Bigfoot Network Blog

Bigfoot Networks at PAX 2010

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:53:44 -0500

This Friday kicks off one of the biggest celebrations of gaming in the world: the Penny Arcade Expo. We certainly won't be missing out on it either. We will be heading out to PAX this year with a few of the best Counter-Strike players in eSports and some immensely epic prizes. If you are heading out to PAX this year, be sure to stop by booth #3203 where we will be hanging out with Alienware. Visitors will be able tob enter into some epic daily drawings, check out the latest and greatest from Bigfoot Networks, and get schooled in how to game better at Fragmore University by our two professional gamers in pro-vs-joe matches - and more!

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Team Dignitas Takes Home Numerous i40 Championship Titles

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:41:45 -0500

So, we recently pointed out that Team Dignitas took first place in the Call of Duty 4 tournament at i40 this year. However, that was only the tip of the iceberg as the team truly dominated this year's competitions. Just how well did they do? Well...

Battlefield Bad Company 2 – Champions
Team Fortress 2 – Champions
Call of Duty 4 - Champions
Starcraft II – dignitas/PureBall - Champion
Forza 3 – dignitas/Daveyskills – Champion
FIFA 10 – dignitas/ChriSSyB – Champion
FIFA 10 – dignitas/Classic – Runner Up
Trackmania – dignitas/DaRkY – Runner Up

Major congratulations to Team Dignitas over all for some amazing performances this year.

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Team Dignitas Takes First Place at i40 COD4 Tournament

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:55:05 -0500

We were out exhibiting at Insomnia40 this year in the UK, which is an fantastic event that packs in thousands of people for some epic gaming action, along with some truly awesome eSports tournaments. In what was already a great show, one of our sponsored teams went above and beyond and made it that much better. In a titanic battle, Team Dignitas did an excellent job of proving why they are the best COD4 team in the world by claiming first place in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournament. Congratulations, guys!

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Picture of the Week: Attack of the Signed Box, or Return of the PotW

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:38:30 -0500

When we launched the Killer 2100 a bunch of us in the Austin Office got together and signed a bunch of the boxes. I've had one on my desk for a while, and decided to take a quick picture of it, which is a nice testament to the people who helped create the latest incarnation of our NIC and get it out to you all. My signature is right below the logo on the top! Bonus points if you can tell me what the two posters in the background are from.

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PLEXSPLOSION! Bigfoot Networks and CCP Partner up for an Epic Giveaway

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:29:36 -0500

Bigfoot Networks excited to announce, in partnership with CCP, a giveaway of truly epic proportions: Killer™ 2100 PLEXSPLOSION!

Space can be an unforgiving place to those faint of heart and without the courage to truly brave it. Pirate bands roam the great void, bounty hunters track their targets with ruthless efficiency, and corporations battle in immense wars for control of vast regions of space. But, if you hope to make a mark as one of the greatest pod pilots in the galaxy, then do we have something for you.

During the month of September we give out a total of 30 Bigfoot Networks T-Shrits, 30 EVE Online PLEX (which gives you free game time), and two Killer 2100 Gaming Network Cards to winners world over.

To enter the contest, become a fan both the Bigfoot Networks and EVE Online Facebook pages. Additionally, you can stop by the CCP booth at PAX this year to sign up for the event.

Two prizes will be awarded every day and will be announced on Facebook, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.

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4Kings Becomes Our Latest Sponsored Team

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:58:44 -0500

We at Bigfoot Networks are huge supporters of PC gaming and we like to show it in as many ways as we can. One of those ways has been to support one of the things that has made PC gaming so great for all of these years: the intensity and excitement of competition. Professional gaming has taken this competition to new heights in the eSports arena, and we have been proud to sponsor some of the greatest gamers in the world. We sponsor some of the biggest names in eSports as well as newer up and coming teams with some pure, raw talent, both. We are also excited to announce the latest addition to our sponsored teams, 4Kings.

Since its conception over a decade ago, 4Kings has strived to establish itself as the UK's premiere professional gaming team. Winning championships all over the World, 4Kings is strongly recognized as a world leader in the eSports industry. 4Kings has one of the largest eSports fan bases spanning the entire globe.

4Kings was founded in 1997 and as such is recognized as one of the oldest and most widely known gaming teams in the world. The squads that represent 4Kings have competed at events in countries as diverse as the USA, South America, China and Korea. 4Kings is predominately based in the UK but also has players based throughout Europe and has dominated the scene in a variety of games including Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike Source, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Quakeworld, Quake3, Quake4, Quake Live, Unreal Tournament 2003, Warcraft 3, TrackMania Nations Forever and FIFA.

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Killer Launch Detected - StarCraft 2 Tournament with Alienware Arena

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:16:05 -0500

We are excited to partner up with Alienware Arena to present a tournament for what is unquestionably one of the most popular games out today: StarCraft 2. Without even counting digital copies, the sequel to one of the most beloved games in all of gaming history, StarCraft 2 shattered the July sales figures as a testament to the strength of the PC as a gaming platform, and the sheer quality of the game.

With StarCraft 2 already heating up in the competitive arena, even during beta, we are proud to present the Killer Launch Detected StarCraft 2 Tournament at Alienware Arena. 500 gamers will be pit against each other for their share of the $1.629.99 of cash prizes and a Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card. Registration is free, so what are you waiting for? More Pylons? Head over to the Alienware Arena and sign up.

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Bigfoot Networks is at GamesCom 2010

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:26:20 -0500

Today marks the second year that GamesCom is being held in Germany. GamesCom entered into the scene last year following the European Game Developers Conference, and it made a huge splash on the gaming tradeshow circut. Open the public, fueled by eSports, and filled with game studios, hardware developers, and more, GamesCom quickly proved itself as one of the hottest new shows in the game industry. Bigfoot Networks was there last year, and we are back again with all new events for those of you attending the show:

Play your favorite game using the new Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card at any of the 24 Acer Predator PCs available in the Acer/SK Gaming booth.

Enter the tournaments in the Roccat, Acer/SK Gaming, N!faculty, or CaseKing booths for a chance to win a new Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card

Compete against an eSports pro gamer in Counter-Strike 1.6 for a chance to win a new Killer 2100.

Keep an eye out for the Bigfoot Networks Ping Patrol on the event floor. They may be able to help with symptoms of unhealthy network ping.

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GND Tech Hosts BFBC2 Tournament with Killer 2100 Prizes

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:08:31 -0500

Both a Bigfoot Networks' Guild Partner and a great hardware and gaming forum, GND Tech is hosting a Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Squad Deathmatch Tournament with Killer 2100s as the grand prizes that we offered as their sponsor. If you want in on a chance to win a Killer 2100, as well as to simply have a great time playing some BC2, then be sure to head over to their site for information on how to get involved.

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Version 6.0.1 Drivers Released for Killer 2100 and Killer Xeno Pro

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:11:02 -0500

The latest driver build is now available for both the Killer 2100 and the Killer Xeno Pro. The 6.0.1 driver version comes with a number of fixes, including:

- Fixed issues related to Bandwidth Tester feature operating outside US.
- Fixed compatibility issues with selected online games.
- Fixed compatibility issue with Opera browser.
- Fixed issues related to PC sleep modes.
- Optimized low-level service and driver operations.
- Updated EULA text to include multi language versions.

You can download the Killer 2100 drivers here, or the Killer Xeno Pro versions here.

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Win a Killer 2100 in a Crave Giveaway from CNET!

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:29:53 -0500

Want to get yourself a free Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card? Of course you do! And you're in luck, because CNET is offering up a chance for you to win one on their Crave gadget blog.

The rules are simple: just register as a CNET user and leave a comment on the post with the contest information - and only one post - and you are good to go. Enter by August 2nd at 12PM EDT and you will be eligable to win. But, that is a small window, so don't waste any time and head over to enter now.

[Join the Forum Discussion] | [Enter the Contest]

Toni cyx Daniloski Passed Away in a Car Accident

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:55:38 -0500

Today is a sad day in the world of eSports. Toni "cyx" Daniloski of mousesports' Counter-Strike 1.6 team passed away during a car accident caused by tire failure on his way back from the airport in Frankfurt, after returning from Shanghai.

The world has lost an extremely talented gamer, reknown for his skills and success, as well as a good man overall. To his friends, his family, his team, and his fans, we express our condolences.

Killer 2100 $99 at Newegg Until August 8th

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:01:14 -0500

Have you been looking to pick yourself up a brand new Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card? Well, you are in luck. Until August 8th, Newegg will be offering up the fastest network card for online gaming for $30 off. You will be able to pick up the Killer 2100 for $99. But, this is a limited time offer, so don't miss out on your chance to snag a card while this deal lasts.

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Win a Free Game: Join the Bigfoot Networks Steam Group

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:42:09 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is giving away free games on Steam!

Here’s what you need to do: Join the Bigfoot Networks group on Steam. In your Steam profile, change your headline to “Bigfoot Networks, I want (Game X)” where “Game X” is the Steam game that you want. Make sure it’s actually for sale, and that you’re old enough to play it – if we award you an M-rated game, be prepared to show ID!

And then, every Friday, starting on July 29^th, we’ll pick one member of our Steam Group (with the proper headline) to win their game! Every once in a while we’ll give away even more stuff on top of that. But remember – we might ask you to do different stuff to win, so keep your eyes peeled!

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Bigfoot Networks Named 2010 AlwaysOn Global 250 Winner

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:44:36 -0500

REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwire - July 19, 2010) - Bigfoot Networks, the leading networking technology company behind the Killer® line of gaming network cards, today announced that it has been chosen as one of the AlwaysOn Global 250 winners. Inclusion in the AlwaysOn Global 250 signifies that a company is a leader amongst its peers, using innovative approaches and technologies that are likely to disrupt existing markets and entrenched players in the Global Silicon Valley. Bigfoot Networks was specially selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team and industry experts spanning the globe based on a set of five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value and media buzz.

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Interview with Team Frag'd - Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:51:14 -0500

Team Frag'd has been a member of the Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner's Program since the start, and they have been an active member at that. We had a chance to ask them a few questions and if you are interested in a fun, high-skilled group of gamers, then look no further. Just check out one of their many epic videos, and read the interview below:

1) Who is Team Frag'd? How would you describe the organization?

Team Frag’d is not a clan, but a community run by moderators. We figured that a clan has one founder, and one founder cannot hear all of the voices of his/her clan members who have great ideas and opinions. So we started a community where PC gamers and console gamers can come together. Team Frag’d is devoted to giving back to the PC/console gamers, by having a fun environment for gamers to meet up with one another and get a game going. We are also open to hardcore gamers and casual gamers. Our website is www.tfragd.com

2) What games do you play, and what attracts you to them, and games like them?

We play games that have stunning team game play along with innovative graphics. At the moment we play mostly FPS games such as Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Team Fortress 2, Modern Warfare 2, Counter-Strike: Source, and the upcoming Medal of Honor (2010). We are also open to other types of games such as RTS and MMOs.

3) How did Team Frag'd originally form?

Team Frag’d originally formed from 2 members who were in a previous clan. We did a lot of hard work to help that clan, but never got any respect from its founder. We helped them with huge numbered tournaments in L4D, Red Alert 3, and Team Fortress 2. We will not tolerate not listening to lower ranked members’ opinions, because we know what it is like to see one founder mooch off the rest of his members/moderators ideas and labor.

4) What do you feel is the best aspect of Team Frag'd as a gaming organization?

We feel the greatest aspect is simply leadership. We try to be the best that we can when gaming, and ask that our members do their best when gaming. Not only in playing the game, but acting as a good representative for Team Frag’d. As leaders we help all who follow us whether it is on our forums, or in game.

5) Where do you see yourselves going in the future?

We expect to expand greatly, and get a lot of really good people on our team to play with us. We see ourselves getting some servers for our friends and members to play on. We are trying to get a Medal of Honor server and feel it will attract a good number of skilled gamers. We will continue to make our YouTube videos, and be a healthy community revolved around gaming!

6) Why did you decide to join up with the Bigfoot Networks Guild Partners program?

We understand how LEET Bigfoot Network’s products are, so we decided if we want to be the best we must start by using the best products. From the reviews we have seen already of the Killer 2100, we don’t regret joining the Guild Partners program for one second! We had to have that head start over the competition in the ever growing online worlds of gaming. It isn’t by chance that Bigfoot is also partners with top name companies such as Visiontek and EVGA. We understand that Bigfoot Networks means business when their partners are the top two sellers of ATI/Nvidia based products! We are really glad we were accepted for the Guild Partners program, because we have gotten to know the company better and we have a strong reason to expand with Bigfoot Networks behind us.

7) Anything else you'd like to say about Team Frag'd?

You can check us out through social networking sites, where we stay up to date with upcoming gaming titles and news!

Check out our Site - http://www.tfragd.com
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/TeamFragged
Twitter - http://twitter.com/TeamFragD
Steam - http://steamcommunity.com/groups/tfragd
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Team-Fragd

If interested in joining, we ask that you please be mature!

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New Report: Killer™ 2100 Blows Away Standard NICs in Online Gaming Benchmarks

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:35:23 -0500

REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwire - July 8, 2010) - The newly released Killer™ 2100 gaming network card from Bigfoot Networks sharply improves network performance for online games, even on high-end PCs, according to a new analyst study from Jon Peddie Research.

The study tested network performance on enthusiast and mainstream gaming PCs. The high-end enthusiast test systems were equipped with an Intel® Core™ i7 980-X six-core CPU and an ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 graphics card, and the mainstream systems with an Intel Core i5 CPU and an ATI Radeon HD 5550 graphics card.

The results revealed the strengths of the Killer 2100's Game Networking DNA™ technology, which maintains extremely low latency even while a PC is running resource-intensive applications such as online games. On the enthusiast platform, Killer 2100 reduced latency as much as 33 times and jitter as much as 85 times -- differences that translate to clear improvements in users' online gaming experience. By contrast, standard networking interfaces delivered comparatively poor performance, even inside the enthusiast PC, operating with Microsoft Windows® 7 and premium components.

[Join the Forum Discussion] | [Read the Full Press Release] | [View the Full Report]

BFN Guild Partner, The Silent Warriors, Expands

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:04:05 -0500

The Silent Warriors, one of the elite online gaming organizations that have joined the ranks as a Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner, has been anything but silent of late. In fact, they have been expanding at a rapid rate. Now with two divisions, one focused on MMO gaming for titles including Allods Online, Runes of Magic, Battle of the Immortals, Final Fantasy XI, Warhammer Online, and the upcoming Guild Wars 2, and another focused on some solid FPS action, it is easily to find a place with them to play some of the best online games out there.

If you're looking for a new, fun loving, laid back, and still highly skilled group of people to game with, you are in luck. SW Gaming is currently looking to recruit new members for their Modern Warfare 2, Bad Company 2, All Points Bulletin, and Medal of Honor 2010 divisions.

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Win a Killer 2100, Age of Conan, and Free Game Time at MMORPG.com

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:42:10 -0500

What happens when you combine the Killer 2100 with one of the most brutal, visceral, and intense online games on the planet? Well, MMORPG.com is prepared to let you find out first hand. We have teamed up with MMORPG.com and Funcom to bring you a contest fit for even the mightiest of Cimmerian warriors: a chance to win a Killer 2100 and Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer with up to 90 days of free game time.

