First days at any event are always a life-drainer. Despite thinking I’d be heading out for an after party last night, my eyelids were heavy and brain mushy, so it ended up being an early evening with room service and a found-footage horror movie. I’m glad, though, because I was up early, feeling good, and ready to catch the second day’s Arena matches as soon as they began. With only a few remaining before heading into the final four, the two North American teams -- Evil Geniuses and Bring It -- continued to look strong, with Korea’s LG-IM and Europe’s Yaspresents and I’m Just Being Honest fighting for the remaining spots.

Shanghai taxis are better than a cup of coffee—or ten. My cab zips through downtown streets over painted lines that apparently mean nothing here, passing just inches from cars and pedestrians, and honking for both excellent and seemingly no-good reasons every few seconds. You just have to put your head down and hope for the best, and that act of blocking the world out and praying the next second won’t be your last is possibly what the World of Warcraft Arena and StarCraft II players will be feeling every moment they’re onstage this weekend.