Electronic Sports World Cup goes to Disneyland® Paris in June 2010

ESWC, which was launched in 2003, has established itself as the leading event in the world of video games. The only event of its kind, ESWC is an annual electronic-sports celebration that gathers the best teams in the world in order to compete on video games specially designed and adapted to player confrontation. The next event will take place at Disneyland® Paris in the summer of this year.

The 2010 programme will include five tournaments for console games and five tournaments for PC games: Counter Strike; Counter Strike Women; Warcraft 3: Frozen Throne; Trackmania ESWC; Quake; Defense of the Ancient; Need for Speed Shift; Street Fighter 4; FIFA 2010; and Guitar Hero. Players are competing for the title of World Champion in their discipline, as well as for prize money of US$213,500.

Established in over 50 countries, the ESWC competition is not open to all: players wishing to take part must attend one or more national events during the season in order to ultimately qualify for their national heats, which are held by local organisations. Participants who make the finals will qualify for the ESWC. Qualifying heats began in January 2010 and end in April, with national finals taking place in May 2010.

The qualification system often depends on the number of contestants and on how much interest electronic sports generate in a particular country, as well as on the quality of the national organisations involved. Some countries, such as Denmark, have high-level players but do not have major local tournaments, and, as a result, have not previously been able to qualify for ESWC, while other countries, including the United Kingdom, boast a very active national community and wide-scale events, but have yet to succeed in placing a single player in the finals.

About ESWC

In 2010, the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) will take place from 30 June to 4 July at Disney’s Newport Bay Club® Convention Centre at Disneyland® Paris (France). The event will be broadcast to over 50 countries, as well as live on the internet.

For further information, please go to: www.ESWC.com

About Disneyland® Paris
Disneyland® Paris, one of Europe’s leading tourist destinations, features two theme parks, seven themed hotels and a wide range of entertainment. Disneyland® Park offers visitors a chance to experience Disney magic in three dimensions, and Walt Disney Studios® Park provides an interactive exploration of backstage areas, as found in the production of movies, television programmes and cartoons. Disney® Village offers shopping and entertainment, while Golf Disneyland® features a 27-hole course.

Thanks to this wide range of attractions, and with 8,200 hotel rooms and a 23,500m2 surface area devoted to conventions, seminars, exhibitions, product launches and gala dinners, Disneyland® Paris is also a leading site in Europe for integrated business travel.

For further information, please go to: www.disneylandparis-business.com