The National Voices section features commentaries and reports on PGR 4 action throughout the world. The contributors have been chosen from the most active members of the PGR community and will provide a unique voice for current and upcoming events.

In the world of video games not much can be taken too seriously—or can it?  I’m a die-hard car nut, so I instantly purchased any racing game.  I started, like most fans of the series,  when I first played Metropolis Street Racer, which evolved into Project Gotham Racing.  I would have to say that the PGR series captures me more than any other series created to date.  It blends the simulation aspects of individual cars with the speed and ease of use of an arcade racer. 

I am not only an avid fan of the PGR world, I also play the series competitively.  I initially played PGR 3 for fun, but my competitive nature made me seek out race-against-the-clock leader boards and online tournaments.  I then helped found a racing team, Rank One Racing, comprised of people like me from around the globe.  I got to know all of the top players from the U.S. and found myself surrounded by the world’s best players.  We would share information and help each other out if we saw room for improvement.  Over time, I started to get better and soon saw myself starting to be in the top tier of online competitors.  Later, I started qualifying for and attending LAN events for tournament series such as WSVG, WCG, and CGS.  Over the span of a year I won over $10,000 competing in PGR 3 events around the United States.

Then a life-altering event came to pass.  In the summer of 2007 I was drafted into Carolina Core,  a professional video game team, and got a $30,000 contract to compete solely in PGR 3.  My pro team is soon to attend the world finals for a chance to win $100,000, so call me a dork all you want—at least I get paid to play!  I have gone on to help set up and comment on tournaments, compete on live television as well as help out behind the scenes, and been a feature in more articles than I can remember.  I never would have dreamed of getting recognized and earning a salary by playing a video game. It still trips me out to sit back and think about it. 

It is also very interesting to meet the people you play against online.  Most tend to look the way they sound, but there are a few players that, if I had seen them walking down the street, I would have never guessed they played games at all.  The PGR community helps meld everyone together, from new players up to the top-ranked players in the world.  All of the opinions and arguments, all of the different personalities, and all the kindness shown to anyone asking for help show how strong the PGR community really is. I have visited cities while attending competitions that I would never had a chance to see without playing PGR.  I also have built friendships with people I compete against and have gotten to know some great people who play other gaming genres, too.  I have Bizarre Creations and PGR to thank for changing my life.  Who says games affect people in a bad way?  Despite all the hours I spent playing PGR games, I look forward to spending even more time with the latest installment of the series.  Even if I wasn’t getting paid, I would gladly rack up the virtual miles in this game.  See you on the track!

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