So this week, Psyche and I got to go to an event in New York to showcase Splinter Cell: Double Agent at an event where HP was to announce their fall line up as well as (we were told) something extra special in terms of gaming.  We knew very little about the event, except to look to be ready for a big surprise that would make us smile like giddy school kids--not hard to do when you’re hanging out with Psyche.

As we walked into the beautifully orated theater, we glanced around trying to decipher what the big surprise was. We were excited, but we still couldn’t see whatever would make such a fuss that they would hint about some gigantic secret that was to be shown. While there was some cool stuff, nothing seemed to be on the scale that they hinted at.

We murmured to each other, thinking we were missing something, or one of these beautiful toys was supposed to be the big thing and we just didn’t get it. We asked which one was our set up so we could get the game installed and working.  They started to lead us down the theater and at the last moment we realized we were headed to a back room; we were currently on the yellow-brick road and the Wizard of Oz was going to be behind that door.

HP didn’t tell us what to expect, but I noticed them closely scrutinizing our faces as they opened to door to reveal a gamer’s heaven of the most elite PC and Laptop brand for serious gamers--all beautifully glowing, decorated, and shiny. The name seemed to punch me in the stomach VOODOO, VOODOO, VOODOO.  I don’t get to see many of these babies; with their quality comes a hefty price tag and I have only been able to drool at them online.  Now I got to drool on a magnitude of colors, shapes, and sizes as they were all spread out to adorn the stylishly lit room.

At first I didn’t think anything of it. I was a kid in CandyLand and I simply ran to one pink laptop topped with a butterfly and started my OOHHs and AHHH’s, then ran to the PC in the back to look at its liquid cooling system, seeing the drool run down my chin the in reflection of the glass case.  After my initial excitement at being in a room full of gamer dream toys, I began to ask my questions and found out HP was acquiring Voodoo. My first question was, “Does this mean the price will go down”, and my second was “will it still stay Voodoo and the same guys run it?” Then, of course, a million other questions followed including “CAN I HAVE ONE?” But of course they informed me they had already chained down the pink one with the butterfly when they saw my drool the first time.

Anyway, so once they answered all my questions and assured me that Voodoo wasn’t going to change, they were just going to have access to HP Labs innovations, partners, and more resources from HP to do even bigger and better things… I finally got to sit back and test it all out. We installed Splinter Cell: Double Agent and played against the HP guys--who we (of course) destroyed and made cry like babies (Ok, maybe no tears but close!).

Later that night, I look up and there I think I am dreaming when something bright red catches me out of the corner of my eye and I see Shaun White, the Olympic gold medalist for snowboarding, walk through the door followed by cameras and people.  He is just strolling along and looks super relaxed and at home. When he gets over to our area, he really is as cool and hip as he seems from afar. He sits and chats with us for about 5 minutes about gaming and what he likes to play.  He is a great guy, and takes time with everyone around him, acknowledging everyone in the room--a great pick for HP to represent them.  I was even more excited to meet him since Ubisoft is making the Shaun White game and I’m already excited for it. Shaun is a real gamer and is really involved in the making of his game. He told me he had a blast when he visited the Montreal Ubisoft studio, and he still can’t believe he is going to have his own game with his name on it!

And Shaun wasn’t the only cool-cat we got to meet. Both the Voodoo brothers Ravi and Rahul (if you want to read Rahul’s heartwarming and thoughtful blog on the acquisition, it’s great to see the mentality by such a big move) made it through the room that night. I think it was Ravi who came over when I asked to know what exactly what was in each PC. He very nicely and charmingly explained with a smile, “you don’t need to tell them anything in it, as everything about Voodoo, and anything in it, is completely customizable and picked by the customer.” Duh, I think and mentally slap myself on the head, but then we begin to converse about professional gaming and other things for a few minutes before he is whisked away to take care of some other things.  I congratulated him and wished him the best of luck, and it was obvious both brothers were extremely proud and excited about this next step in their business.

Anyway, while HP has always been heavily involved with the gaming side of their computers and servers (more than I knew until I was talking to some of the guys and learning the things they do), it’s great to see them taking more steps to focus on gamers and try to bring us bigger and better things, including giving Voodoo the means to do even greater things with their PC’s and laptops.

Who knows what we will see next? All I know is that gaming continues to spiral higher and higher and everyone in the world seems to be taking notice--and that is a GREAT thing for gamers out there. No longer ignored or thought of as too small a market to cater to, and no longer on the outskirts of society. We are becoming the norm and the target market and this is just one of the many steps coming that proves it. Keep it coming guys!