From today until the 23rd of July at 9pm EST, you will be able to register for a chance to win the following:

* (2) Killer 2100 gaming NIC cards
* (6) Digital Copy of Age of Conan Rise of the Godslayer + 90 Days Game Play
* (12) Digital Copy of Age of Conan + 90 Days Game Time
* (30) Digital Copy of Age of Conan + 30 Days Game Time

About Age of Conan
With this game, Norwegian development studio Funcom has released the first ever MMO set in the rich and gritty world of Robert E. Howard's Hyboria. At the time, it was also considered to be the first AAA MMORPG to carry an “M” rating from the ESRB. The game’s rich graphics and innovative combat system help to set it apart from its competitors.

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Learn More about the Killer 2100 With the Latest Q&A Video Series

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:11:52 -0500

Curious to learn more about the Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card? Since we launched, there have been a number of questions being raised about what the card can do for gamers, how it works, and more. As a way to help out the community at large, we have compiled a small video series designed to tackle these questions, and get you the answers that you are looking for. You can find these videos on our YouTube Channel, and over on our Video Page.

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ThinkComputers Reviews the Killer™ 2100 - Editor's Choice Award, 8/10 Rating

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:52:02 -0500

Have you been eyeing the Killer™ 2100, wondering if it is the next upgrade awaiting your computer or not? Well, ThinkComputers is here to help after they had a chance to take one for a spin.

"Bigfoot Networks originally released the Killer NIC M1 and K1 models in 2006, with the suped-up network cards getting some major attention in 2007. Mid-2009, Bigfoot Networks released the Killer Xeno Pro, a slimmed down version of the first generation models, both in size and extra features. It didn’t stop there, though. Bigfoot Network released May 11, 2010 the Killer 2100 Gaming Network Card. This new version focuses on the core features at the heart of the idea of a network processing unit: offloading and acceleration. ThinkComputers measures up the Killer 2100 in this extensive review."

The end result? Despite a few reservations, the Killer™ impressed and received both an 8/10 and an Editor's Choice Award. Be sure to check out the full review.

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Bigfoot Networks and TUL to Reveal Gaming Combo Card at Computex

Fri, 28 May 2010 10:49:15 -0500

Mad scientists have secretly been at work creating what is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful single upgrades you can make to your gaming rig. We have teamed up with with TUL Corporation to unveil a Gaming Combo Card unlike no other before: one that combines the power of the Killer™ 2100 and ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 technology. Improve both your graphics and networking performance with but a single upgrade. You can learn more in our resent press release:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – May 27, 2010 – Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer™ line of gaming networks cards, and TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of ATI graphics cards under the PowerColor® brand, will be unveiling a Gaming Combo Card at Computex that combines “best of breed” PC graphics and networking for online gaming. The working prototype is the result of cooperative design efforts on behalf of both companies announced in Taiwan earlier this year.

The Gaming Combo Card is the world’s first single card, PCI Express solution combining Bigfoot Networks’ Killer™ 2100 Gaming Network Card technology and ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 graphics family technology. The Gaming Combo Card taps into massive parallel processing power on the GPU to deliver unrivalled visual quality and gaming performance supporting Microsoft® DirectX® 11 technology. Using Killer™ Game Networking DNA™ technology, the card also classifies network traffic and separates game data for priority treatment, while reducing freezing, stuttering and other symptoms of lag. The Gaming Combo Card is a one card, one slot solution that is plug-and-play ready to give consumers a competitive online gaming edge.

[See the Full Press Release] | [Join the Forum Discussion]

Killer™ 2100 Available in NA, Xeno™ Pro Software version 6.0 Out

Mon, 24 May 2010 11:56:56 -0500

The Killer™ 2100 is now available in North America for purchase, with Newegg getting the jump on the first products up for availability. For those of you in Europe and Asia, don't worry as you will have access to the 2100 shortly as well.

Today is also big for owners of the Killer™ Xeno™ Pro, as the latest update is now available for download. Software version 6.0 packs the Killer™ Xeno™ Pro full of additional features, an upgraded UI, and a major performance upgrade. If you own a Killer™ Xeno™ Pro Gaming Network Card, then we highly recommend this update. Unleash the power of the version 6.0 software by heading to the download section of our website, be sure to look over the new user guide which details the new interface, and check out the full change log for this version of the software.

Also, before installing the drivers, please read through our upgrade instructions.

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Killer™ 2100 - Tested by The Syndicate

Tue, 11 May 2010 16:29:43 -0500

Our first meeting, even in the open air of a restaurant patio, was tinged with mystery. Two innocuous-looking guys sat with us and told us all about their mysterious “Leader,” their restrictive membership requirements, and the fact that The Syndicate “has members all over the game industry and beyond – some guys work for [redacted console maker,] we’ve got a guy who works on [redacted huge MMO,] some of our friends work at [redacted huge computer company] and other places.”

"Kinda like Fight Club" we asked?

They didn’t think this was funny.

After a while we knew these guys were the real deal. Based virtually at http://www.llts.org/ , the Syndicate is enjoying its 14th year as an organized Massively Multiplayer Online Game guild. Because of their professionalism, their passion for gaming, and their vast experience in all facets of the game business, they’ve become the Go-To-Guild for testing most of today’s most popular MMOGs. If it’s an MMO that’s been published in the last ten years, The Syndicate has had a hand in the behind-the-scenes testing and evaluation of almost every part of it.

So we gave them a few early-release Killer™ 2100 cards and let them beat on them for a week. We knew we’d given our babies to the right people when we discovered the horrific torture they’d subjected them to – hours of macro-initiated spell-spamming, large file transfers, massive file downloads, a week’s worth of grenade spamming and other assorted online delights.

At the end of a week we got a thick report, precisely distilled from the combined impressions of 5 different Syndicate members, and full of deadly feedback about things as diverse as the user interface, the prototype packaging and the red lights on the inside of the Killer™ 2100.

What impressed us most, though, was the density of the positive feedback:

"Additional observation was load times for entering the zone. Qualitatively, the network gaming card delivered a faster load time for surrounding graphics (characters and changeable graphics : mounting, crafting, and character actions. Specifically there was a perceived qualitative reduction in the delay after completion of action bar."

We’re used to getting feedback from gamers that says "Lots faster, more fun. Felt good."

And it went on:

"Conclusion: this would definitely lead to an increase in damage per second (DPS) throughout the course of consistent and sustained game play."

"In sum, really feels more responsive (faster) when running multiple instances of WoW."

For those of us having trouble managing just ONE instance of World of Warcraft, this is a pretty impressive feat. We were just happy to help.

It wasn’t all fun and games – The Syndicate pointed out many possible improvements in our beta software, and we’ll be passing lots of these improvements on to you, not only for launch but also in future updates to Killer™ Network Manager.

Nice to know that there really is a secret society out there that delights in "crushing the bones of our enemies and wielding the burning light of justice." And they’re on your side.

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Xeno Pro Version 6.0 Drivers Are Incoming

Tue, 11 May 2010 10:48:35 -0500

While we've just announced the launch of the Killer 2100, we aren't leaving you Xeno owners high and dry. In fact, we've developed a version of the Killer 2100 Network Manager that will run on the Killer Xeno Pro, giving you extended functionality and even greater performance than ever.

On the week of May 24th, your opponents will tremble in fear as your already impressive online performance will rocket to new heights. We'll be launching the Killer Xeno Pro version 6.0 drivers, giving you these new features at no additional charge. You can also rest assured, we will continue to support this latest Xeno software with maintenance releases as needed.

We do need to note, that due to hardware differences between the Xeno Pro and the Killer 2100, the Xeno may not be able to support every enhancement and feature in future Killer Network Manager software releases, but as Xeno owners, your online gaming experience will still be reaching new levels of epic.

You can learn more about the Killer Network Manager, and if you have any questions, just head on over to the forums and get in touch. We'll do our best to get them answered.

Bigfoot Networks Unleashes Killer™ 2100

Mon, 10 May 2010 22:46:19 -0500

BIGFOOT NETWORKS UNLEASHES KILLER™ 2100, THE WORLD'S FASTEST ONLINE GAMING NETWORK CARD

Up to 10X Faster Than Standard Connections, the Killer™ 2100 Delivers Unprecedented Speed and Performance

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. -- MAY 11, 2010 -- Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer™ line of gaming networks cards, today announced Killer™ 2100, its next-generation network interface card (NIC) for online gaming. Killer 2100 combines elements of speed, intelligence and control demanded by gamers with major throughput and latency enhancements and an innovative and easy-to-use software interface. Killer 2100 epitomizes blazing speed and maximum performance as the fastest Gigabit NIC on the planet for gamers.

At the heart of Killer 2100 is Bigfoot Networks’ groundbreaking Game Networking DNA™ technology, comprised of a dedicated network processor (NPU), Advanced Game Detect™, Windows stack bypass, Visual Bandwidth Control™ and other optimizations designed to deliver the best online gaming experience possible. Game Networking DNA accelerates latency-sensitive game traffic while reducing stuttering, freezing and other symptoms of lag, giving online gamers a competitive edge.

"Killer 2100 is the fastest network card available for online games, period," said Michael Howse, CEO, Bigfoot Networks. "From its completely redesigned user interface and race-inspired outer casing to its high-performance Game Networking DNA software, everything about Killer 2100 screams speed and maximum performance."

Using the Gaming Network Efficiency test, a new benchmark that measures network latency during gaming scenarios, Killer 2100 clocked in at more than ten times faster than standard network interfaces on multicore gaming PCs with high-end graphics cards. The additional speed provided by Killer 2100 means players can achieve quicker response times, better in-game performance and higher scores.

"We saw a dramatic performance advantage over standard network interfaces in our Killer 2100 tests—an advantage that's big enough to change the online gaming experience,” said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. “The Killer 2100 repeatedly delivered superior network latency on mainstream and enthusiast-class gaming PCs, and this difference could easily provide a winning edge to online gamers."

[Read the Full Press Release] | [Join the Forum Discussion]

Picture of the Week: Beer-Thirty

Fri, 07 May 2010 16:36:51 -0500

While this week has been a particularly odd one here in the Bigfoot Networks office, which has even included several people in one of our meeting rooms with YoYos (I still don't know what was up with that), and even a few visitors coming through. Yet, I've managed to not think to grab pictures of them. So, in an attempt to get the Picture of the Week to valiantly return, I bring to you a picture from a weekly tradition: Beer-Thirty. At 4:30pm every Friday, our programmers to together for their weekly meeting and a cold one.

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SK Gaming Female Team Dominates in Arbalet Female Cup

Mon, 03 May 2010 15:05:10 -0500

If you are a fan of eSports, then I hope you were paying attention to the Arbalet Female Cup held recently. The SK Gaming Female team and the Fnatic female team met head to head in a titanic battle over three maps in Counter-Strike 1.6. Coming into the match, both teams had already decimated the competition and neither had suffered a defeat up until the final match between each other.

Waged across three maps, the teams battled it out for some great prizes. In what was a very close fought battle, Fnatic came out on top in thef first map, but SK Gaming came from behind to win the last two maps after an amazing four overtimes of back and forth action. No doubt these ladies on both teams put on a great show with some exceptional gaming skill.

With SK Gaming coming out on top, they took home a grand prize of $10,000 and an additional $5,000 in hardware. Fnatic coming in second still made away with an impressive $5,000 and $3,000 in hardware.

Congratulations to both teams for their outstanding performances. With both Fnatic and SK Gaming being Bigfoot Networks sponsored organizations, we couldn't be prouder!

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More Facebook Fun with Fnatic: Win a Killer Xeno Pro and a Bigfoot Networks T-Shirt

Mon, 03 May 2010 10:07:24 -0500

While our contest with Evil Geniuses is still on-going, that isn't you're only chance to win big on our Facebook Page. We've partnered up with another top name in eSports, Fnatic, to bring you more chances to win. To enter, just follow these simple steps:

- Click 'Like' on the Bigfoot Networks page.

- Share the love and post that you love Bigfoot Networks up on the page for a chance to win a t-shirt.

- Include a screenshot into your post of your worst lag moment for a chance to win a Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card.

This contest will be running from now until May 10th - so don't waste any time, and head on over to Facebook for your chance to win!

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Psychotic Gaming Becomes Latest Sponsored Team

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:58:27 -0500

We are pleased to announce that Psychotic Gaming has become the latest team to pick up a sponsorship from Bigfoot Networks. Aren't familiar with them yet? Well, you will be. Formed in 2009, Psychotic Gaming is one of the newer teams getting into the eSports circuit, but they have their eyes set on becoming one of the best teams world over, and with skills like theirs, they'll be gunning for the top in no time.

Psychotic Gaming already has players in teams for Counter Strike Source, Counter Strike 1.6, and Modern Warfare 2, and they will be looking to expand the titles they compete in.

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Win some Bigfoot Networks Swag on Facebook

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:21:05 -0500

Would you like to win yourself some great swag from Bigfoot Networks? Of course you do! We've teamed up with one of the greatest eSports teams out there, Evil Genuises, to give you that very chance. Just head on over to our Facebook page and become a fan. Every day we will be posting up a new trivia question. If you're one of the lucky people to answer it correctly, you will be entered into a drawing for one of two t-shirts, every day for the next ten days.

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Win an Alienware Aurora Desktop with a Killer Xeno Pro and EVE Online with Free Gameplay

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:22:51 -0500

War rages across the galaxy as empires clash in endless war borne from centuries of mistrust and hate. Pirates and outlaws lurk in the dark places of the universe, preying upon the weak who stumble into their grasp. On the fringes of space, giant alliances and coalitions amass grand armadas as they seek glory and the conquest of their foes. In the cold darkness of the great void only the strong, the clever, and best equipped can hope to survive.

Now is your chance to gain the advantage over your enemies with a gaming PC that packs Alienware's awe-inspiring power and is optimized for online gaming with a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card. Claim your prize and take to the stars to seize your rightful place as a God of New Eden.

Bigfoot Networks, along with Alienware and CCP, bring you a chance to truly take your online gaming to new heights with a prize of epic proportion:

[Learn More and Enter the Contest]

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks Featured eSports Team: n!Faculty

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:23:03 -0500

This week, we take a look at another one of the biggest teams in electronic sports: the Germany-based professional gaming team, n!Faculty. n!Faculty is focused largely on their German community, but that doesn't make them a team to overlook; far from it, in fact. n!Faculty is an immensely giant team that has united literally hundreds of gamers in more than twenty professional teams playing major eSports games such as Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike Source, WarCraft 3, DOTA, Unreal Tournament 3, FIFA, COD4, and many more. These teams also include multiple German and World Champion gamers that lead their banner in numerous major eSports tournaments every year.

Founded in 1996, n!Faculty has been carving out their name with both their size and the skill of the players that they have brought together. Bigfoot Networks has been proud to sponsor such an excellent team, and we've been overjoyed to run a number of events with them in the past. This is something continuing now as well, as n!Faculty will be hosting a Trackmania event with Bigfoot Networks products up as prizes. Not only that, but they will be unveiling an all new custom map for the event, that we will be racing on as well. Think you can beat us? (Likely).

