After millions of frags – and still counting - Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel is the most refreshing talent emerging from the world of e-sports and the highly regarded voice of a new digital world. How did Fata1lty emerge from his reputation as the world’s best known video gamer to become an entrepreneur making lucrative deals with companies producing cutting edge technology? By doing what he loves…playing video games and using the knowledge he acquired in winning 12 world titles to provide features in products bearing the Fatal1ty brand that would enhance the gaming experience. His reputation has now transcended gaming and Fatal1ty is fast becoming recognized as a spokesman for a digital lifestyle and utilizing new technologies to enrich life.

With a burning desire to be the best, Fatal1ty began his competitive gaming career by entering local LAN tournaments and practicing tirelessly. The soon-to-be most famous PC gamer on the planet came home to Kansas City, MO after his first professional competition in Dallas, TX, slapped down a $4,000 check on his father’s table and stated that he could make it as a pro. That was 1999 and Fatal1ty became the first, full-time, professional gamer, beginning a career that made him a global traveler, competing on 6 continents. Fatal1ty soon racked up win after win and eventually was awarded the richest prize in competitive video game history at the 2005 CPL World Tour Championship in New York City, a big check signed to him in the amount of $150,000. With a massive amount of skill, Fatal1ty made his mark in the gaming world, earning his twelve world titles in five different games, an unprecedented achievement.

The rest is e-sports history; Fatal1ty’s dream to be the world’s most recognized video gamer came true.

People began paying attention to the rising star. In a 60 Minutes interview, the nation watched enthralled as Fatal1ty told his story to Steve Kroft about how he practiced for hours which led to his unyielding attempts to win major competitions. Fatal1ty’s talent and accomplishments were celebrated and he soon became known as the ambassador for e-sports. He also showed surprising talent in front of the camera and was signed to a contract as commentator for DirectTV’s Championship Gaming Series in 2006. The next year, Fatal1ty was presented with the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award in the history of e-sports.

Growing up middle class in Kansas City, Fatal1ty’s competitive nature was honed as an active sports participant from childhood, playing baseball in Little League and continuing through high school athletics in football and tennis…he was a state ranked tennis player in high school. A job at a local country club provided the opportunity to practice golfing skills to the point that he is an avid, scratch golfer today. His hand/eye coordination was also evident as a young pool player, who entered and won a number of tournaments against tough, mature competition.

Fatal1ty defies the stereotype of a nerdy kid sitting in a basement playing video games all day. He maintains a rigorous training schedule, taking well-deserved breaks from playing video games and running miles in the fresh air to keep physically fit. His sports background taught him the endurance and patience needed to achieve his lofty goals and insists that being in top condition provides the superior reflexes needed to stay on top

Johnathan effectively used his celebrity to develop the Fatal1ty brand and is the only gamer with his own line of products. With partners like Creative Labs, OCZ Technology, and XFX, the Fatal1ty Gaming Gear brand appears on superior gaming products available at retailers and e-tailers globally. Whether it is in a busy store in Hong Kong or an online store in the United States, gamers everywhere purchase Fatal1ty Gaming Gear to ensure that their computers are built with the fastest equipment needed to win.

His fascination with technology keeps Fatal1ty searching for new products to incorporate into his daily life and his media exposure allows him to introduce these products to consumers around the world. As the voice of a new digital world Fatal1ty wants everyone to enjoy the revolutionary technologies available today and to understand how these technologies enhance lives.

With prime speaking engagements, new Fatal1ty Tech Talks, and shoot-out exhibitions at events for his fans, Fatal1ty continues to be admired by gamers everywhere. Not bad, for a young man from Missouri trying to make a statement in the world. Fatal1ty is known as the best PC gamer in history. The digital world will never be the same…

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