Believe it: professional gaming

In an industry first, Viacom-owned movie theater chain National Amusement will host a live video game tournament in an L.A. theater, reports CNET.

Organized by the Championship Gaming Series (CGS), the event is the first draft to qualify gamers to pro-gaming teams. In Asia, pro-gaming events bring in thousands of spectators, a trend National Amusement hopes to duplicate in the States.

U.S. theaters are turning to the $30 billion gaming market after ticket sales suffered low figures in comparison to other forms of entertainment, including video games. Ultimately, the chain hopes to launch gaming arenas called CyGamZ.

The CGS was founded by Pepsi's Mountain Dew, Microsoft's XBox 360, and IGN Entertainment. The event is sponsored by a host of Rupert Murdoch-affiliated companies: DirecTV, BSkyB and STAR, for example.