To top it off, n!Faculty is holding a number of other events coming up as well, that you should check out:

April 1st - 4th - The Gathering 2010 (Hamar, Norway) http://www.gathering.org/tg10/

April 9th - iFNG Mannheim http://www.esl.eu/de/#/de/pro-series/season16/

April 16th - iFNG Cologne http://www.esl.eu/de/#/de/pro-series/season16/

May - Kode 5 National Final Germany http://www.kode5.com/index.php?news_id=1263108712

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Win a Killer Xeno Pro from Wowhead

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:34:17 -0500

Wowhead (currently TacoHead for today) has partnered up with us, Scan , and Amazon, to give citizens of both the United Kingdom and Germany a chance to win a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Cards, with five being given out in each region. Not only that, but contestants will also have a chance to win some great Killer gear, including T-Shirts and our famous Killer Bling. If you're located in either of these regions, then you will not want to pass up the chance to enter. If you're in the UK head on over here, and if you're in Germany, go here for a chance to win.

Welcome DuskBin as our Latest Sponsored Team

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:28:20 -0500

World over, eSports is gaining traction as some of the best gamers in the world band together under teams that boast impressive rosters and eye-catching skills. While most of the teams we have sponsored so far have been largely European-based, DuskBin brings together some of the best gamers in Asia, living up to their slogan of "eSports Beyond Borders". DuskBin has show themselves to be among the elite, and we are proud to sponsor such a talented group. For more information on DuskBin, see below:

DuskBin Electronic Sports, co-founded and officially launched in 1st November 2009 in Asia, is an Electronic Sports Organization that thrives to bring talented Asian Esports players to the international scene, and further promoting the global E-sports industry which is currently in its infant stages.

DuskBin E-sports boasts a high-profile team of players in several popular gaming divisions, such as Sun “F91” Yi Feng, Yang “SEn” Chia Cheng, Ye “RushGoon” Rong Long, all of them being immensely famous especially in the China Starcraft progaming scene. DuskBin’s Sudden Attack division has also timely proven that they’re one of the best in the Asia Pacific region. Along with a promising CS 1.6 and Quake Live lineup, DuskBin E-sports is the largest Asian E-sports organization to step into the international scene.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Win Killer Bling via Twitter

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:35:42 -0500

There is no doubt that people love our Killer Bling. Whenever we bring some out to expos and events, the second people see it, they want it. And why not? It looks absolutely awesome! However, it is also a pretty rare thing to find out in the wild. So, if you've been wanting to deck yourself out with a giant Killer K, or add it to your geek shrine (we all have those, right?) this is your chance. If you have a Twitter account, you just need to retweet this tweet from us for a chance to win.

Image courtesy of Logical eSports. Check them out!

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks Featured eSports Team: SK Gaming

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:08:25 -0500

When it comes to the realm of eSports, the name SK Gaming may well be about as house-hold as it gets. SK is, without a doubt, one of the biggest names in eSports, and they have earned their immense reputation by having some of the unquestionably best gamers in the entire world playing under their banner. They are an international multi-gaming organisation, gathering together not only the top players of each gaming discipline but also nurturing upcoming talent and making them the stars of today. SK Gaming was founded in 1997 under the name 'Schroet Kommando' in Oberhausen, Germany.

Today, with offices in Cologne, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden and a professional and innovative employee structure, SK Gaming has become a medium-sized business. Business areas include the management of professional esports players, online community, sales of fan merchandise, and promotional events all over the world. More than 50 of today's top professional eSports gamers are with SK Gaming and the basis of the clan's success.

SK has grown from esport clan into a professional business. The people behind the SK Gaming brand have all one thing in common: they share a huge passion for esports, the desire to be the best at all times and the will and ambition to work at it every day.

Bigfoot Networks and SK Gaming have held quite an few joint contests and tournaments in the past, and this is something that is no less true today. In fact, SK Gaming is currently running a tournament scheduled to begin on March 28th in Counter-Strike 1.6 for a chance to win a Killer Xeno Pro! Be sure to head on over and check it out.

If you're looking for more information on one of the best teams in the world, be sure to check out the Team Talk that we held with SK Gaming, as well.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Head to Ten Ton Hammer for a Chance to Win a Killer Xeno Pro and Star Trek Online

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:16:26 -0500

Ten Ton Hammer and Atari have partnered up with us to allow gamers to bodly go where no man has gone before - and do so with the performance of a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card. This is your chance to win both a Killer Xeno Pro and the hottest new MMO of the year: Star Trek Online, with up to six months of gameplay free of charge. This contest will be running for a limited time though, and prizes will be handed out daily. So if you want to win, waste no time and set course for Ten Ton Hammer at warp nine, and make it so.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Post GDC Wrap Up

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:15:57 -0500

Hero EngineEarlier this month, we attended the Game Developers Conference in San Fransisco. GDC is an amazing event where people in the game industry, or looking to get into the game industry, come from throughout the world to learn about how to expand their trade and better themselves as professionals. It also is an excellent place to check out some of the latest games and technology that will be making a big impact on the industry. We took part in this event, both by having a number of us attending conferences and summits, but also by having a booth on the show floor where we were able to show off the Killer Xeno Pro in all its glory - complete with side-by-side videos showing the Xeno crushing standard NIC's in game performance and an amazing live demonstration showing the Xeno's latency performance against a standard NIC. Visitors were wow'd, developers were intrigued, and everyone had a good time.

There were a lot of highlights from this years show, too. Sony, Intel, NVIDIA, Activision Blizzard, and even Palm had giant booths showing off both upcoming games and some amazing new technology. AFK Interactive had a pretty neat product, letting you control your online games from your cell phone, CCP was handing out free drinks, the Hero Engine was putting up a great case for why developers should use them, and the mysterious company known as Zombrex (less mysterious after some googling) was working to prevent a zombie outbreak right across the aisle from us.

But, no doubt I could go on for ages about the cool stuff I saw this year at GDC. Instead, I'll link you to a gallery of images that we got from the show.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Team Excello Is Hosting the Bigfoot Networks Writing Contest

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:31:27 -0500

Do you have a love of eSports? How about of writing? Do you think being a journalist would be fun? Do you want a chance to win a Killer Xeno Pro? Team Excello is currently holding a contest just for you: The Bigfoot Networks Writing Contest. All you need to do is write something related to eSports, such as "an analysis of a team, a game, your reflection on recent news, or the development of eSports in general."

The top five articles will be posted up onto the Team Excello website - and as someone who has a background in game media, getting published like that is pretty much awesome - and one lucky winner will be taking home a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card.

So, what are you waiting for? Get to writing!

Bigfoot Networks Featured eSports Team: Fnatic

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:47:38 -0500

This week's Featured eSports team highlights one of the top teams haling from Europe, Fnatic. Showing off a new, and quite awesome looking, website, this is one team that is clearly set to game with both style and skill. But who is Fnatic? The Fnatic Team is a professional video gaming team, consisting of players from across the globe who all make a living through competing in video game tournaments. The Fnatic Team won the ESports Team of the Year Award 2006 and are the current reigning CPL Champions.

The Fnatic team is an ambitious and already highly successful gaming organization; with registered offices in Australia, the UK and the Netherlands they have a global reach. The Fnatic team is currently supporting three highly successful squads in World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3, and Counter-Strike, to name but a few and has established itself as a vibrant, well coordinated outfit with a clear vision for the future of competitive gaming. The Fnatic team was founded by Sam Mathews with the help of Joris Van Laerhoven and Anne Mathews.

Fnatic enjoys an excellent history of success which still caries on today, as you can see by their list of matches from just this month alone, and Bigfoot Networks is proud to sponsor such an excellent team.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks expands Asia distribution with Leadtek

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:49:32 -0500

In a briefing today in Tapei, Taiwan, we were proud to announce our latest partnership with Leadtek, who will be making the their version of the Killer Xeno Pro available to gamers throughout Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. This represents a significant growth for us as a company as we branch into new regions of the world - and regions that are well renown in the gaming community at that.

REDWOOD CITY, CA – March 17, 2010 – Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer™ line of gaming network cards, today announced a partnership with Leadtek, a top-tier PC peripherals vendor of 3D graphics and other products, to manufacture and sell the Killer™ Xeno™ Pro, the only network card designed to provide smoother, more responsive online game play. Leadtek will distribute the Killer Xeno Pro through online and retail channels in Taiwan, Korea and Japan, improving the competitiveness of millions of online gamers.

View the full press release here.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

eQualite Becomes a Bigfoot Networks Sponsored Team!

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:45:43 -0500

We are happy to announce that Team eQualite has come aboard as the latest Bigfoot Networks Sponsored Team! As the latest team to join up with us, they will be showing off their amazing skills while playing under the banner of Bigfoot Networks. For a bit more information on the team, just read below:

"The Team eQualite arises as a result of an idea among a group of friends who have joined with the intention of becoming one of the most prominent organizations of eSports in Portugal and europe, managing teams on PC and XBox360. The Team eQualite now presents itself as a versatile and promising organization.Currently has several teams that could be used for competitions of any game. In The way to become an eSports organization, the Team eQualite manages 8 teams playing Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Counter-Strike 1.6, FIFA 10, Trackmania Nations in PC, and FIFA 10, Guitar Hero on Xbox360. All our teams are equally talented and dedicated, and will demonstrate its full value in live events and online as going to participate."

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Amazing Killer Xeno Pro Deal at Newegg Until March 11th

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:47:37 -0600

Have you been wanting to get yourself a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card, but just haven't been able to scrape up enough cash to get better, smoother online gameplay? Well, Newegg has your back on this one with their latest promotion. They are currently offering the VisionTek Killer Xeno Pro at a vastly reduced price of $69.99 with free shipping through this latest deal.

Bigfoot Networks is heading to GDC 2010

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:34:22 -0600

Tomorrow I will be taking a plane to San Fransisco to join others from Bigfoot Networks for this years Game Developer Conference. GDC, if you don't already know, is one of the most major game industry tradeshows and conferences in the world, where people throughout nearly all fields of the game industry come out to both learn new tricks of the trade, and show off what they've been working on to their peers and press.

Joining in this year, we will be running a booth to show off the enhanced performance of the Killer Xeno Pro and what Bigfoot Networks can do to improve your online gaming performance with some very neat demonstrations. Not only that, but I'll be running around the expo floor, when I'm not helping to run the booth, with a camera in one hand and a smartphone in the other - so keep an eye on both our Facebook page and our Twitter stream for updates throughout the show.

In fact, if you're excited about any particular games or technology that will be getting shown off during GDC this year, just let me know on the forums and I'll see what I can do to help satisfy your curiosity.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Alienware Arena: Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge Highlights

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:08:34 -0600

What is it like to see through the eyes of some of the best gamers out there? Featuring highlights from the recent Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge that we held with Alienware with the Alienware Arena, this video shows exactly that. In the online gaming arena where milliseconds truely matter, take a look at some amazingly epic gaming in Team Fortress 2 by a variety of highly skilled gamers, as they take out huge numbers of enemy players, perform increadable acrobatic feats, and otherwise making the very difficult look all too easy.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks Killer® Xeno Pro Network Gaming Cards Now Available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:00:04 -0600

We have some good news for those of you located in Europe: we are further expanding our reach and the Killer Xeno Pro is now available in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from Golden Arrow. Be sure to check out the Where to Buy page to find out where you can get yourself a new Killer Xeno Pro. For more information, see the press release below:

What:	Bigfoot Networks announces the availability of Killer® Xeno Pro gaming network cards from Golden Arrow (http://www.goldenarrowcard.com/). Bigfoot Networks and Golden Arrow will exhibit at the CeBIT conference in Hannover, Germany, March 2-6. The cards are now available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland through leading retail, e-commerce and gaming PC companies. igfoot Networks representatives will be at API’s booth in the Planet Reseller area to demo the Killer Xeno Pro and discuss business opportunities. API (http://www.api.de/) is a leading distributor of Bigfoot Networks products in the region. See below for full booth information.
Who:	Bigfoot Networks representatives will be available to meet with media and potential business partners. Bigfoot Networks is a leading developer of networking hardware and software for maximum online gaming performance. Its technology accelerates online gaming and provides a smoother, more responsive experience for voice chat and other high-performance, real-time online applications. To learn more, visit Bigfoot Networks at http://www.bigfootnetworks.com.
When:	March 2–6 9:00am to 6:00pm
Where:	CeBIT 2010 Hannover Exhibition Center Hannover, Germany API booth located in Hall 15, Stand D44
Contact:	Emelyne Interior, LEWIS PR, bigfootnetworks@lewispr.com, 415-992-4400 EMEA Partnership inquiries: Paul Heimbuch at Bigfoot Networks: paul@bigfootnetworks.com.

Picture of the Week: Company Meeting

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:01:05 -0600

Who says a meeting can't be fun? When you're working in a field like we are, there is a good chance that you enjoy what you're doing quite a bit, and that can infuse itself even into meetings. While I can't show you the content of this little get together, what the future holds should be pretty interesting.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks Featured eSports Team: Evil Geniuses

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:16:14 -0600

When it comes to eSports in North America, there can be little doubt that the number one name to know is Evil Geniuses. Since they were founded in 1999, they have been proving that they truly are the premiere professional gaming team in North America. Recently, EG became one of Bigfoot Network's Sponsored Teams, and they are the first team that we will be highlighting in this new feature.

Specializing in titles such as Counter-Strike, StarCraft, Quake, Team Fortress 2, and WarCraft 3, some of the main staples of eSports competitions, Evil Geniuses is comprised of fifty of the best gamers in the world. While they may be based in North America with players located in both the United States and Canada, they've been proving that they are one of the top teams in professional gaming world wide. Just check out this list of recent top placements from 2009:

-1st Place, ESEA League Season 2 (Counter-Strike) – Online
-1st Place, GomTV Invitational (WarCraft 3: Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen) – Online
-1st Place, eStars Seoul (WarCraft 3: Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen) – Seoul, Korea
-1st Place, ESEA League Season 3 (Counter-Strike) – Dallas, TX
-1st Place, QuakeCon (QuakeLive CTF) – Dallas, TX
-2nd Place, Blizzcon (WarCraft 3: Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen) – Anaheim, CA
-1st Place, GameGune Mexico (Counter-Strike) – Mexico City, Mexico
-1st Place, World Cyber Games USA (Counter-Strike) – New York, NY
-5th Place, DreamHack Winter (Counter-Strike) – Jonkopping, Sweden
-3rd Place, Arbalet Cup (Counter-Strike) – Stockholm, Sweden
-1st Place, Intel Extreme Masters NA Finals (QuakeLive: Tim “DaHang” Fogarty) – Edmonton, Canada
-3rd Place, Intel Extreme Masters NA Finals (QuakeLive: Chance Lacina) – Edmonton, Canada
-1st Place, Intel Extreme Masters NA Finals (Counter-Strike) – Edmonton, Canada-1st Place, World eSports Masters (WarCraft 3: Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen

Wins like this highlight the level of professionalism and mastery of gaming shown by members of Evil Geniuses, and Bigfoot Networks is proud to be among their sponsors. No doubt 2010 will be a great year for them as well, now that they are playing with the best online gaming network cards out there, as well stated by the president of Evil Geniuses, Alexander Garfield:

“Terms like lag and ping have been the obsessions of PC gamers for going on two decades, and when you’re competing in an eSports tournament for tens of thousands of dollars, the advantage of just one millisecond can be enough to push you to the top of the podium. Partnering with Bigfoot Networks allows us to give our pro gamers a competitive edge by supplying them all with the awe-inducing Killer™ Xeno Pro. We’re looking forward to seeing our top teams and players bring in more championships in 2010, both in North America and around the world, with the help of Bigfoot Networks.”

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Watch the Latest Videos from Bigfoot Networks on the New Video Page

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:40:00 -0600

Okay, I admit, not all of them are all that new, but you can now head over to our new Videos page to find links to the videos that we have hosted up on YouTube. This should keep things a little more organized, and easier for you to find the relevant videos from us. So, if you're looking to learn a little more about Bigfoot Networks, our products, or just checking out some great interviews with our sponsored teams, then head on over to check them out.

