For those of you who have had experience with the Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament scene, “KEN” should be a familiar name to you. That’s right, the long-standing international champion of the game, Ken Hoang, is going to be on starring in Survivor: Gabon, which starts airing Sept. 25 on CBS.

His bio on the CBS webpage reveals some interesting facts about Hoang, including the boast that he climbed Mt. Fuji when he was only 20 years old (he’s 22 now). Supposedly his strategy on the show will bank on his opponents underestimating his lean stature, and he’ll also employ his ability with “mind games.” Protip: wavedashing won’t save you from stampeding elephants.

[Joystiq]

This Sunday the Cyberathlete Professional League announced they are developing a game specifically designed for professional gaming. The name of the game is Severity and even with that ugly logo this game promises enhanced tournament support, spectator modes and some sort of statistical module to calculate player’s performance (Unreal Tournament anyone?). The game is set for a late 2007 release.

Is this a good thing at all? When a game model is pushed by one of the big names in professional gaming, does it mean it will become standard? Standards are any formal sport’s foundation but innovation is what drives the gaming industry. Paradox!

[CPL]