Competitive gaming has gotten really, really serious.
Major League Gaming, the largest competitive video game league in the world, flew in 32 of the best Starcraft players from all around the world to its headquarters in New York City.
They duked it out for $26,000 in prizes, along with pool placement and travel to the Winter Championships in Columbus, Ohio later this month, where a $76,000 prize pool will be up for grabs.
It was an exclusive, private event with no live audience, but the matches were streamed online (pay-per-view for $20).
MLG allowed us behind-the-scenes to see all the fun—and work—that goes into a gaming event like this.