Today on Microsoft Corp.'s campus, 16 champion gaming athletes from around the globe gathered for the "Age of Empires� II: The Conquerors Expansion" International Tournament, one of the world's most popular online-based tournaments. The finalists celebrated a passion for strategic gameplay while contending for prizes totaling almost $100,000. Byung Geon Kang from South Korea outplayed opponents from around the globe to stake his claim as the best "Age of Empires II" player in the world. "'Age of Empires' II is recognized as one of the leading multiplayer games in the world," said Stuart Moulder, general manager, PC Games, Microsoft. "This tournament allows players from different cultures to come together with a sense of community that transcends geographical borders and highlights the worldwide popularity of real-time strategy games. We were very pleased to watch so many incredible players competing for the $50,000 grand prize." Qualifying sessions were conducted worldwide for three months, with half the participating countries - including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany - holding preliminary rounds on Microsoft's Zone.com online gaming service.