Chengdu, China, to host 2009 World Cyber Games grand finale

The 2009 World Cyber Games grand final will be held in Chengdu, China. The 2008 final is being held in Cologne, Germany.

(Credit: World Cyber Games)

The World Cyber Games, probably the largest global video game tournament, announced Tuesday that it will hold the grand finale of its 2009 event in Chengdu, China.

The 2007 tournament was held in Seattle, while the 2008 final will be held in Cologne, Germany, this November. But that has been known for some time.

The news about the 2009 event is notable because it adds credibility to China as a home for serious video game playing and players. The news comes shortly after the Championship Gaming Series--a professional video game league--announced that it would be opening a training facility and the world's first video game arena in Wuhan, China.

What's not known is if there will be protests surrounding the World Cyber Games in Chengdu along the lines of what's been seen in Paris and San Francisco this week in relation to the passage of the Olympic torch.

And while the World Cyber Games made its announcement Tuesday, it also said it would be holding a "formal" announcement ceremony in Chengdu on April 23.

The exact dates of the 2009 event weren't revealed.

The World Cyber Games brings the top video game players from dozens of countries together for several days of matches. The players play several leading games, with champions being crowned in each title.