SK Gaming splits into separate PvE and PvP guilds
by Allison Robert 
Oct 2nd 2008 at 9:00AM
We received news yesterday that SK Gaming, the multinational raiding and arena juggernaut, has decided to split into separate PvE and PvP branches. Well, perhaps that's a little misleading. SK Gaming had partnered with the famed Curse of EU-Veknilash (the same people behind Curse Gaming and World of Raids), and their combined efforts resulted in three world-firsts in Sunwell under the SK Gaming tag (Felmyst, M'uru, and Kil'Jaeden). That success aside, they reached the decision that the pursuit of competitive raiding and e-sport supremacy under the auspice of the same guild just wasn't working, and that the game demanded an entirely different vision and means of guild organization for each goal.According to Mekon, the guild master of the former PvE branch (which remains on EU-Veknilash but is now renamed "Put Your Name Here" -- you can't accuse them of not having a sense of humor), it was the PvE players' decision to leave, "absolutely nothing changes within the guild," and they will continue to pursue world firsts in Wrath. We interviewed Neg, one of their resto Shamans, not long after they got their world-first Kil'Jaeden kill. This was less than a month after the major U.S. raiding guild Death and Taxes had gone the way of the dinosaur, and Neg had some insightful observations concerning what was happening to raiding guilds with Wrath of the Lich King on the not-too-distant horizon.
At the time I privately hoped that other major raid guilds wouldn't suffer D&T's fate, and...well, this isn't really it, I suppose. Both sides of SK Gaming will continue to operate, just independently of each other (from both an organizational and financial perspective). If nothing else I find it a fairly thought-provoking commentary on the degree of Blizzard's success attempting to legitimize arena as a true e-sport, and how the game's top players see the PvP side of the game increasingly disconnected from its PvE counterpart.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, News items, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, PvP, Raiding, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Dotixi Oct 2nd 2008 9:09AM
Why is this news?
SarahTheGnome Oct 2nd 2008 9:22AM
I was wondering the same thing...
Neil Oct 2nd 2008 9:31AM
To many people, the happenings of the top guilds in the world are news. This might not be important to you, and that's OK, but many - myself included - are interested to hear about it.
Nick S Oct 2nd 2008 9:35AM
Because it's fascinating to hear about how the best guilds on the planet do their business.
superfrank Oct 2nd 2008 9:36AM
yoo suk?
Dotixi Oct 2nd 2008 9:41AM
@ Nick S
No, no it's not.
TotalBiscuit Oct 2nd 2008 9:56AM
What a come-back there from Dotixi, the opposition literally reeling under the sheer crushing weight of his mountain of evidence.
Want some objective evidence and facts, here's some for you.
Every time we've done an interview with any of the uber-guilds, we've pulled in over 200,000 listeners. 200,000 listeners, to a 1-2 hour audio presentation, that's pretty significant. Yes, people do actually care about these people because in a community of 11 million players, it requires excellence to distinguish yourself. Nobody cares about what the average joe is doing, but the top guilds, the top players? Yeah, there are those who do care, that recognize excellence. These are the guys pushing the envelope, forcing Blizzard to be more creative with their future encounter designs and indeed, bug-testing and getting things fixed so that by the time you get there, you don't have to suffer the same BS they did.
Saying 'nobody cares' is not only factually wrong, but smacks of jealousy. Your natural comeback, as always, of course will be 'I NOT JEALOUS OF THOSE FAT NERDS LOLOLOL', but it seems to me there's a lot of people who get very upset because attention is directed at somebody else and decide the best course of action is to lash out, often hypocritically, at their fellow players. I for one, would hate to see a community where the people who excelled didn't get any attention, the game is already dumbed down enough as it is.
Dotixi Oct 2nd 2008 10:11AM
@ TB
For some reason, you took my asking why this article, about some guild splitting into two for PVE and PVP, was news and turned it into my saying nobody cares about these guys. I think you have read way too far into my sentence.
As for my response to Nick S, he said it was "fascinating to hear about how the best guilds on the planet do their business". Hence my reply. I do not find it "fascinating" that this guild split into two for PVE and PVP, especially since a lot of people have 1 character for PVE and 1 for PVP already (or more).
Grats to those who eat this info up but I am not one of them. Don't get me wrong, I read the articles about World Firsts because those are "fascinating"...this, my friend, IMO is not.
Again, I, in no way, put anyone down but, you, for reason, choose to read it that way.
Have a nice day TB.
zakhan Oct 2nd 2008 10:13AM
I've read a few articles and interviews about/with some of the top players and their guilds with great interest in the past and I largely agree with what you say TotalBiscuit. There likely is quite a lot of us who share an interest in the leaders of our community.
But when that is said I have to admit that I didn't know SK-gaming was the home of a guild despite frequently looking up what kind of enchants/gems/tradeskills/talents/team class combination/whatnot the top arena players are ringing in their arena tool.
So the interest only goes so far and I don't think it's fair to write off everyone who doesn't care as mere jealousy.
zakhan Oct 7th 2008 7:17PM
I probably should've said "the leading players within our community" instead of "the leaders of our community" since that was what I ment.
Good thing I proofread that in time, yeah, sorry. :(
Painhealer Oct 2nd 2008 10:34AM
Once again, this is NOT a news site, it's a blog, ie. commentary and personal insights on issues related to WOW.
Naix Oct 2nd 2008 11:25AM
Yeah why is this news?
In other news a guild broke up over ninja looting a bear.
No one cares what other guilds do.
Dotixi Oct 2nd 2008 11:37AM
@ Naix
Maybe I should have used your wording...it would probably have caused less overreaction.
Have a good day.
Nick S Oct 2nd 2008 12:39PM
Those of us who are working to create better guilds and who aspire to top-flight achievement in the game look to guilds like SK-Gaming as models of success.
If you're not interested, that's fine, but it's a bit preposterous to claim that a significant change in one of the most-accomplished guilds in the game is "not news." It smacks of trolling, in the worst sense of the word.
Even sites like MMO-Champion, often held up as a better "news" site than this blog, regularly post news about the achievements of top-end guilds like SK-Gaming.
Wasuremono Oct 2nd 2008 9:11AM
How revealing.
Axolotl Oct 2nd 2008 9:20AM
/care
Narion Oct 2nd 2008 9:31AM
because theres very little to report at present
Barnister Oct 2nd 2008 9:37AM
No offense, I'm playing 3 years now, and not really following the international "celebrities" in WoW.
I know of Nihiwhatevertheyarecalled, but who the hell is SK?
Genoce Oct 2nd 2008 9:45AM
"No offense, I'm playing 3 years now, and not really following the international "celebrities" in WoW."
That alone should tell you that you're reading the wrong blog. Not the wrong site, just the wrong blog.
And SK gaming was the guild who got world 1st Kil'jaeden kill. Google it.
Barnister Oct 2nd 2008 9:51AM
Why am I reading the wrong blog? I enjoy the "Guildwatch" column.
Sure I don't read everything everytime, I don't have the time for it. But when I do, I pretty much read a select few :P.