Cartersville Gamer To Compete in SMITE World Championship

A Cartersville resident and avid gamer will take part in the SMITE World Championship next month.

John Salter and his team will compete for millions of dollars in the championship, slated for Jan. 9-11, 2015, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.

Salter, who goes by Barraccudda, and his team Cognitive Prime, will compete against seven other teams from around the world for the grand prize of more than $1.7 million.

Salter graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and health science and has been playing video games for 16 years. He is one of the best players in SMITE, known for taking advantage of his opponent’s mistakes and is always looking for opportunities come out ahead.

His team, Cognitive Prime, was founded in 2013 and led the North American competition, when they were undefeated for eight straight weeks. SMITE is the third most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, or MOBA, game in the world and was created by Alpharetta-based Hi-Rez Studios.

SMITE is a new take on the MOBA genre. Rather than observing from above the action, the game’s third person perspective puts players into the thick of combat.

Anyone who wishes to attend can purchase tickets online.

Photo credit: Hi-Rez Studios