News
StarCraft Cheating Scandal Rocks Korea
By Mike Sharkey | Apr 13, 2010
Pro gamers in South Korean StarCraft leagues accused of rigging matches.
Texas Hold 'Em is to America what StarCraft is to South Korea. There are South Korean leagues and cable television programs dedicated to Blizzard's 1998 RTS game, and StarCraft's best Korean players are celebrities on par with poker stars Phil Hellmuth or Phil Ivey. That's why today's news of rigged StarCraft tournaments in South Korea is being labeled the biggest scandal in electronic sports history.
GamePron tracked down the story that's rocking South Korea. According to reports, some of StarCraft's pros have been accused of throwing matches in conjunction with illegal gambling rings.
A number of current and former players, coaches, journalists, and event organizers are now under investigation, though South Korean law prohibits their names from being released. However, the rumor mill links some of the e-sport's biggest stars to the scandal, and a number of StarCraft pros have reportedly been blacklisted from participating in tournaments.
The problem is so widespread in StarCraft leagues, South Korean news agencies are comparing it to the Black Sox Scandal that rocked Major League Baseball in 1919.
Sharkey says: At least they'll have things cleaned up in time for the release of StarCraft II, which will most likely make the game and its leagues even more popular in Korea -- however impossible that may seem. And it will be interesting to see if any former Korean winners are barred from participating in this year's BlizzCon.