The Rod Trotter Online Gaming PC Giveaway Winner Announcement

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:45:23 -0600

It has been a long time coming, but for those of you who entered into the Rod Trotter Online Gaming PC Giveaway, the time has come. The drawing was held and the winner has been decided. Want to know if you're the grand prize lucky winner of an Alienware Aurora, complete with a Killer Xeno Pro? Then check out the video below, where Rod Trotter has announced the winner like only he can:

Picture of the Week: The Bigfoot Special Sushi Roll

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:06:27 -0600

There is a certain group of people at Bigfoot Networks who have, shall we say, a particular fondness for the fine Japanese dish of sushi (I also happen to be part of said group myself). In fact, our fondness for it is so strong that a large chunk of us go out for sushi once a week at a local Sushi restaurant named Ichiban - who has some of the best sushi in Austin for great prices. Due to our weekly visits, when they created their new special roll, they actually went ahead and named it after Bigfoot Networks. So, check out the menu, which now sports the Bigfoot.

And yes, it is quite good.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Bigfoot Networks Featured Guild: The Vindicators

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:37:15 -0600

Today is an exciting day: we are releasing our very first Featured Guild interview. Featured Guilds are members of the Bigfoot Networks Guild Partners program who have stood out in such a way that we wish to highlight them to the greater community. In this case, the Vindicators are a long standing, friendly guild, that also holds the honor of being the very first guild to sign up with the Guild Partners Program. We held a brief interview with the guild leader, Vindicore:

1) Who are the Vindicators? How would you describe the organization?
The Vindicators are a gaming community. We have grown from our roots as a simple “outfit” in a single game to one that plays and has played dozens of games together ranging from MMORPGs to flash games and everything in-between.

2) What games do you play, and what attracts you to them, and games like them?
For the past few years we have had our main player base in Voyage Century, a MMORPG from IGG. This game appealed to many of our long term members during its beta due to the fact that it was always intended as free to play. However since our guilds creation in the game it has become much more than just something to play; we have crushed guilds causing them to disband, fought off entire guild alliances and captured multiple cities.

We have started game chapters in both Global Agenda and Star Trek Online, hoping to recruit steadily but slowly to add to our ranks. Global Agenda we have been drawn toward due to the twitch nature of combat combined with the territory control centred PvP. We are also eagerly awaiting Battlefield Bad Company 2 as it involves both infantry and vehicular combat, which appeals to many of our core members due to our foundation in Planetside.

3) How did the Vindicators originally form?
The community started in December 2002 for the MMOFPS Planetside before release as a vapour outfit. Most of the forum outfits were intending to be highly focused in a certain aspect of the game and there was a lack of outfits that would simply fight with all the available weapons and vehicles. Using this as a hook we recruited around 100 members before beta even started and then during the actual beta we ended high up on the score boards when compared to all three of the factions. After beta we only grew and became a dominant presence on the battlefield able to defend bases for several hours at a time or conversely capture stalemated bases with a single swift strike.

4) What do you feel is the best aspect of the Vindicators as a gaming organization?
Due to our maturity and lack of a strict hierarchy we have often been referred to as more of a family than a guild. This comment hopefully conveys the trust and support that exists between our members. In our community you can always find someone on-line to talk to and game with as we have members across the globe.

5) Where do you see yourselves going in the future?
I see the community growing steadily as we continue our efforts in the games we play and as we enter new games. We are always waiting for the next MMOFPS to arrive that will allow us to relive our glory days!

6) Why did you decide to join up with the Bigfoot Networks Guild Partners program?
We decided to join the program primarily due to the companies Community Manager, who was the second member to join the Vindicators back in 2002! We are obviously also interested in increasing our presence on the internet to aid recruitment, and potentially get involved in competitions organised by the company.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

New M1/K1 Drivers Released

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:58:23 -0600

The latest M1/K1 drivers are now officially released. If you are running one of these cards, it is highly recommended that you upgrade to this new driver package, which provides greater support for Windows 7 and 64bit, greater compatibility, and greater stability. A complete list of fixes can be viewed in the change log.

You can download the drivers here and view all of the changes in the change lo

Congratulations to the Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge Champions

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:17:46 -0600

Congratulations to “compLexity”, winners of the Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge!

Among over 100 competing teams, compLexity demonstrated exceptional command of Team Fortress 2’s many classes, going undefeated in all 9 of their matches throughout the tournament. For their performance, the team has won $750 cash plus a set of six Killer Xeno Pro network cards sponsored by Bigfoot Networks.

You too can take your gaming performance to the next level with a Killer Xeno Pro network card which provides smoother and more responsive gameplay in all your favorite MMO and FPS games. It’s all made possible through the card’s revolutionary Network Processing Unit (NPU) technology designed specifically for online gaming. It’s the Killer Edge over the competition that you’re looking for! Check it out now at http://www.bigfootnetworks.com/killer-xeno-pro/.

Team compLexity Roster:
Daniel “Carnage” Sturdivant
Michael “Jaeger” Marcin
Kyle “relic” Mims
Carl “xenema” Yangsheng
Manuel “solidsnake00” Sy
Bradford “Pure” Ross

Picture of the Week: Our Newest Machines - Care of Alienware, the Aurora Desktop

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:00:22 -0600

Some interesting things pass by my desk on occasion, but easily two of the very best are these Alienware Aurora ALX Desktops - two machines that have almost silly levels of power. They're beastly, powerful, and look awesome. Even better, while the components themselves are powerful and they look very cool, the internal case design is wonderful. Sliding in new Hard Drives would be a snap, the battery-powered LED would be great while tinkering, and the cooling system is pretty darn nice too. Truly, they're filled with much epic and win. Take a look:

If you're curious about the Internals, they are as follows:

- Intel Core i7 2.67 (Quad Core)
- NVIDIA GeForce 295, Dual GPU SLI
- 6GB RA
- 500GB HDD
- Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Xeno is $10 off on TigerDirect

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:02:46 -0600

Looking to squeeze a bit of savings out of your Xeno Pro purchase, but aren't in the market for a router? You're in luck. The good folks over at TigerDirect announced that they are offering a deal on the Xeno over at their site as well. For a limited time, you can snag yourself a Killer Xeno Pro at a reduced price.

Get a Xeno for $25 off with the Purchase of a Netgear WNDR3700 Router at Newegg

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:16:58 -0600

Occasionally, we get asked if there is a benefit of using a solid router with the Xeno Pro. The answer to that is a definate "yes" - if you have a Xeno Pro in your machine, but you're lacking a router with the right features, or vice versa, then there is still some room for improvement in your home network. Luckily, for those of you who are considering picking up a Xeno, you can snag it for $25 off with the purchase of a Netgear WNDR3700 router to make sure your online gaming reaches the ultimate peak of performance.

If you're curious as to just how a Xeno and a Netgear WNDR3700 can work together to provide you some great benefits, just check out this video:

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Gaming Nexus' CES 2010 Meet Up with Bigfoot Networks

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:52:06 -0600

Bigfoot Networks CEO Michael Howse and VP of Marketing John Drewry got themselves around during CES this year. During the event, they had a chance to talk with Gaming Nexus, who have turned their interview into a great article that goes into some good detail about us and the Xeno. Additionally, they also took the time to give the EverQuest 2 Side-by-Side video a good analysis.

"Since motherboards come equipped with network interfaces, John says we take that part of the computer for granted. Besides the speed increase over the years, Michael argued that there's no innovation in that area. This is where Bigfoot steps in and is looking to offer a product that is both innovative and useful for the gamer."

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Rod Trotter Online Gaming PC Giveaway Drawing to be Held Soon

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:16:56 -0600

The Rod Trotter Online Gaming PC Giveaway has been running for quite a while now, and the musician who sings of ping and latency has given away a ton of great prizes already. However, the time draws near for the grand prize to be given away: an Aliewnare Aurora Online Gaming PC. This machine packs plenty of punch and it is looking for a new home - and it could be yours.

Head on over to RodTrotter.com to enter into the contest for your chance to win. Remember, you only have today to sign up before the contest closes.

Buddah Tribe Becomes a Bigfoot Networks' Sponsored Team

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:20:38 -0600

The great announcements just keep on coming in: Buddah Tribe has just come aboard as another sponsored eSports team!

Buddah Tribe was originally established in 1997 by Aaron Markaverich. (B.T.) is a international platform for both pro players and upcoming stars. Buddah Tribe is not only a professional gaming organization but we also have a brand for clothing/apparel and social networking for gamers. We strive to maintain the highest standard possible in our organization through dedication and loyalty of our players and staff. We wish to attend and compete in major events worldwide to show how proud we are of our organization and sponsors.

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Bigfoot Networks Sponsors Logical eSports

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:15:27 -0600

We are happy to announce the latest eSports team to be sponsored by Bigfoot Networks, the up-and-coming Logical eSports. For a bit more information on them:

Logical eSports was founded in the first few days of 2009. It started as a group of close friends gaming together, but quickly grew to a full-size organisation. Where it all started with Call of Duty 2 online, Logical eSports now has teams and players in Call of Duty 4 and TrackMania Nations representing the Logical eSports name both online as offline.

We look forward to seeing them tearing it up in tournaments. If you have a professional gaming organization, big or small, and you would like to be sponsored by Bigfoot Networks, send an e-mail to teams@bigfootnetworks.com for more information.

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Get 10% Off a Logitech G15 or G19 and Get Even More Out of Dashboard

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:35:01 -0600

Logitech is well known for many of their products, but easily some of their best are their gaming keyboards. After using one of them, the idea of gaming without access to tons of programmable macro-keys becomes an almost frightening idea to even consider. Not only that, but their LCD screens can convey a lot of useful information to top it off.

Right now, Logitech is offering 10% off on the G15 and G19 Gaming Keyboards, making this a great time to snag one. And, if you want to get even more functionality out of your new purchase, then grab yourself a free copy of Bigfoot Networks Dashboard, which integrates with the G-series LCD screens to provide you tons of useful information on your gaming PC.

Welcome to Our First Group of Guild Partners

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:05:33 -0600

Since we launched the Guild Partners program on Friday of last week, I have been impressed to see the number of applications come in from people excited to take advantage of this new program. We've since let in several great guilds with some varied styles and backgrounds - and if you're looking for a new virtual home, then these fantastic groups would be a great place to look.

With that said, I would like to extend a welcome to GamersCoalition, Gamers Next Door , Team Frag'd, The Syndicate, The Vindicators, and Vitality. Whether you're looking for a laid back or truly serious group, whether your an MMO player, or big into FPSs, then you're sure to find some interest in these groups.

UPDATE: Added to that list is now the Silent Warriors, who have just been added to the program. Welcome aboard!

Keep an eye out for more partners joining up, and if you think your guild would be a good fit, then take a look at the application page for more information on the program and how to apply.

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ZAM Interview with Bigfoot Networks

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:45:23 -0600

ZAM has recently published an article from an interview the held with Bigfoot Networks CEO Michael Howse and VP of Marketing John Drewry from this year's CES. This article does an excellent job of summing up what Bigfoot Networks is all about, what our cards can do, and also some of our plans for the future. So, head on over to ZAM for a good read.

"So it was a relief when the ZAM staff met with Michael Howse and John Drewry, the CEO and VP of Marketing of Bigfoot Networks, in an area just off of CES’ North Hall. If you’re not familiar with Bigfoot Networks, you may at least be familiar with their flagship product, the Killer NIC, which unburdens your CPU from the effort of networking through the motherboard and instead pushes it all through the Killer NIC card. Think of it like onboard graphics versus an Nvidia or ATI card, you’d see a substantial difference almost immediately with the change."

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New 4.1.0.144 K1/M1 Beta Drivers Released

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:58:28 -0600

The latest beta driver build for the K1 and M1 cards are now available for download in the downloads section of our website. This update fixes a number of compatibility issues with selected online games, Skype, and Ventrilo, as well as a number of other improvements. You can view a full change log for this latest version of the driver here.

[Post Feedback on the Driver]

Bigfoot Networks Guild Partners Program Begins!

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:13:21 -0600

Bigfoot Networks is proud to announce our new Guild Partnership program. While we sponsor a number of big-name eSports teams, we know that gaming organizations come in many shapes and sizes, and most people are playing together in Guilds and Clans, and not actually in professional teams.

What is the Guild Partnership Program?

As anyone who has run a guild before knows, getting yourself a solid membership-base and getting your name out into the world can be a challenge. Then, when you get yourself up, running, and rocking in the virtual world, it is also nice to get your exploits out into the open to wow your fellow players. The Guild Partnership program is all about that. Check out the advantages of the program:

Bigfoot Networks Guild Partners will be featured in a section of the Bigfoot Website for all to see.We will link your guild's website along with some information about you and your guild's logo to entice potential recruits and others interested in checking you out. We will also prepare banners and the like for you to use on your site to let the world know that you have gained the support from a game hardware company to add that extra, professional touch.
You will also have the chance to get your guild up on our blog as one of our Featured Guilds. We will hold a short interview with our Featured Guilds and publish the interview up on the Bigfoot Networks Blog, along with a video showing off your organization. This video and interview will also get passed around the Internet to make sure that your name gets out to as many people as possible.
Gain more exposure through our blog and social networks. You don't need to be a Featured Guild to get on the blog. Do you have an interesting write-up on your site? Send it on over and we may well publish a link on our own blog to help direct people to you.
Participate in Bigfoot Networks Sponsored Events and Community. Being a Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner is a lot like being involved in a giant, multi-game guild alliance. Not only will you enter into a great community, you will also be able to partake in events with the other guilds, both cooperative and competitive, and maybe even have a chance to win some great swag.

These benefits are just the tip of the iceberg, and more will become available as time goes on. We are dedicated to the betterment of online gaming, and that includes helping out guilds as much as we can. In fact, we're even open to ideas from the community, and we want to hear what you want to see from Bigfoot.

Also, you can put your mind at ease, because becoming a Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner gains you all of these great benefits, but does not mean that we will be solicitating you or your members.

To apply to be Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner, send in an e-mail with "Bigfoot Networks Guild Partner Application" as the subject to community@bigfootnetworks.com with the following information:

Your name - and be sure to note if you're the guild leader or not.
Your guild's name.
A description of your guild.
A link to your guild.
Your guild's logo.

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MMORPG.com Is Giving Away 10 Killer Xeno Pros to Lucky Winners

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:34:56 -0600

Looking for a chance to score a Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card? Then look no further than the latest contest running at one of the best online gaming news sites in existence, MMORPG.com, is running. They will be giving away 10 Xeno Pros to the lucky winners. So, don't let this offer slip on past, and head over to MMORPG.com to sign up!

Get Bigfoot on Your Team

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:55:14 -0600

Bigfoot Networks knows that gaming teams, professional or not, are a critical part of the vibrant online gaming community, and we want to help teams of all sizes be successful with sponsorships and support. If you would like Bigfoot on your team as a sponsor, please send an email with all your information to teams@bigfootnetworks.com. We can help by promoting your team, your events and happenings and in some cases, we’ll even provide prizes, giveaways and other support to make your team a success. Drop us a line and get Bigfoot on your team.

