard has shelled out the big bucks to buoy StarCraft II but its market blitz has yet to rack up frenzy.

스타크래프트 전설들의 대이동

스타크래프트 전설적인 선수들이 스타크래프트2로 종목을 전향하고 있다.

``황제’’ 임요환은 주말 동안 자신의 커뮤니티 카페에 스타크래프트2로 종목을 전환해서 이번 주 열리는 GSL 시즌2에 출전한다고 밝혔다.

임요환 선수는 ``8월 31일 전 소속 구단인 SKT와 계약이 종료됐을 때 구단의 배려로 안정적인 조건을 제시받았지만 그에 따른 안위한 생활로는 만족할 수 없다”며 이동의 동기를 설명했다.

그는 ``여러분과 약속했던 30대 프로게이머의 길을 계속 가기 위해 이제 새로운 도전을 시작한다”고 밝히기도 했다.

임요환 선수는 이미 스타크래프트2로 눈을 돌린 ``천재 테란’’ 이윤열 선수와 ``투신’’ 박성준 선수와 함께 새로운 게임에서 과거의 영예를 되살리려는 전설들의 리스트에 합류했다.