Today, the folks over at Machinima launched the third season of Chasing the Cup, an online series dedicated to competitive gaming. This time around, however, they’ve shifted their focus from League of Legends to Mortal Kombat X, more specifically the recently concluded ESL Pro League.
Mortal Kombat X: Machinima’s Chasing the Cup follows Razer’s Carl “Perfect Legend” White; Critical Reaction’s Dominique “Sonic Fox” McLean, Timothy “HoneyBee” Commandeur, and Matthew “Biohazard” Commandeur; and Brant “Pig of the Hut” McCaskill as they prepare for the ESL Pro League finals in Burbank, California.
Apart from moving to a fighting game, Machinima has also shaken things up by partnering with television network The CW to bring the series to an even greater number of viewers. The first five episodes (three of which are available as of today) will air on the channel’s online CW Seed platform over the next few weeks, and the finale is set to premiere on national television on February 15. This is the first time the series will move beyond YouTube and Twitch.
The CW, which is owned by Mortal Kombat X publisher Warner Bros., has found success with various DC Comics adaptations, and looks to court the same demographic with competitive gaming. “We’re testing to see if this could be ‘sports for CW,’” said Rick Haskins, the network’s executive vice president of marketing and digital programs.
At the end of the day, this is a huge opportunity for the fighting game community, a great first step in exposing outsiders to the passion and hype our events can generate.