Rod Trotter Keeps the Hit Coming with Emotional Deathmatch

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:21:25 -0600

Rod Trotter, the musician who sings of ping and online gaming, has released another great tune - Emotional Deathmatch. This is his latest free release to the Internet in celebration of his Online Gaming PC Giveaway contest that he is running in conjunction with us. If you haven't signed up for the contest yet, then you're definitely missing out! Head over to RodTrotter.com and sign up - and also head over to his Facebook profile and fan page to become a fan and friend for a chance to win some great weekly prizes. While you're at it, give a listen to some of his other great gaming-inspired tunes.

BuyTV Shows Off the Killer Xeno Pro

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:29:38 -0600

Buy.com, one of the biggest online retail sites out there, is featuring the Killer Xeno Pro on BuyTV. This video, done by our very own Keith Washo, gives a great overview of the Xeno, what it does, and how it is designed to help you in your online gaming. So, take a peek at the video below, and check out Buy.com for the Killer Xeno Pro

Death By Lag - In 140 Characters or Less

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:05:13 -0600

You've been there. Heck, we've all been there. You've gotten into a great groove in your favorite online game, and then suddenly you find your screen frozen for a half second too long and the gernade that you normally would have avoided with no problem has suddenly blown up in your face and you're waiting for a respawn.

Frustrating! And now you can vent your frustrations and have a chance to win some great Killer Bling at the same time. How? Simple! Follow us on Twitter, and tweet about your worst lag death using the hashtag #bfnendlag. The best of the worst will be taking home some great swag!

So, start the the new year off right this January by sharing your past experiences to help make 2010 the Year to End Lag!

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Have A Great 2010

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:20:12 -0600

As 2009 draws to a close, we would like to wish you all a happy New Year. It has been a good and eventful run through 2009, and we're looking forward to seeing what new horizons the next year will bring. We have plenty of great plans, and you will hopefully be seeing some pretty awesome stuff from us in 2010. So, keep an eye out, and above all else, have a safe and happy New Years!

There's Still a Chance to Win an Online Gaming PC and Other Great Prizes from Rod Trotter

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:02:05 -0600

Rod Trotter is still running his Online Gaming PC Giveaway and there is still a chance to win a high-octane machine from him. So, be sure to head on over to RodTrotter.com to enter into the contest, and while you're there, be sure to check out some of his great tunes, like Life is Slow (On the Road). However, even if you have entered into the Giveaway, this fantastic machine isn't the only thing up for grabs. Rod has been giving away some great prizes to those who become a fan and/or friend of him on Facebook. In fact, this week he's giving away Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard!

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Watch the Killer Xeno Pro Remove Symptoms of Lag from EverQuest 2

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:03:54 -0600

Lag is ever-present in Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Games, even though you may think it might not be there. Slow updates are one of the most major symptoms of lag that can be deadly in gameplay, even in great games like EverQuest II. But please note that lag is not caused by the game; Everquest II is not the problem here. Many times, the problem is outdated networking components inside your PC which slows network traffic and delays updates to and from your game. With that in mind, take a look at our latest game case study to witness the Killer Xeno Pro removing the problem of slow updates.

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Two Ways to Win a Killer Xeno Pro from One of the World's Best eSports Teams, Fnatic

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:01:46 -0600

Fnatic is giving you the opportunity to win a Killer Xeno Pro - and not only that, they're giving you two ways to win it. Much like our recent Facebook contest, if you are a fan of both Fnatic and Bigfoot Networks on Facebook, just post up why you want a Killer Xeno Pro and you will be automatically entered into the contest to win one of two cards. That isn't all though, as Fnatic is also holding a Wallpaper contest over at their site right now. So, if you're an artist, and heck, even if you aren't, head on over to their website to find out further details.

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Unidentified Flying Daevas Spotted Again - Over Canada, Offering an Alienware Aurora Desktop and Copies of Aion

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:29:33 -0600

Not long ago, Unidentified Flying Daevas were spotted souring in the skies over the United States, offering tempting gifts like an Alienware Aurora Desktop and copies of NCSoft's Aion. However, according to ZAM, these Daevas have returned once again, but now over Canada. That's right - Canadians are now able to head over to the ZAM website to sign up for the latest Unidentified Flying Daeva's contest, and their chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Fan Bigfoot Networks on Facebook for a Chance to Win a Killer Xeno Pro!

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:21:55 -0600

If you're looking for a chance to grab a Killer Xeno Pro, SK-Gaming is giving you your chance: Head over to the Bigfoot Networks Facebook page and become a fan. After that, post up why you would like a Killer Xeno Gaming Network Card to our wall (perhaps because you want smoother, more reseponsive online gameplay). Finally, become a fan of SK-Gaming as well, to be entered into a drawing for one of two Xeno Pros!

Last Chance to Get Into the iBuyPower 10th Anniversary Giveaway!

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:50:56 -0600

iBuyPower is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a contest of truly epic proportions. and tonight is your last chance to get involved. They are giving away one of their newly released, and slick looking Chimera 2 gaming computers, each of which include a Killer Xeno Pro, making them ideal for your online gaming needs. That isn't all though, contestants will also have a chance to bring home one of 11 copies of NCSoft's hottest new MMO: Aion. So, head on over to iBuyPower for a chance to get into this great giveaway!

Bigfoot Networks Dashboard Releases!

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:24:38 -0600

Bigfoot Networks Dashboard – the only all-in-one utility to help you look “behind the scenes” of your Online Gaming PC and your network connection – has now officially launched! Use Dashboard to check your Internet latency, see your framerate in online games, check the workload of your network card and more. It works with any network card. To make it more useful, you can save and analyze this data for later, or see it real-time on your Logitech G-series Gaming Keyboards. Download Dashboard here, check out the Quick Setup Guide, and learn more about Dashboard and how to use it here. For a list of the changes from the Beta version, see the Release Notes.

Thanks to everyone who tried out the beta and submitted their feedback!

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New Xeno Pro Drivers Released! 5.0.3.0-19

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:38:34 -0600

New Drivers for the Killer Xeno Pro are here! We’ve fixed bugs and improved compatibility, but most importantly, we’ve improved performance across the board. This is a highly recommended upgrade for all Killer Xeno Pro owners. You can download the driver here and check out the changes in the release notes here.

FIXES IN THIS RELEASE
*General
- Optimized performance for UDP and TCP traffic.
- Fixed compatibility issues with selected online games.
- Fixed compatibility issue on selected PCs that caused improper wake from sleep.
- Optimized numerous low-level firmware and driver operations.
- Improved compatibility with certain hardware configurations.

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M1 and K1 Driver Update Coming in January

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:29:02 -0600

While we are currently working on new drivers for the Killer Xeno Pro, Bigfoot Networks is also developing new, native drivers for the M1 and K1 Killer NIC Gaming Network cards. These drivers will bring native Windows 7 support for both 32 and 64bit flavors, as well as other fixes for the various operating systems that we currently support. Users of these cards can expect an update next month, where we will first release a Beta driver, followed by a stable release.

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The Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge Has Begun at Alienware Arena!

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:50:27 -0600

Today marks the beginning of the Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge being held at Alienware Arena! 128 six-player teams will be competing head to head in a series of matches in this great Team Fortress 2 tournament for the chance to win their share of $2,279.94 in cash and prizes, including items such as the Killer Xeno Pro. The challenge will be running until January 30th, where we will find out who the best of the best will be. Good luck to all those who entered!

Rod Trotter's Online Gaming PC Giveaway

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:58:48 -0600

Bigfoot Networks has teamed up with Rod Trotter and a variety of great partners to bring you an exciting new contest: Rod Trotter's Online Gaming PC Giveaway! Rod, who is renowned for his music about online gaming and networking, has signed on with Bigfoot Networks to help drive him back to the top. To celebrate, he is offering up a high-octane online gaming PC, complete with a Killer Xeno Pro to a lucky winner. Not only that, but those of you who enter into the contest, and become a friend and/or fan of Rod Trotter on Facebook will have a chance to win great weekly prizes!

So, head on over to RodTrotter.com for more information on the contest and your chance to win!

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Sk-Gaming 1v1 Counter Srike Aim Tournament

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:21:37 -0600

This weekend, 64 gamers will be pitted against each other in a Counter Strike 1.6 Tournament being held by SK-Gaming, one of the top professional esport teams in Europe, and also one of our sponsored teams. Battling each other on aim_map, the first place winner will be taking home their very own Xeno Pro, along with the chance to face one of SK-Gaming's top professional players of their choices. As a special bonus, the winner who scores the most frags in one game will also be bringing home a Xeno Pro as well!

For more information, head over to SK-Gaming's site, and be sure to check back to find out who the talented winner of this tournament will be.

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Bigfoot Networks Launches Dashboard Beta - An All-In-One Utility For Your Online Gaming PC's Statistics

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:41:49 -0600

Bigfoot Networks introduces Bigfoot Networks Dashboard – the only all-in-one utility to help you look “behind the scenes” of your Online Gaming PC and your network connection. Use Dashboard to check your Internet latency, see your framerate in online games, check the workload of your network card and more. It works with any network card. To make it more useful, you can save and analyze this data for later, or see it real-time on your Logitech G-series Gaming Keyboards. Download Dashboard here, check out the Quick Setup Guide, and learn more about Dashboard and how to use it here.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

iBuyPower 10th Anniversary Giveaway - Win a Chimera 2 with a Killer Xeno Pro!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:41:16 -0600

iBuyPower is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a contest of truly epic proportions. They are giving away two of their newly released, and slick looking Chimera 2 gaming computers, each of which include a Killer Xeno Pro, making them ideal for your online gaming needs. That isn't all though, contestants will also have a chance to bring home one of 11 copies of NCSoft's hottest new MMO: Aion. So, head on over to iBuyPower for a chance to get into this great giveaway!

[Join the Forum Discussion]

Picture of the Week: Austin vs California - Fridge Battle

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:14:38 -0600

This week, we are actually featuring two pictures: One out of the Austin, Texas office, and the other one out of Redwood City, California. However, the real question is, which image came from which office? Can you tell in this true battle of the Fridges?

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Bigfoot Networks Secures $8 Million Series B Funding and a New VP of Engineering and Board of Director Member

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:30:55 -0600

Things have been pretty interesting over here at Bigfoot Networks, and as a result, I'm here with two major announcements from the company: We've raised a substantial amount in funding, we've brought aboard a new VP of Engineering, Wayne Dunlap, and industry veteran, Greg Ballard, has come to our Board of Directors. This great news will better enable us to move forward with strengthening out products and advance us in the battle against lag. You can see the full press release here.

REDWOOD CITY, CA—November 17, 2009—Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer line of gaming network cards, today announced it has raised $8 million in a Series B financing round led by existing investors North Bridge Venture Partners, Palomar Ventures and Raven Venture Partners. It will use the investment to fund product development and expand its go-to-market capabilities. Bigfoot Networks has raised a total of $20.75 million in funding to date.

Wayne Dunlap, Vice President, Engineering
Wayne directs development of the company's high-performance online gaming technology. As former CTO and vice president of engineering at Polycom, Wayne brings extensive experience in networking and data communications. At Polycom's Video Solutions Division he was instrumental in creating the top-ranked HDX high-definition videoconferencing product line. Prior to Polycom, Wayne held technical lead and senior engineering positions with Wang Laboratories, Nomadic Systems, and The Complete PC. He has several US patents in visual collaboration.

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New Xeno Beta Drivers Released

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:04:28 -0600

We’ve posted Beta drivers for the Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card in our downloads section. These offer better performance, more stability and some bug fixes. Click here to go to our download section and find the driver for your version of Windows. Make sure to check the README file for our beta release notes. Just remember, this is a Beta release, and we would love to hear your feedback on the forums as we work to complete these drivers for a final release.

Windows 7, Online Games, and Xeno

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:40:50 -0600

Lately, with the launch of Windows 7 and its touted improvements over Windows Vista, we’ve been asked repeatedly “Why would I need a Killer Xeno Pro if I’ve upgraded to Windows 7? I hear it’s faster.”

That may be true for some tasks – Windows 7 has a smaller memory footprint all around, and lots of work has been done to make sure it only runs the stuff you need, rather than the stuff you might need. No longer will your desktop PC run tablet PC services, unless you really want them to.

The same might not be true for online gaming. Your mileage may vary – some gamers have reported better game performance than games in Vista, and others have reported game performance approaching that of Windows XP. As always, your best bet is to try it yourself with your favorite game.

However, one thing we can be sure of is this: The Network Stack used in Windows 7 is identical to the Network Stack used in Windows Vista. That means that the benefit of bypassing that stack for online games is just the same. If a game packet takes the same amount of time to run through Vista as it does with Win 7, then offloading that game traffic still provides the same benefit.

And that hypothesis holds true in our internal tests as well as the reports of our beta testers – using a Killer Xeno Pro in Windows 7 still provides less lag and smoother gameplay than using a standard, non-gaming NIC.

For more background, you can read more about Windows networking technology here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista_networking_technologies

[Join the Forum Discussion]

The Maingear Shift 'Desktop Supercomputer' Features the Xeno Pro

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:11:48 -0600

While IBM's Blue Gene and Roadrunner are well out of the budget of just about everyone in the world, there is no doubt that Supercomputers like them are just undeniably cool - well, at least if you're a geek, which we are. However, according to PC manufacturer Maingear, Supercomputers aren't quite out of the question if you're looking for something a bit smaller. They are introducing The Maingear Shift - a desktop supercomputer that packs one heck of a punch when it comes to specifications, including Intel's Core i7 and Xeon Processors, very high end graphics with ATI, and NVIDIA options, up to twelve SSDs, and yes, the Killer Xeno Pro.

Head over to Maingear's site to take a look at the two builds available to be purchased. Both the P55 and X58 versions also offer extremely extensive customization options, so by all means, have a blast specing out your own miniature supercomputer.

[Join the Forum Discussion]

SK Gaming Wins IEF 2009, Team Dignitas and Fnatic in Cadred's Top 10!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:36:48 -0600

Recent history has been quite eventful for several of Bigfoot Networks sponsored eSports teams. SK Gaming has claimed victory over wNv Teamwork CN, making them the champions of the International Esports Festival of 2009! Congratulations are definitely in order for some very well played gaming and a deserved prize. However, SK Gaming aren't the only ones with something to be happy about. Team Dignitas and Fnatic have both placed on Cadred's European Top 10 list for Counter Strike: Source, claiming second and sixth on the list, respectively.

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View Bigfoot Networks Videos over at YouTube

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:47:10 -0500

While plenty of great news ends up on this blog, and there's plenty of activity over at our Facebook and Twitter pages, these are far from the only places where you can learn more about Bigfoot Networks, our sponsored teams, or just to have some fun and kill time. Among those places is one of the most popular sites on the Internet, and the number one video sharing site in the world: YouTube. So, for some great videos, check out the Bigfoot Networks YouTube channel.

The Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge Comes to Alienware Arena

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:14:15 -0500

The Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge will be coming to Alienware Arena, allowing players from the United States and Canada to test their skills in one of the most critically acclaimed online games in the world: Team Fortress 2. Teams will be able to compete against each other beginning on November 23rd, with the championship match on January 23rd. The winners will be taking home their share of a $1,500 cash prize pool, as well as a set of Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Cards. The Bigfoot Killer Edge Challenge page on the Alienware Arena site features the sign up information, as well as further details on the tournament.

