It’s no wonder that Blizzard looked to South Korea as the land of opportunity for the sequel. With so many players and fans still playing the original, with dedicated television channels running constant promotion, with an entire sport evolving from a single game, what could possibly go wrong?
Only in Korea.
In what some are already calling the biggest e-sports scandal in history, the still-unfolding saga has seen pro gaming teams accused of intentionally losing matches and even leaking their own team’s replay files to illegal gambling syndicates. It is believed to have started in 2006 and peaked in 2008.
The scandal is so widespread that it apparently reaches pro gaming coaches and even Ma Jae-Yoon, one of the most famous StarCraft players. The country’s e-sports organizers apparently knew of the gambling, too, and tried to rectify the issue themselves by entertaining the idea of co-existing with the illegal betting sites.
Follow-up article here: Korea’s Starcraft scandal worsens
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