Andy "fro" Popkin is back with his fourth issue of the Gamer's Fame. This new concept is built around true stories from professional gamers that have been recognized in the 'real world.' Check inside for stories from your favorite professional gamers. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the LA compLexity or its parent companies.

Gamer's Fame: Issue #3

by: Andy "fro" Popkin

Welcome to The Gamers Fame, where each issue we go behind the scenes to see how the average joe gamer has turned into a super-star. The true stories are direct from the stars themselves. Be sure to check out each article as we ask gaming super-stars from around the world about their real world fame experiences.

This week's article features a very special person, the General Manager for the Berlin Allianz and retired professional gamer, Jonas "bsl" Alsaker Vikan.

I retired from professional gaming after ISC Dallas in the summer of 2006. Shortly following what was a dismal tournament I left for eastern Europe on a back-packing trip with five of my best friends. We would ride trains from Istanbul in Turkey to end up in Budapest, Hungary, three weeks later.

During the second week we had to change trains in some obscure Bulgarian village. I can not remember the name for the life of me but it was small enough not to be on the map. As I tried to dash from one train to another with my enormous backpack a sixty year old man came up to me and my friend as he disembarked his own train.

I was sure he was going to ask me for directions or what time it was or something along those lines. He started our conversation with something inaudible and to be polite I answered that the time was 12:43 PM. He persisted with the inaudible, badly pronounced single English word. As I was really trying to understand him my friend looks at me and asks "Dude, is he really saying "bsl"?"

I was about to shake my head at my friend but the old guy's face lit up in relief as he repeated "bsl." His pronunciation got better and there was no doubt, at a Bulgarian train station in the middle of nowhere I was recognized by a guy old enough to be my grandfather.

The guy's son came to and he explained in English that they were French and that their nephew played Counter-Strike and was a fan of me and my teams and that they had seen my face in movies he showed them to explain his passion for gaming. I was completely speechless and did not lmow what to say before I stuttered "thank you" and signed an autograph for them to give to their relative once they got home.

Then I boarded the next train as all of my friends finally were completely excited with the idea of professional gaming.

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