Beyond the Game

Beyond the Game
Directed by	Jos de Putter
Produced by	Wink de Putter
Starring	Li Xiaofeng Fredrik Johansson Manuel Schenkhuizen Jang Jae Ho Yoan Merlo
Edited by	Sander Vos
Music by	Paul van Brugge
Release dates	November, 2008
Running time	78 minutes
Country	The Netherlands
Languages	Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Standard Mandarin & Korean

Beyond the Game is a 2008 documentary film about the world of professional video gaming, most notably as related to the game Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne featuring world champion players Chinese Xiaofeng Li, Dutch Manuel Schenkhuizen & Swede Fredrik Johansson prominently. It is directed by award winning Dutch documentary filmmaker Jos de Putter. Filming took place in China, France, The Netherlands, USA & Sweden and langauges spoken in the documentary include Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Standard Mandarin & Korean.

Beyond the Game is the motto of the World Cyber Games, considered the olympics of gaming, which is central to the documentary as the main characters compete to defend or regain the event's championship title at the global finals of the 2007 World Cyber Games in Seattle, Washington.

It is scheduled to premier at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

Historical Background

In 2002 the videogame Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is released which sells millions of copies and quickly becomes a leading title in the world of competitive gaming (in 2003 an expansion on the game, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, is released). At this time a 17-year old Swede by the name of Fredrik Johansson devotes himself to this new sport and rises to become the runner-up of the 2003 Electronic Sports World Cup and becomes widely regarded as the strongest non-Asian player. He is subsequently invited to become a fulltime professional gamer in Seoul, South Korea Where competitive gaming is a advanced subculture and many players make a living playing games. During his eleven month stay there he wins the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational and is recognized as the world's most successful gamer. After his return to Sweden he becomes runner-up of the Electronic Sports World Cup again in 2004, but subsquently loses his motivation for the sport and qualifies for one more event in the 2004 World Cyber Games before retiring a few months later. There is he defeated prematurely and a new European star takes over from him as 18-year old Manuel Schenkhuizen wins the event.

Dutchman Schenkhuizen was staying in Seoul at the time and a few months after the event he returns home and remains a dominating player. During this period his in-game race of choice, Orc, is considered disadvantaged in competition but he nevertheless is successful, winning the 2005 Electronic Sports World Cup. He gains the nickname 'Orc Emperor' in televised competition, similar to the nickname 'Terran Emperor' for two-fold StarCraft world champion Lim Yo-Hwan. He is considered a favorite to defend his World Cyber Games title at the 2005 global finals in Suntec City, Singapore and cement his name as the best player ever; but is defeated at the event by 20-year old Chinese Xiaofeng Li, considered a Dark horse participant.

Throughout the next year both players are frequent participants in the same international competitions, for example Schenkhuizen takes 2nd place at the World eSport Games Masters while Li takes 3rd and Li takes 3rd place at the Electronic Sports World Cup while Schenkhuizen takes 5th. Schenkhuizen is successful enough to be honored as the Player of the Year in all of competitive gaming like Johansson two years before him. The award most important to both players however is that of World Cyber Games champion as the two qualify for the 2006 global finals in Monza, Italy and meet in the quarter-finals. Winning a second title would mean inclusion in the World Cyber Games Hall of Fame for either of them. This clash is observed by documentary filmmaker Jos de Putter who senses the deep emotions involved in the encounter, not only by the players but also by the spectators.

Afterwards the filmmaker decides to follow both players on their way to their next World Cyber Games encounter, where one player will try to defend and the other to regain the World Cyber Games title, and portray this new world. To provide insight in the background of the gaming scene and the mind of competitors he also contacts Fredrik Johansson who is developing a new life in Sweden and is now regarded as a legend in the world of competitive gaming.