File this under “didn’t see that coming,” but the folks who make the Major League Baseball 2K games, 2K Sports, just awarded a 24-year-old Alabama gamer $1,000,000 for throwing a perfect game in MLB 2K10.
That’s right mom and dad, playing video games does pay.
And how. Wade McGilberry pitched a perfect game in MLB 2K10 back in early March, then had to sit on his hands and wait for the contest to end May 1. To compete, gamers had to play in the game’s online ‘MLB Today’ mode, select from any of the available matchups, and then choose the option to participate in the ‘MLB 2K10 contest’ that automatically locked in the proper gameplay settings as defined by 2K’s official contest rules.
Entries had to be recorded with a camera or digital video recorder in compliance with guidelines provided by 2K in the official rules, and all eligible entrants had to submit a copy of their recording in its entirety for verification. Submissions were only accepted on DVD.
When May 1 rolled around, McGilberry was the hands-down winner, having thrown a perfect game on the competition’s first day.
“It was actually my wife who convinced me to go for it,” said McGilberry. “I never thought I’d actually win a million dollars playing a video game, it’s all still sinking in for me.”
“The game itself was fantastic — I’m glad I bought it either way - but I have to say, this is a nice return on my investment.”
“This competition was an amazing ride for us,” said 2K Sports vice president of marketing Jason Argent. “We honestly had no idea what to expect. But the incredible response from the fans and the buzz surrounding the competition was nothing that we could have ever predicted.
“Throwing a perfect game in Major League Baseball 2K10 is anything but easy. We congratulate Wade on his successful pursuit of perfection.”
2K says the contest “illustrated 2K Sports’ dedication to delivering vastly improved gameplay and pitching mechanics this season in Major League Baseball 2K10.”
That, and the fact that making video games pays–apparently well enough to generate millions in spare prize cash–too.
McGilberry’s winning thrower? Atlanta Braves pitcher Kenshin Kawakami, in a square off with the New York Mets.
Follow me on Twitter (@game_on)