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GeoCities Shuts Down Today

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:56:18 -0500

If you've been hanging around the Internet for a fair while (even more so around the 90s), you're more likely than not familiar with a little place known as GeoCities. While no, it certainly has nothing to do with online gaming - aside from thousands of old gaming fansites - it is pretty significant to the history of the Internet. GeoCities was that place, before blogs, were any random person was basically able to put up a website. However, given that there wasn't fancy pre-designed templates like on today's web, it was also famous for some pretty bad web design. Still, back in the day, there was plenty to find and discover on GeoCities. Today, however, that old (and fairly sizable) chunk of the Internet is going dark. So, in a little tribute to this old, sometimes frightening, and occasionally useful piece of history, check out the temporarily redesigned website for the online web comic XKCD for a little glimpse into the past.

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Picture of the Week: Godzilla vs the Test Room

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:12:39 -0500

This week's Picture of the Week features a nice section of our test room, where we test out the cards, the drivers, and also our performance in games. The room features a number of computer and installs of every supported OS. Also, it apparently houses other dangers:

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Windows 7 Launches - Bigfoot Offers Our Support

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:35:36 -0500

Today marks the release of the latest version of Windows: Windows 7. Microsoft has been getting plenty of positive buzz about Windows 7 from tech sites, beta users, and gamers alike - and you can check out some benchmarks to see what you can expect from your favorite games in Windows 7 over at Driver Heaven - and there is plenty of hype around this release. With plenty of new features and solid performance, no doubt there are plenty of people who will be replacing their old OS. However, the release of a new operating system always creates a few fears for people who are planning on upgrading, and the biggest of those is hardware compatibility. Don't worry though, Bigfoot has you covered:

The Killer Xeno Pro has Windows 7 drivers available for both Windows 7 32bit and Windows 7 64bit flavors.

If you are running with an M1 or K1, then don't fear. We have tested and ensured that our Vista drivers work under Windows 7 as well, and have released compatibility versions of them. You can grab them for both 32bit and 64bit as well. You can also find out more information on M1 and K1 compatibility here.

Congratulations to Microsoft for a great release!

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Bigfoot Networks Partners with VisionTek to Bring Killer Xeno Pro to Online Gamers

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:06:10 -0500

Today, Bigfoot Networks is proud to announce our new partnership with VisionTek, a leading consumer PC peripherals company, to license and distribute the Killer Xeno Pro. This will allow gamers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia to have access to the only network card designed to accelerate online game traffic and provide smoother, more responsive network gameplay, in a greater number of online and retail channels. To view the full press releases, see below.

Bigfoot Networks Press Release:
Bigfoot Networks PARTNERS with VISIONTEK TO BRING KILLER® XENO PRO to ONLINE GAMERS

VisionTek Press Release:
VisionTek and Bigfoot Networks Partner to Revolutionize PC Gaming

[Join the Forum Discussion]

REDWOOD CITY, CA – October 21, 2009 – Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer® line of gaming network cards, today announced a partnership with VisionTek, a leading consumer PC peripherals company, to license and distribute the Killer Xeno Pro, the only network card designed to accelerate online game traffic and provide smoother, more responsive network gameplay.

VisionTek will distribute the Killer Xeno Pro through online and retail channels in Asia, Europe and North America, giving millions of online PC gamers the opportunity to play today’s bandwidth-intensive games under optimum conditions, with minimal lag and maximum control.

Unidentified Flying Daevas - Grand Prize Winner Announced!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:42:19 -0500

Congratulations to B. Brady, winner of ZAM's Unidentified Flying Daevas contest, who will be receiving an Alienware Aurora Desktop complete with a copy of the hottest new MMO on the market, NCSoft's Aion! While this brings a close to this latest contest, even if you didn't win this time around, be sure to keep your eyes pealed for future chances to snag yourself some great prizes.

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Examiner.com - How Bigfoot Can Improve Your PC Gaming

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:38:24 -0500

The Examiner of Houston has an interview up on their site with Sean McCann, the Product Marketing Manager over here at Bigfoot Networks. This excellent interview does a great job of explaining where Bigfoot Networks came from, how our cards work, how they can benefit your gaming experience, and what we might be up to for the future. If you're curious to learn more about Bigfoot, even if you aren't the most technically savvy person, you should be able to get quite a bit out of this article.

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The Six Daily Unidentified Flying Daevas Winners Announced - Grand Prize Still Out There

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:24:11 -0500

The six daily winners Unidentified Flying Daevas contest have been announced. Congratulations to all of the winners! We hope that you enjoy your Bigfoot Networks swag, as well as the copy of Aion! However, the final, grand prize is still up for grabs for those of you who have signed up. One lucky winner will be taking home their very own Alienware Aurora Desktop and copy of NCSoft's Aion.

The daily winners are as follows:

Day 1: W. Jones
Day 2: R. Laskowsky
Day 3: H. Edwards
Day 4: L. Maslyn
Day 5: S. Lewis
Day 6: G. Confer

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Fnatic Opens Signups for PLAY: StarCraft 1vs1

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:01:09 -0500

Open to the entire StarCraft community (with the exception of Chinese players), Fnatic is taking signups for the latest PLAY tournament, featuring some classic 1vs1 action in Blizzard's legendary RTS StarCraft. Up to 128 players will be able to compete in this tournament, which will begin at 2:00pm CET on Sunday, October 18th. Not only that, but the winner will be taking home $100 and their very own Killer Xeno Pro. Second place will also be picking up a Xeno, and the third place winner will receive some great Fnatic apparel. Be sure to head over to Fnatic's site to get the full details.

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Unidentified Flying Daevas - First Daily Winner - All Daily Winners to Receive Aion!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:07:56 -0500

The first daily winner for ZAM's Unidentified Flying Daevas Contest has been announced. Congratulations to W. Jones! They will be taking home an assortment of great Bigfoot Networks swag. However, not only that, but the stakes of this contest just got a little higher. W. Jones and all the daily winners will now be receiving a copy of Aion, in addition to the Bigfoot Networks swag! No longer reserved for the grand prized winner - although that Alienware Aurora Desktop sure is nice! - all the winners will be receiving a copy of the latest, hottest, and highly rated MMO on the market: Aion! If you haven't entered yet, then what are you waiting for? Head over to ZAM for your chance to win these amazing prizes.

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Win an Alienware Aurora Desktop, a Copy of Aion, and Bigfoot Networks Swag at ZAM!

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:52:35 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is teaming up with Alienware, NCSoft, and the ZAM Network for a great new contest - Unidentified Flying Daevas! Head on over to ZAM to enter into the contest for a chance to win a decked out and powerful Alienware Aurora Desktop with a copy of the latest and hottest MMO on the market: Aion. Along with that, six other winners will be taking home some great swag from Bigfoot Networks. Don't miss out on a great chance to take home some truly epic prizes!

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Alienware:
Alienware, Dell’s premier high-performance PC gaming brand, offers unique and award-winning computers that incorporate innovative engineering and are designed with state-of-the-art components. Credited as being one of the first PC gaming hardware manufacturers, Alienware remains committed towards creating industry-leading trends in the high-performance gaming arena. Alienware manufactures a diverse selection of customizable high-performance desktops, notebooks and gaming peripherals that attract a broad range of customers who demand world class performance and design.

Alienware Aurora:
The Aurora is the most upgradeable MicroATX desktop, as well as the smallest mid-sized desktop, Alienware has ever created.

Combining technologies such as a MicroATX motherboard, a liquid cooled CPU, an Intel® X58 chipset with support for dual PCI-Express x16 slots for multi-GPU support, and dual triple-channel DDR3 memory there is an exceptional gaming experience to be had for gamers of every skill-level and enthusiasts who would like to perform upgrades to their system in the future.

In addition to an exceptional gaming experience, the new industrial design available in two colors incorporates several functional features and an AlienFX™ lighting system allowing the user to customize his desktop with up to 160 thousand possible accent lighting color combinations.

Don't Leave Yourself Open - Alienware Aurora and Xeno

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:01:39 -0500

Every gamer out there loves the feeling of powering up their rig and knowing it will run their favorite games the way they want. From the moment you press the power button and hear the fans spin up, it's like starting the engine on a race car. I got that feeling powering up the new Alienware Aurora desktop.

With so much talk about the CPU, memory, and video card, people too often forget the benefit of having the right network card. Alienware knows our customers demand the best of the best for their system which is why you can equip them with Bigfoot Network's Killer Xeno Pro.

What makes the difference you ask? No matter how fast your system is, you are still ruled by the network. With the Xeno, that isn't a problem anymore. It prioritizes online game traffic, which reduces lag and gives you smoother, more responsive online gameplay.

You have your video card giving its all to your game, you have your CPU and memory giving its all to your game, so why not your network card? Everyone knows response time is the key in online gaming. From headshots to clutch heals, a second of lag can leave you dead. With the Killer Xeno Pro's intelligent bandwidth control, all your applications, like voice chat and web surfing, are allocated to your specifications. Add to that the gaming firewall which runs off of your card, not you're CPU, and you're all set.

Simply put, the Aurora customized with the Killer Xeno Pro completes your ultimate gaming setup. Go ahead and try online gaming without it – that will just make you a much easier target.

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Picture of the Week - A New Feature

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:03:17 -0500

Today I'd like to announce a new feature to the Bigfoot Networks Blog: the Picture of the Week. For the most part, these images will revolve around the Bigfoot office, our employees, activities, and other related things. This is your chance to get to see what life here is like, and I can say from personal experience that you'll be able to see a lot of fun images from what is a great working environment - and also get a glimpse into some of the work that goes into the cards. So, without further delay, I'll start you off with The Community Cube:

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NETGEAR Launches RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router - Bigfoot Networks as a Partner

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:26:16 -0500

NETGEAR, a leading world-wide provider in networking solutions, has announced their latest offering: the RangeMAX Wireless-N Gigabit Router, which comes complete with USB and powerful OpenSource Linux Platform for Developers. Along with this new developer platform, NETGEAR is bringing aboard several companies into their new Developer Partner Program, and Bigfoot Networks is among them. We are excited to be participating in this program where we will be able to further ensure gamers can experience the best that online gaming has to offer.

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A Community of Developers

The NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router with USB is supported by a dedicated opensource router community, http://www.myopenrouter.com, which provides opensource firmware downloads, applications, forums, blogs, articles, source code and user guides. Members also have access to dedicated and responsive support from opensource experts.

NETGEAR is also introducing a Development Partner Program that already includes several software application vendors who are creating custom applications for the WNR3500L router that NETGEAR customers can download and enjoy. Companies include:

BigFoot Networks – network optimized online gaming
Bigfoot Networks (http://www.bigfootnetworks.com) is a networking technology company that develops hardware and software solutions that significantly improve the online gaming experience. Bigfoot Networks is currently working with the NETGEAR WNR3500L router to deliver optimized home networking solutions for online gamers that combine the performance benefits and flexibility of the Bigfoot Networks Killer Xeno Pro and the WNR3500L router.

...

September Newsletter

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:48:04 -0500

The Bigfoot Networks September Newsletter went out just yesterday. However, if you haven't signed up to receive the newsletter yet, that doesn't mean that you're going to miss out on the information. You can check out the full newsletter here, but be sure to sign up to get the next one!

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Bigfoot Networks Forum Makeover

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:26:43 -0500

You might notice a few changes when you head over to the forums today, and hopefully ones that'll make your visit all the better. We've implemented a few alterations that should help make the forums more organized, friendly to use, and a more effective place to communicate. Along with the visual changes, we've also made a few other tweaks, including turning the World of WarCraft forum into a general game discussion forum, and also adding a forum for News/Blog discussion. In fact, I encourage you to use the latter to provide some feedback on what you think of the changes!

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Team Dignitas Player Takes Home a Nissan 350z

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:50:42 -0500

It looks like Team Dignitas has been pretty busy of late. The professional gaming team - and one sponsored by us - has participated in the Grand Final of the Need for Speed Shift UK Championship, where their very own Steven 'Stune' Embling won the tournament! Not only that, but this talented gamer is also taking home a Nissan 350z. This sports car, worth £30000 - roughly US$48000 - is no small prize, but one well deserved for a great game played.

Congratulations!

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Hello Everyone.

Today Team Dignitas will be part of a very special gaming event in the UK. The Grand Final of the Need For Speed Shift UK Championship was held at the Thorpe Park in Chertsey. About 50 participants tried to set the fastest lap, amongst them were our racers Steven 'Stune' Embling and Dave 'Daveyskills' Kelly. The winner of the event put on by EA and Game would go on to win a brand new Nissan 350z sports car!

I am very pleased to announced that Steven 'Stune' Embling won the tournament and the £30000 Nissan 350z sports car!

Newspost - http://www.team-dignitas.org/index.php?id=8939

Gallery - http://www.team-dignitas.org/gallery.php?gid=402&fid=2

We would like to thank EA and Game for putting on such a really cool tournament.

Thank you.

NBC Bay Area - Gaming Grows Up, Featuring Bigfoot Networks

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:15:24 -0500

Recently, Bigfoot Networks was interviewed by NBC Bay Area as part of a feature on gaming. This featured, titled Gaming Grows Up has recently aired, and is now available online. The short piece is rather well done, and we certainly are excited to see Bigfoot Networks so prominently in the video. If you're interested in gaming - and if you're reading this, you most likely are - then head over to the NBC Bay Area site, or the Bigfoot Networks' home page and check it out!

Game Industry Tweet Connects You to Game Developers on Twitter

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:33:07 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is a big fan of Twitter, and while you certainly should already be following us, there are also an awful lot of people on Twitter from the Game Industry, be they game developers, game studios, publishers, journalists, or hardware companies and engineers. I've been using Twitter to get in touch with some of these people and to also keep up with some of the latest breaking news in games. Heck, it even makes for great live-blogging during industry events! However, if you want to join in on the fun and start following some professionals in gaming, then Game Industry Tweet has a pretty giant list of contacts, even including Bigfoot Networks!

Online Gaming - Week in Review 9/11 - 9/18

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:37:00 -0500

George Thorn is back again with another update on online gaming over the past week. Not only that, but he is coming with some fresh knowledge gained from his attendance at this years Austin Game Developers Conference. If you want to keep informed on the latest, biggest news in the online gaming world, be sure to read on!

The Austin Games Developer conference took place this week. Attendance was visibly down on last year - the exhibition show floor was about 2/3 the size and I’d guess there was a similar decline in attendees, as the games industry unsurprisingly reacts to the tough economic climate.

Blizzard provided an interesting keynote that gave some sense of the magnitude of their operation – 13,250 blade servers, 75,000 CPU cores, 112.5 terrabytes of RAM spread over three continents. It seems to me there will only ever be a handful of online games of this magnitude in existence at any one time, and probably none to match the scale of WoW for a very long time to come (except possibly for Blizzard’s “next big thing” - they confirmed they do have another MMO in development).

By contrast, SOE president John Smedley, in his keynote the previous day, made it clear that they are putting a lot of emphasis on “Free Realms” and their attempts to capture a younger audience – Free Realms now has over 5 million registered users, 51% of them younger than 13, and 35% female (as compared to their average audience of 85% 18-34 with only 13% female on their other MMO properties). There are no subscription fees but in-game features can be purchased via their e-store in the game and supposedly business is good. They have ecash-cards placed in most major supermarket chains.

Browser based MMOs were the subject of several presentations and panels. The key attraction for developers was the Flash environment – it is becoming increasingly capable in terms of multimedia capabilities, and it is installed on 97% of all PCs. However it was clear that doing a full 3D MMO in a browser would be a major technical challenge and would not compete with a custom client design in terms of user experience or performance at this time.

