CommunityFortress

Chris Lemley: We've always been believers in TF2.  It's very much our type of game... the community is competitive and has an esport-friendly dynamic to it, but it's also something that just about anyone can pick up and play.  It's popular on all levels, and one of the only new FPS titles you really have to play on PC to get the best experience.  

The question wasn't so much 'if' we would come back, but 'when.'

Chris Lemley: I think there's alot more parity in the pro leagues today than there was when we sponsored our very first team nearly two years ago.  The drop off in skill isn't quite as steep from top teams to outside contenders and amateurs, and the talent is much more evenly spread around.  You've got your usual suspects -- 20id, Loaded, EG, etc. -- who are going to be hanging around the top of the standings from start to finish, but I don't think there's a clear cut winner like there might have been in the past. 

Then again, I wouldn't have sponsored these guys if I didn't believe they could win.

Chris Lemley: I'll leave that up to them.  They need to enjoy playing the game and not get burned out; we've made that mistake before.  As long as they're having fun I know that their competitive spirit will drive them to work hard enough to achieve what they want, even if that's just ESEA and nothing more.  We've got to let them make those decisions and those commitments on their own.

Chris Lemley: It hasn't been a major factor in the past.  Both times we've announced rosters in the past, we watched them make changes almost immediately.  These guys have played with each other plenty and they know what they're doing.  They'll be fine.  

Chris Lemley: I can't go into too much detail right now but you can already tell we're a little looser in our expectations and our needs from the team in a competitive light.  We know they can win, but that's not always the most important thing -- especially with the way eSports is floundering these days.  

Basically, we're working on a whole new set of features for our friends and fans in the coming months that aim to bring casual and competitive gamers together... we'll be doing alot to give back and hopefully can provide some assets that everyone who plays these games will enjoy.

Chris Lemley: I firmly believe the future of professional gaming in America relies first and foremost on what happens online.  LANs aren't getting it done without cultivating the online world first: costs of regular attendance are too high, barriers of entry too much... if eSports is to ever work, it has to appeal to every gamer who has a PC or Xbox and plays from home.  They have to get the same opportunities and interactions that anyone else gets; they need to be able to aspire to 'go pro,' they need the same attention on what matters to them, and there needs to be more focus on amateurs and everyday competition in general. 

Just imagine Major League Baseball without the minor leagues, college and high school circuits, and little leagues all working underneath it to promote interest and awareness.  It couldn't even exist.  It starts with people who play for the love of the game and works up; with gaming, it seems like we kind of jumped the gun and skipped a few steps.

Right now the only thing that makes a 'pro gamer' is essentially the money it takes to get to the big events, and we're never going to last that way. 

Chris Lemley: That's the big question, isn't it?  We're working every day on that answer, and that question sits at the center of our new campaign for Team Pandemic as a whole.  We all need to do our part though; it's not going to fall back on one team or one league.  

I do, but then again we can't duplicate the opportunity that the CGS had.  Imagine if they'd been able to execute on some of their ideas and put teams and event centers in those cities, hold year-round events, televise matches from across the U.S. ... *sigh*

We're actually looking at adding a brick-and-mortar location that would give us a base of operations, some self-made revenue, and that local presence you're talking about.  If it comes to fruition I think it might be the best thing we've ever done.

Chris Lemley: Definitely.  100%. 

Chris Lemley: I think that sooner or later FPS titles will almost exclusively be played on console.  PC will always have command of the RTS and MMO titles that demand versatility and mass-input from mouse and keyboard, but I'm afraid everything else - particularly action games - are eventually headed towards the thumbsticks.  This is something we'll just all have to ride out, but maybe the line between PC and console will blur so much down the line that we don't even care when it finally happens... 

Chris Lemley: I think they've made a great game that appeals to alot of people.  That should be all we need from them in that department.  The rest is up to us, the players.

Chris Lemley: Thanks so much for having me.  I hope you'll be covering us for a long time to come, and I look forward to working with CommunityFortress to make this game even better however we can. 

And...I normally wouldn't do this... but I'd love to hear from the community on the topics we've discussed and how you feel we can further improve our team and our relationship with the TF2 crowd.  You can find my contact information on my profile page at TeamPandemic.net.  I look forward to speaking with whoever has the time!