Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel is awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award in the four-year history of the eSports Award. Wendel claims the honor for showing exceptional sportsmanship, taking part in shaping eSports into what it is today and for being the prime representative of this young sport.
Fatal1ty can look back on a long gaming career. He won his first tournaments in 1996 and went on to win twelve international championships in 5 different games. He is most famous for his Quake 3 career and his success at the CPL World Tour Finals 2005 in Painkiller, winning $250,000 in prize money. But he was also successful in Alien vs. Predator 2, UT2k3 and Doom 3.

Johnathan stands out in the gaming scene for being the most visible player in the western world. He has been featured in countless articles and TV shows and even made the Time Magazine cover. He has become the figurehead for eSports worldwide.

Fatal1ty has not only been successful as a player, but also proved that eSports works as a business model by establishing his nickname as a brand name. All kinds of hardware from mouses to sound cards carry his name. With his company he also supports other gamers and thus founded the Free Players Organization that features some of the best players in the world.

In all his years, he became known not only as an exceptional player but also as a fair and open hearted participant in the scene. Never shy to answer an interview, Fatal1ty also shaped an eSports lifestyle consisting of fair play, dedicated practicing and a balance between computer and outdoor sports.

In recent months Johnathan Wendel made headlines by moving from being an active player to becoming a commentator on the US tournament Championship Gaming Series (CGS). There on cable and satellite TV Fatal1ty continues to form the public opinion on gaming in a positive way and remains loyal to eSports.

The time is right, and there can hardly be any more deserving player in the world worthy of the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award in eSports.

The Award will be handed out together with the regular eSports Award categories in a grand ceremony at 8pm CET on August 25th at Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany. GIGA 2 will broadcast live, a web stream will be available through www.esports-award.org.