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E-SPORTS Medford grad competes for millions in video-game tournament Comment By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 5, 2015 at 2:00 PM Updated Aug 6, 2015 at 4:04 AM By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 5, 2015 at 2:00 PM Updated Aug 6, 2015 at 4:04 AM » Social News This week, thousands of spectators are filling Key Arena in Seattle to watch teams of five players clash in a sold-out competition. But this isn't an NBA game. It's a competition for players of a computer game called Dota 2, and it's the biggest contest in the history of e-sports (that's electronic sports, which refers to all competitive gaming). Some $18 million is on the line, and 16 teams from around the world are vying for it. Among the competitors is Clinton Loomis, a 2006 graduate of North Medford High School. Loomis is a seasoned player of Dota, a game of strategy and timing in which two teams compete to destroy the other's "ancient," a structure in the center of each team's base. Each player selects a "hero" from a pool of more than 100 characters, all with unique abilities. Between the players and the enemy ancient lie defensive structures called towers, computer-controlled enemies called "creeps," and, of course, the enemy team. Dota fans around the world are following the event through online streams, staging viewings at sports bars, movie theaters and homes. This year, for the first time, the grand finals of the tournament, which begin Saturday at 2 p.m., will be broadcast at Tinseltown in Medford. The finals are billed as a six-hour event and tickets cost $20. At 27 years old, Loomis is one of the oldest players in a scene dominated by teen prodigies and game veterans in their early 20s. In the Dota community, he is nicknamed "The Old Man." He is known for his stoic demeanor in front of the keyboard. But his official Dota handle, "Fear," is far more descriptive of Loomis' presence on the battlefield. One of the most experienced players in Dota, he has been regarded among the top players in the world throughout his decade-long career. Beginning with Dota 2's precursor, a player-created mod for the 2002 game Warcraft 3, Loomis quickly built a reputation for himself at a time when it was virtually impossible to make a living in e-sports, at least if you didn't live in South Korea. Now, the e-sports world is changing rapidly with the increasingly generous prize pools tournaments have offered in the past few years, especially in the Dota 2 scene. 2015 has been a banner year for Loomis and his team, Evil Geniuses. In February, EG emerged victorious in Shanghai at the Dota 2 Asia Championships, winning $1.2 million. After winning $20,000 for himself in a tournament in late 2014, Loomis returned to Medford briefly and bought a new car. " Bought myself a Benz for Christmas," he tweeted, alongside a picture of him posing with his new wheels in front of his Medford home. According to the website esportsearnings.com, which tracks tournament payouts, Loomis has earned $409,000 over his career, with about $314,000 in 2015 and $78,000 in 2014. The actual payout is lower, because team organizations take a cut of winnings, but it doesn't count other sources of income, such as sponsorships. Despite an already sizable payday, Loomis and his team are aiming for "The Big One" at The International. The first-place team will take home $6.5 million. On Wednesday, Evil Geniuses secured a top-three finish by downing EHOME, one among several Chinese teams that have dominated the tournament. That guarantees EG almost $2.2 million, but difficult matchups still stand in the way of the grand prize. Anyone can tune in to watch the games Thursday, Friday and Saturday at twitch.tv/dota2ti . Reach Mail Tribune digital copy editor Forrest Roth at [email protected]. By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 5, 2015 at 2:00 PM Updated Aug 6, 2015 at 4:04 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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