Game Boy

Rock music blares. Spotlights slice through the air. Young men in black T-shirts chatter excitedly. It's Sept. 3, Sheffield, Britain. The Cyberathlete Professional League tournament has taken over a sprawling former steel mill in this city north of London. One competitor stands out: Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel. He clamps a headset into his ears, using the techno music to isolate himself from the crowd. The tall, blond 24-year-old is America's most successful gamer, and here he's all business. He's determined to take down archrival Sander "Vo0" Kaasjager, a 20-year-old Dutchman who has dominated the CPL all year. Wendel trounced Kaasjager in the previous tournament, in Dallas, in July, and he means to do it again.

Before he gets to Kaasjager, though, Wendel will face off against Alexander "Ztrider" Ingarv. The 18-year-old Swede finished third in Dallas and is always a threat. Wendel takes his position at a PC on one of a string of tables lined up along a wall -- with Ingarv sitting a few chairs away. On their screens: the interior of a gloomy castle where their two characters will pursue each other at dizzying speeds through a labyrinth of rooms and blast away when they make contact. The game is

, and in this tournament version, the characters are "brightskins" -- red silhouettes of men that stand out as targets. The player who kills his opponent the most times in 15 minutes is the winner. It's a best-of-three match.

Ingarv gets off to a fast start. He fires away and gets a couple of quick kills. A few minutes into the match, Wendel starts clawing back. He has a knack for counting the seconds until a weapon, ammo, or armor will materialize at a particular spot in the maze and being there to claim it. Cheers and jeers erupt as Wendel takes the lead. When time runs out, he wins in a squeaker, 16 to 15. The second game is no contest: After five minutes, Ingarv is shaking his head dejectedly. As the thrashing grows more one-sided, a small crowd that had gathered around Wendel grows quiet. The final game's score: 31 to 7.

What's all the hubbub about? Unbeknownst to almost everyone over 30, professional game playing is becoming a very big deal. There are worldwide tours with stops from Rio de Janeiro to Istanbul. Celebrity players are hounded for autographs and compete for high-stakes prizes. At the CPL World Tour Grand Finals in New York in November, players will compete for a total of $500,000 in cash.