Aion Online is gearing up for its official launch on Sept 22. They have announced over 400k pre-sales, making it the largest MMO launch of 2009. They decided to remove the GameGuard anti cheating component for the launch since this had been causing issues for beta players, but they do intend to reintroduce it in a patch at some point soon.

Runes of Magic launches its new expansion The Elven Prophecy this coming week.

SOE is consolidating the number of servers online for their Star Wars Galaxies MMO – down to 13 from 25. Although this is still sufficient to host a large number of players (30K ish?), and it’s certainly better than having deserted shards, it seems that this MMO could be gradually running out of gas.

Eve Online is unique in its single shard design (all players on one server). A good example of how this approach impacts the gameplay experience here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq2oxt7Nrxo CCP says they will have 340k subscribers by year’s end, but they’ve been claiming 300k for over a year, so growth appears to be slow. I also wonder at what point their single-universe design will reach full capacity..?

Not directly relevant to PC gamers, since it is a PS3-only title, but a further blurring of the lines between MMOs and online FPS titles is coming with MAG from Sony (developer is Zipper Interactive). This title will feature “persistence” for players’ characters (similar to the Battlefield series of games), it ups the player count to 256 players on one map, and features team grouping. I hope we see titles like this coming to the PC at some point soon!

Bigfoot Networks at the Austin Game Developers Conference 2009

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:47:30 -0500

Today marks the beginning of the Austin Game Developer's Conference. Numerous tutorials will be held over the course of the day for industry professionals to learn new techniques and brush up on some old ones as well, in what will no doubt be a fun and interesting day. Of course, the three days following will be the true focus of the conference, where many huge names in the game industry will be speaking in keynotes, round-tables, and panels about the current state, and future of, the game industry.

Bigfoot Networks will be sending out a few representatives to the conference this year, so if you're attending, or if you're just hanging around downtown Austin, be sure to keep an eye out for us!

QuakeCon 2009 Interview with Team Dignitas

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:02:47 -0500

While out at QuakeCon this year, Bigfoot Networks met up with two players from Team Dignitas, a professional eSports team who came over from Europe to battle among some of the best gamers in the world.

Architecture + Looks at the Killer NIC

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:42:24 -0500

Architecture +, a blog and virtual world modeling firm, took a look into the future of web technologies. While mentioning things such as 3D browsing, they also brought up voice technologies and, quite prominently in this article, Bigfoot Networks. Intrigued by the Killer NIC, they put together a great summery on the card and its benefits. If you're curious about what the Killer NIC offers, head on over and check out this writeup.

DeBlasio – I think so. And I think video, as it progresses and more and more users increase their expectations of what the video experience is supposed to look like, as they want more and more, video as the consumer of bandwidth that it is, the demands are going to be even more strict. The users will require an online experience that is fast, reliable and of the highest quality.

NCSoft's Aion Enters Open Beta

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:05:35 -0500

Starting last Sunday, NCSoft's MMO-with-wings, Aion, has entered into an Open Beta. Making use of Labor Day weekend, gamers with access to the beta were able to hop into the servers to begin exploring the upcoming, and hotly anticipated, online game. NCSoft celebrated the event with a launch party at PAX, which Bigfoot Networks attended while out at the show.

While NCSoft is no stranger to bringing over Korean MMOs, being a the Korean company who developed Lineage and Lineage 2 after all, they don't always capture the Western audiences as well. Aion promises a change in that trend, and time will tell whether or not it will deliver.

Get EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey With Your Xeno Pro for $99.99

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:50:54 -0500

Now with the purchase of your Xeno Pro, along with a lag-free, smooth gameplay experience, you will be able to explore the vast world of Norrath with a free copy of EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey from the renown Sony Online Entertainment. This includes a free 30 days of play, along with every expansion pack that has been released for EverQuest II. Oh, and just to make it better? The Killer Xeno Pro is now available for $99.99!

To learn more about this offer, and about the Xeno Pro, head over here.

Bigfoot Networks is Headed to PAX 2009!

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:59:13 -0500

Just coming off of a fantastic few weeks at both QuakeCon in Texas, and GamesCom in Germany, Bigfoot Networks is now headed out to the state of Washington for the Penny Arcade Expo; our latest stop in this busy time of year for gaming events. If you will be attending PAX this year, be sure to keep an eye out for us.

We will be posting further updates about the event over the next few days as it officially begins, so be sure to stop by our Twitter and Facebook pages.

Latest Xeno Pro Drivers Now Up on the Downloads Page

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:19:26 -0500

The latest and greatest drivers for the Xeno Pro are now up on the download page of the site. If you haven't upgraded yet, and you have a Xeno Pro, then head on over and grab the update! We've been hearing a lot of positive feedback on these drivers, so hopefully you'll be able to enjoy performance benefits beyond what you even see now with your Killer NIC. The upgraded features and the on-card firewall should also make this update more than worthwhile.

Scott Budman and NBC Bay Area Visit Bigfoot

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:21:23 -0500

The Bigfoot Networks' Californian office was paid a visit by Scott Budman and NBC Bay Area. They held an interview that Bigfoot was happy to be a part of, and shot some footage as part of their upcoming feature on gaming. Be sure to stay tuned for this feature, which should be airing in September.

Check our Facebook page for a few images from the event.

GamesCom 2009 Pictures!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:19:53 -0500

Bigfoot Networks was able to head out to Cologne, Germany recently for the first ever GamesCom, a new show for the game industry that made big promises for greatness and certainly delivered on them. Some major news came out of the show this year, including the European release of the Killer Xeno Pro!

While out at the show, we were able to get some images of the event. Be sure to check them out!

New Xeno Pro Driver Released

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:41:35 -0500

Just in case you missed it, the Killer Xeno Pro has a new driver release! The new driver has a number of great new features, like improved Bandwidth control, the hardware firewall, and numerous fixes and refinements. Users are already reporting great improvements in their gaming with the new driver! So, be sure to head on over here to grab the update.

New eSports Sponsorships

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:18:34 -0500

Did you know that Bigfoot Networks sponsors professional eSports teams? Our growing list of sponsored teams feature some of the very best players in the world, who routinely attend major tournaments, and for them, winning is no uncommon thing. If you follow eSports, then you may recognize the names of Fnatic, ESC Gaming, n!faculty, SK Gaming, and Team Dignitas. You can check out the teams on our current Sponsored Teams page, or even head over to their websites individually.

You can learn more about our new sponsored teams in this release.

You can also read press releases from the teams:

Team Dignitas
Fnatic
SK Gaming
n!faculty (German)

European Online Gaming PC Vendors Choose Bigfoot Networks

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:39:17 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is proud to announce the European availability of the Xeno Pro! In addition to online gaming PCs from existing partners, including Dell, Alienware and CyberPower, Killer Xeno Pro cards will now be integrated into Combat Ready, Massive Machine, Scan Computers, UltimateFX, UltraForce and Zykon Systems PCs.

To find out more information on the European launch, check the full press release here.

Howie's Tournament, Mission Viejo, CA - 5 Xeno Pros Up for Grab!

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:03:44 -0500

GamesiPLAY.NET is teaming up with Howie's Game Shack for a Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare tournament in Mission Viejo, California. The tournament will be held on August 22nd at 12pm, and will feature 5 vs. 5 Search and Destroy gameplay. They are currently looking for 50 people, or 10 teams, to battle it out. However, Howie's can support over 200 players, and the more players the better.

The entry fee of $20 gets you an All-Day-Pass at Howie's, one personal pizza, one Monster beverage, and access to the tournament. However, if that isn't enough, you will be playing for your very own Xeno Pro!

Bigfoot Networks and EVGA are happy to announce that each player of the winning team will receive their very own card!

QuakeCon Killer Xeno Pro Winners!

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:45:18 -0500

QuakeCon was a great event this year, and Bigfoot Networks was happy to have been a part of it. We were able to meet with a huge number of fans, no less than a legion of gamers, and had a fantastic time doing so. Not only that, we were able to give four lucky winners their very own Killer Xeno Pro! Each day of the three-day long contest, we handed out a new card to a lucky winner, with a bonus forth card on the last day of QuakeCon.

Our first winner was Alejandro "Orcid" Guerra, with Les Mercatoris winning the card on day two of the event - who was lucky enough to have his sister Tanya snag the card for him! On day three, Wesley Day was the winner, with Chihi Wu claiming the bonus card. You can see pictures of the winners with their prizes over here.

Congratulations!

Bigfoot Heads to GamesCom in Cologne, Germany

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:39:38 -0500

Fresh from our trip to QuakeCon, Bigfoot Networks is heading to Germany for the upcoming GamesCom! GamesCom is a new event that is being held in conjunction with the Game Developers Conference Europe, which is currently going on right now, and will begin on the last day of the GDC. Game companies such as Sony, EA, Activision, Blizzard, Square Enix, and Microsoft will be showing off some of the most anticipated upcoming titles.

Bigfoot will be joining up with the German-based, online game publisher, Frogster, so be sure to stop by the booth! As an added bonus to everything else that we will be handing out, the first ten people who bring us their Bigfoot dog tags from last year will receive our Killer Bling in return. Don't miss out on a chance to get this unique wearable!

Bigfoot Networks Featured in Dell's Back to School Special

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:42:03 -0500

This year's annual Back to School promotion from Dell is sure to bring a smile to the face of any student hoping to relieve a little stress from long classes and piles of homework with a brand new gaming machine. Included in this year's promotion, along with Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Intel, is Bigfoot Networks. We are supplying our own Killer NICs for your online gaming needs. As an added bonus, at Dell's Back to School site, you can check out a series of Video Answers straight from Bigfoot Networks.

There are 10 days left on this promotion, which features some nice discounts, so don't let this one slip by!

Bigfoot Networks at QuakeCon 2009

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:10:46 -0500

As some of you might know, today marks the first day of QuakeCon, the largest free LAN party in the world, and the largest in North America, period. Along with the thousands of gamers from around the world who are flocking to the Texan event, is Bigfoot Networks. We have our own booth at the event, complete with our own selection of bling and swag.

If you are attending QuakeCon, be sure to check out the booth. For everyone else, we will be posting updates about the event to both our Twitter and Facebook pages. Be sure to check them out!

iBuyPower Release New Chimera Killer Special Edition Gaming PCs

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:36:37 -0500

iBuyPower, the California-based PC manufacturer with an eye on gaming performance, has released two new user-configurable models of the Chimera Killer Special Edition. These gaming PCs come complete with an Intel i7 or Phenom II processor, up to 8GB of RAM, dual graphics cards, 760GB hard drives, and most importantly of all: a Killer Xeno Pro!

Bigfoot Networks Joins the PC Gaming Alliance

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:07:25 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is proud to announce that we are one of the newest members to the PC Gaming Alliance, the non-profit consortium created to promote the PC Gaming Industry. We hope that we will be able to provide valuable contributions to the organization that will help to grow the industry as a whole.

You can view the full press release here.

Bigfoot Networks Named AlwaysOn Global 250 Winner

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:47:27 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is proud to announce that we have been named to the AlwaysOn Global 250 list. AlwaysOn Global 250 winners are private, emerging technology companies that are creating new business opportunities in high-growth markets.

Read the full press release

NetworkWorld Podcast: How Gamers Can Improve Your Network

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:02:00 -0500

Network World sat down with John Drewry of Bigfoot Networks™ to talk about how gamers deal with "lag." Listen to the podcast on Network World's website.

Bigfoot Networks™ at Comic-con

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:27:33 -0500

Bigfoot Networks™ is going to Sony Online Entertainment’s Fourth Annual Block Party, July 25th 2009. Come and enjoy the food and fun, get some of our world-famous K-Bling, and maybe win of the EVGA Killer™ Xeno™ Pro gaming network cards that we’re giving away at the event!

Jon Peddie Research finds that Killer™ Xeno™ Pro provides “a clear performance benefit…”

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:39:06 -0500

After extensive testing of the Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Xeno™ Pro Card, Jon Peddie Research announced the results of the tests. Some application during gameplay showed improvements in online performance as high as 58%! Visit the Jon Peddie Research website to read the press release and download the free white paper.

App Mode vs. Game Mode

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:30:09 -0500

The Killer NIC® and Killer Xeno™ support two different modes of use: App Mode and Game Mode. What is the difference between these two? Let’s take a look:

Game Mode: Game mode is the accelerated mode. It installs a bypass around the sluggish Windows networking stack and inserts a custom Linux network stack more designed for low latency operation. It also offloads UDP data from your CPU onto the Killer’s own networking processor (NPU). These two features help to reduce lag and improve the overall gameplay of online games.

App Mode: App Mode is the unaccelerated mode. It disables UDP offload and the Windows network stack bypass the Killer offers. It is designed for use with any application you may use that requires the Windows network stack to be present. The list is getting shorter and shorter with each driver update, but one example is VPN software. A VPN looks for certain parts of the Windows network stack just to function. You might notice that you just can’t connect to these while in LLR Game Mode, so your solution is to switch the Killer to App Mode just while using these programs.

It is usually okay to remain in LLR Game Mode. As long as you can connect to all your applications, there’s no reason to switch to App Mode. The only time to make the switch is if something just won’t connect. If for some reason it won’t connect in either mode (when you know it should), you may want to contact tech support.

Bandwidth vs. Latency

Wed, 20 May 2009 09:31:41 -0500

There are two factors in online gaming when it comes to your internet connection: bandwidth and latency. Let’s review on what each of them means:

Bandwidth – The average rate of successful data transfer through a communications path (usually measured in KB/s or Mb/s – that’s megabits, not megabytes! See below)
Latency – The time it takes for data to be passed from the source to a server and back again (usually measured in milliseconds)

Let’s say you’ve got a 10Mb connection through your ISP. A common mistake is assuming you can download things at 10 megabytes per second. A 10 megabit connection means you can download things at roughly 1 megabyte per second over the internet. But even with this fast connection, you still get lag in your online games. What gives?

Bandwidth is a good thing to have when performing tasks such as large file transfers or streaming video. The more bandwidth you have, the more data it can shove through your Ethernet cable and the faster you’ll get things transferred. Unfortunately, optimizing your connection for heavy bandwidth (like the Windows network stack does) actually hinders your latency for things like online gaming.

The most important part of a connection for online games is latency. We all know what it’s like to put the crosshairs on someone’s head, only to pull the trigger and see them jump 10 feet ahead and you come off with a miss. This is an effect of high latency. The Killer NIC® is designed for online gaming, so the primary focus is alleviating this latency problem. By replacing the throughput-optimized Windows stack with a latency-optimized Linux networking stack, you might see a slight decrease in the transfer rates you’re used to in terms of throughput (and I do mean slight), but you will also see an increase in your gaming performance. But don’t worry about your downloads; the decrease in speed will usually only be present when transferring very large files over a LAN. Common internet bandwidth should remain constant.

Bottom Line: The Windows networking stack and a big bandwidth connection will help you for non-gaming applications, but for gaming, the Killer NIC will produce the low latency connection you need to compete.

