The highest-grossing industry in the world today is the gaming industry. The videogame industry grosses more than the movie and music industries combined.
If that’s not head-turning enough, the game GTA 5 (Grand Theft Auto 5) has earned the title of the single greatest grossing piece of entertainment ever conceived, earning a staggering US$800 million in one day. One game … One day – almost one billion dollars.
These facts point to a trend and an untapped niche long foreseen by a group of talented, visionary St. Lucian pioneers. They are known as the SauceKrew. The current executive comprises of the gifted and able Donnelly John, Valdez Franklin, Kaywan Lord, Kurtney Montoute, Alister Daniel, Charlette Chitolie, Royan Descartes and Kervin Charlemange.
SauceKon, a large-scale local gaming tournament was the brainchild of the SauceKrew. Founders Donnelly John and Kaywan Lord had no doubt that these competitive events would gather momentum and mushroom into the spectator sport that they have now become.
This year marks a new era in the development of the local gaming scene. Through the concerted marketing efforts of Valdez Franklin and his team, three international gaming icons visited the island for the first time to scope out the potential market for the sport. They attended a SauceKon gaming tournament held at the BayWalk conference room on February 1st 2014. Gaming gurus such as CAPCOM’s Combo Fiend, LI Joe and Big E were impressed by the turnout and the competitive spirit that the St. Lucian gamers displayed.
The conference room teemed with gamers of all ages, some curious, others supportive spectators, some of them hardened experts with twitching fingers ready for battle. Throughout the day a steady stream of gamers and spectators moved through the massive hall, soaking in the culture shock. Gaming is serious business. SauceKon Infiltration provided the gamers with an opportunity to meet and battle like-minded international and regional competitors. They were vying for a variety of titles, namely Fifa 14, NBA 2K14, Street Fighter 4, MVC3, Call of Duty Ghosts and Injustice. Players from Barbados participated in the tournament and they vowed to return for the next event.
The winners were rewarded with thousands of dollars in cash and prizes for their proficiencies. Aside from gaming, the crowd was entertained by a modelling show featuring Cosplay models, as well as a paintball shooting range and the dynamic deejaying skills of Scady dot P. The Saucekrew believes in the slogan “Play Hard, Party Harder” coined by Rolando Brison, an organiser of the popular VXG gaming tournament in St. Martin, so naturally they threw an epic two-part victory celebration for the gamers.
The gaming scene is developing exponentially. Regional and international gamers are willing to travel to St. Lucia, fill hotel rooms and shop in our stores just for the thrill of the competition. Gaming is leisure and part of the lifestyle of more than a billion people around the globe. Aside from Facebook, gaming accounts for the greatest volume of internet usage and upgrades. Connecting and facing off against players in Japan, Switzerland, Africa and Vieux Fort is a nightly routine for many. Gaming is here to stay, and in St. Lucia and the wider Caribbean the SauceKrew is ahead of the game.