Killer NIC® and the Tab Key

Thu, 14 May 2009 11:43:20 -0500

There’s something we need to address. The Killer NIC can lower your latency. It’s true. So why aren’t you seeing a drop in your in-game ping report when you hit the Tab key? There’s a (relatively) simple explanation:
Games can send data to and from your PC in many different ways:

UDP – most games use this data because it’s quicker to get through. It uses smaller pieces of information, throws caution to the wind, and shoots them in whatever order it pleases, then relies on the game to assemble them in the correct order
TCP – A lot of different non-game applications use this protocol because it will keep your data in a nice, neat order and ensure that nothing gets lost when you send it. This is slower than UDP
ICMP – An uncommon delivery system, it’s not usually used except for internal operations like error reporting…with the exception of measuring ping

As mentioned, most games utilize the UDP protocol for their network traffic. Knowing this, the Killer NIC was designed to accelerate UDP data. It offloads the workload from your CPU and puts it onto its own processor (the NPU), and it bypasses the slower Windows networking stack and substitutes its own solution (a custom Linux stack).

So you’ve plugged in the Killer, booted up, installed the drivers, and opened your game. You enter your favorite game server, and smash the tab key to see if it was really true. You notice the ping looks exactly the same as it did before! What gives?

Well, these clever game designers have pulled a fast one. While the game data itself is being sent via the UDP protocol, the task you just assigned it has used either TCP or ICMP protocol. Why? Don’t ask me. That’s just how they do it. So what does this mean for you? Well, it means that specific ping request isn’t being accelerated, because it isn’t part of the UDP family. Does that mean the Killer isn’t working? Of course not! It just means the number on the Tab screen won’t change (too much).

Here’s my suggestion: Play the game. Spend some time with it and experience the difference. The lower latency that the Killer brings provides smoother gameplay, better hit registration, and less frustration. It’s especially noticeable in a very network-intensive situation (i.e.: a 60 man raid or standing in the blast radius of an air strike).

Bottom line: Don’t rely on the tab key! Get in the game and feel the difference!

Win an EVGA Killer Xeno™ Pro

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:19:42 -0500

Visit Curse.com for a chance to win 1 of 5 EVGA Killer Xeno™ Pro Gaming Network Cards.

Enter Now

EVGA Shipping Killer Xeno™ Pro

Fri, 01 May 2009 14:08:24 -0500

The EVGA Killer Xeno™ Pro is now shipping!

Visit EVGA.com for more information or to buy from EVGA.

The EVGA Killer Xeno™ Pro is also available at NewEgg.com with free shipping.

New Executives Added to Management Team

Fri, 01 May 2009 13:37:33 -0500

Bigfoot Networks™ is proud to announce the appointment of two prominent Silicon Valley executives to our management team. Harry Dickinson will be joining Bigfoot Networks as Vice President of Worldwide Sales and John Dewry will be the new Vice President of Marketing. Together they bring more than 40 years' combined experience in growing start up technology companies. They both will be instrumental in advancing Bigfoot Networks as a real-time networking innovator.

Read full press release

IGN: Online Gaming Lag

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:42:07 -0500

Harlan "Tytus" Beverly was asked to contribute to an article for IGN.com discussing the various causes of lag.

Head over to IGN.com to read the full article.

Bigfoot Networks™ Named to OnHollywood 100 Top Private Companies list

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:24:43 -0500

The OnHollywood 100 Award is given to private, emerging technology companies in the media and entertainment industries. Bigfoot Networks™ was selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team based on demonstration of growth, market opportunity, quality of innovation and customer traction.

The OnHollywood 100 winners were selected from among hundreds of other technology companies nominated by investors, bankers, journalists and industry insiders. The AlwaysOn editorial team conducted a rigorous three-month selection process to finalize the 2009 list.

A full list of all the OnHollywood 100 winners can be found on the AlwaysOn website at http://alwayson.goingon.com/permalink/post/31890

Read the press release

See Benefits of Killer NIC® in WoW

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:02:48 -0500

World of Warcraft is Huge. So when Zam.com came to our offices for a preview of Xeno and we were able to show them World of Warcraft running smoother on identical machines (except one had a Killer®), I jumped at the chance. Not only was it an impactful demo, but Zam actually filmed it! So, yes, you can visibly see the difference if you look closely at the WoW Jump test. For my part, being a huge WoW player, that means a lot… especially when you realize that with a Killer NIC®, you can get that bump in performance AND be able to do more with your PC in the background.

So, How does the demo work?

The short answer is that it works on 2 principles:
1.) we’ve turned on TCP optimization settings in Killer®. These are settings especially designed to optimize games running on TCP/IP (like World of Warcraft) and especially so with a Killer NIC® which performs a hardware interrupt for every packet (even TCP/IP packets). See our forums here for a more complete explanation.

2.) we didn’t do this for this particular demo (didn’t need to!), but the performance difference gets exaggerated even more when you download large files using HTTP or BitTorrent while running the test.

After that it’s just a matter of having 2 identical PCs logged in to the same server, and pressing the space bar!

Now imagine that Space-bar amplified by EVERY single thing you do in WoW. Every button your press, and every button that your opponents press. You see it faster, smoother, and frankly, more natural… the delay, yes, the Lag, of your actions is visibly less. It makes me (and all our engineers) proud to have worked on the product. Thanks to Andrew Beegle and Zam for taking the time to do the interview and the video. I hope everyone enjoys it. Got questions: direct them to our forums here.

Tytus

Killer Xeno Q & A

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:12:53 -0500

John Callaham, Lead Writer of BigDownload, sat down with Bigfoot Networks CTO Harlan "Tytus" Beverly . The topic of discussion was the new Killer Xeno™ Gaming Network Card. Read the full interview below.

1. First its been a few years since the original Killer NIC card has been released. Can you give us any info on how well that card and its K1 version had sold and if you are pleased with the reception the products received.

Well, I can speak for myself in saying that I am MORE than pleased with the product reception. There are always 3 camps of people when new products come out: people that love the idea, people that hate the idea, and people that don’t know about it. The first 2 are manageable, because you know where they stand. The last camp (people who don’t know about it) is the hardest. Now, with Killer NIC so widely available and shipping as defaults in many Dell & Alienware systems (as well as many other OEMs), we really have moved a lot of people from “don’t know about it” to “love it”. The new card, the EVGA Killer Xeno Pro, was designed after listening to the other camp (people who hate the idea), and we’ve worked very hard to add the features we think will make them understand and fall in love with the idea.

2. When the time came to come up with your next generation network card, the Xeno, what were the main goals of you and the card's development team?

The main goals were
#1.) Add features that people who don’t understand what Network Processing is for would “get it” right away.
#2.) Make it really easy to use and take advantage of all the features “automatically”.
#3.) Make it more affordable.
We spent most of our time on #1… dozens of surveys, customer interviews, online conversations, and trade-show conversations all compiled into a short list of things people think Network Processing would be good for.

We’ve added those things to our new product: namely Voice Chat Offload (why shouldn’t your network card handle all your voice chat?), and also Bandwidth Control (shouldn’t your network card know EXACTLY what applications have higher priority than others & do it automatically?). Both of these are part of Xeno and we’ve made them easy to use, while making the Xeno product line MUCH more affordable starting at just $129.99.

3. Can you give us an overview on the improvements made to the Xeno that make it a better network card than the original?

Well, Xeno is not just a network card. It’s a network processing card. As a network card it is better than the original at RAW data throughput (something irrelevant to gamers, but maybe important to enterprise customers who are also gamers).

As a network processor we’ve increased the RAM allowing for more applications to run in the card & improved the interface (PCI-E is 3x faster than PCI and available on more motherboards). But really the big improvement is Voice Chat capabilities with built-in audio chip & audio interfaces (a mic port, a spkr port, a line-out port all right on the card)… Combine that with partnerships with Teamspeak, Vivox, and Mumble and you get one very powerful Network Processor. Pure game performance should increase by an additional 5-10% when offloading voice chat for example over the prior generation Killer NIC.

4.You also wanted to have more emphasis on hardware acceleration for voice chat in games. First, why do you think this is important?

Well, our customers REALLY wanted it! It just makes sense that your VoIP should be run in an offloaded network processor. Here is a few data-points for you: over 70% of gamers would be more likely to use Voice Chat if they could be assured it would NOT interfere with their gameplay. In short, gamers want Voice Chat, but know that it does have an impact to their system in both networking and CPU!

5. How does the Killer Xeno improve voice chat in games?

Short answer: we offload it fully into the card. Longer answer: running Voice Chat inside our NPU has 3 major benefits: 1.) we can put Voice Chat packets at priority #2 (just below the game, but above everything else). 2.) it reduces CPU cycles and Windows Kernel interrupts & processing time easing system resources and memory footprints dramatically. 3.) it sounds better because we not only bypass the Windows Network stack, but also the Windows AUDIO stack as well…. This leads to lower latencies in your voice chat (and less cross-talk and jabber problems).

6. What other improvements and new features does the Killer Xeno have?

Better throughput, more memory, PCI-E, and easier to use/automatic features like Bandwidth Control are all packaged together with Voice to deliver more value to the gamer at a lower price point. Realize our 1st gen NPU launched at $249.99 and the Xeno Pro is launching at $129.99 with all the new features enabled.

7. Some might still say that having a network card that costs as much as the Killer Xeno is a waste of money as broadband access gets more widespread and faster. What is your response to this?

I’m sure it is true from some people. If you don’t game, don’t bit-torrent, don’t use Voice Chat, etc., then you don’t need our Network Processor. However, if you do any of those things listed (or you are just a tweaking geek like me), you should think consider it. Our card actually works BETTER with more and fatter broadband like FIOS, because the Windows Network stack becomes more of a percentage of the problem… so I think those are probably perfect customers for the Xeno.

8.How important is it for your product to be made available as an option on new Alienware PCs?

Well Alienware is just an awesome company and a great group of guys to work with. They are well known for being first-to-market with new technologies and innovation. It is really awesome to be able to work with them on the launch of our new Xeno. I would say it is very important for both Alienware and Bigfoot Networks to work together and make sure we are making products that gamers will want and love right out of the box.

9.Is Bigfoot already starting to develop the next generation of their products or do you have other gaming PC product ideas in the works?

Definitely. We have a full-time dedicated engineering staff always working on next-gen. We try very hard to release new features of existing products Quarterly (or faster), and also are working on a bunch of new products for the future. For example, on Killer Xeno we are already working on the next 2 driver updates which will include at least 1 new feature at each update.

10. Finally is there anything else you wish to say about the new Killer Xeno card and Bigfoot in general?

I only hope that people will finally get the idea of what Network Processing is really about! Education is a big part of what we are doing (and a personal passion of mine). Realize, Network Processing is NOT about fixing the internet, or fixing severs in some farm out there you can’t control… Network Processing is about letting an NPU handle things it is best at (Networked Applications & Network Packet Processing), your GPU handle what its best at (Graphics Processing), and your CPU do what its best at (General Purpose Processing).

I firmly believe that all gamers and internet users should have a network processor like the Killer Xeno that can handle all the packet processing, and networked applications which have nothing to do with General purpose processing or graphics. Voice Chat is real-time, as is gaming. BitTorrent or Web Downloads are about making lots of networking connections to aggregate downloads and uploads. A Network Processor can do all these things with room to spare, and not burden the CPU, the GPU, or the user with complex utilities and software. Let the hardware do it!

John Callaham
Lead Writer
Big Download
john@bigdownload.com

What a blast at GDC 2009

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:10:04 -0500

Lag is making a come-back. With World of Warcraft peaking at 11MM Subscribers (probably closer to 12MM by now) and now OnLive live streaming of video games coming to a TV/PC near you soon... the NEED for true low-latency low-lag smooth gaming has never been more true. And it is true that our own products (Bigfoot Networks Killer Xeno) don’t solve all the problems posed by OnLive and/or WoW… we can and do make a difference though. GDC 2009 for us was a big announcement and a big show of course! We got some great Tweets, Blogs, and even uber-blogs like Anandtech all with very sincere interested in the Killer Xeno! Why all the hub-bub about a new PCI-E Network Card for Gamers: short answer VOICE!

Voice chat makes old games fun. I designed our GDC 2009 demo purely around this concept of Voice Chat making all the difference…(Anand & team hoped to see more of a “side-by-side” comparison, but a trade-show is a tough place for that kind of demo unfortunately). So I and the team tried hard to make the centerpiece of our Show Demos around playing games you know and love in a new way with Voice Chat! With our partnership with Teamspeak and Vivox (and also our use of the open source called Mumble Voice Chat), we can now make even older games as fun and interesting as Left-4-Dead has become. Well maybe not as fun, but definitely a better experience with voice than without. So what was the demo? Good old Counter-Strike: Source… running at 140+fps, at 5ms of latency, with full ALWAYS-ON (vox) voice chat FULLY offloaded into Xeno. So yes, Mumble and Teamspeak FULLY running inside the new EVGA Killer Xeno, all with 0-impact to the game. God I wish I had this when I was playing competitive Counter-strike! Now, its just DANG fun as MANY hundreds of GDC 2009 attendees … and soon-to-be Xeno customers … can attest to. If you’ve not played CS:S in old-school mode with a small team WITH Voice enabled… you should go back to this awesome classic game! Maybe Killer Xeno can be your excuse to get back in to it. As for me, I’ll see you there on steam: steam-id: hbombers.

Tytus

Announcing Voice Chat Partners

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:13:15 -0500

Bigfoot Networks partners with TeamSpeak, Vivox and Raptr to enhance Killer Xeno™ Gaming Network Platform.

Read full press release

Announcing the Killer Xeno™

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:01:04 -0500

Bigfoot Networks is pleased to announce the launch of the second-generation Gaming Network Card; the Killer Xeno™. The card comes with more memory, an upgraded network processing unit (NPU), and integrated audio for hardware-accelerated voice-chat, all designed to bring gamers the ultimate online experience.

Read the full press release

Bigfoot Networks' new look!

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:50:26 -0500

Hello and welcome to the new Bigfoot Networks website, my new Blog, and our new look. Some of you may wonder, well, why the new look? The short answer is, we're the same old Bigfoot Networks, makers of the Killer NIC, we're just also MUCH MUCH MORE! This little company I founded has gotten big with the recent addition of a world-class executive team (lead by CEO Michael Howse), and new financial backing (lead by North Bridge Venture Partners). We've expanded our scope and purpose and are now not only the makers of the Killer NIC, but also licensing Killer Technology into other new products (such as the new EVGA Killer Xeno Pro), and more coming. We're also developing new products, services, and solutions for all things online. Our new mission statement is simple (and not far from our old one): we make the online experience richer and faster.

So, what can you expect from me in the bigger better Bigfoot Networks? Well, this blog will continue to be off-the-cuff, unfiltered, passionate dedication to my own 2 loves: games and networking. As many of you know from my old blog here: http://www.endlagnow.org, I tend to write about games, gaming trends, networking, and their intersection. Right now, I've got a sick fascination for all things VoIP (Gaming Voice), and I bet you now know why. Having voice in your game, while you game, being able to talk, coordinate, taunt, and otherwise chat, enhances the game so much, that I am shocked I only relized it since I started playing Left-4-Dead. If you havn't played Left-4-Dead http://www.l4d.com on a PC, with voice enabled, you havn't lived yet. You are missing out on what RICH networking and gaming can do.

Links:
http://www.bigfootnetworks.com/executive-profiles/
http://www.northbridge.com
http://www.endlagnow.org
http://www.l4d.com

Game Developers Conference 2009

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:42:53 -0600

Bigfoot Networks is introducing Killer Xeno at GDC 2009, Booth # 6406. We'll be showing off Xeno with our partners: EVGA, Alienware, TeamSpeak, Vivox, and Raptr! If you'll be at GDC, make sure to drop by and see our new technology, but bring your trigger finger...