From Marvel to SXSW: Victor Varnado on the Worldwide Tic Tac Toe Championship

The humble schoolyard pastime of Tic Tac Toe is being aggressively reimagined as a high-stakes professional esport, complete with global leaderboards and a self-appointed “Final Boss.” The Worldwide High Score League (WWHSL) has announced the Worldwide Tic Tac Toe Championship, a digital and physical tournament designed to strip the game of its “solved” reputation.

Launching with “instant-play” installations at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City, the competition moves to the more familiar surroundings of SXSW in Austin, Texas, this March. The project is the brainchild of media entrepreneur and comedian Victor Varnado, whose credits include Marvel Comics and Comedy Central.

Challenging the “Solved” Game

Mathematically, Tic Tac Toe is a “solved” game; two perfect players will always result in a draw. However, the WWHSL aims to bypass perfect logic by introducing variables that punish human limitations.

When Geek Native reached out to the League to ask if they were counting on “NYC commuter chaos” to break the math, the response was – perhaps predictably, given Victor Varnado’s background in alternative performance – delivered in the persona of a “Final Boss”. The official response from the Office of the Grand Commissioner frames the tournament as a “trial by grid”.

King Supernuts, the Grand Commissioner and “Final Boss” of the League, explained in a statement:

The League does not ‘count on’ human error although we acknowledge its existence. We do exploit it. Our championship format is designed to obliterate mastery: Timed rounds, expanding boards (3×3, 4×4, 5×5), real-time global rankings, public pressure (and Port Authority foot traffic).”

A Gateway to Gaming Greatness

The championship is hosted on the High Score game arcade platform, which specialises in turning simple, addictive games into viral contests. The League frames this as a “gateway drug” to professional esports for those who might never touch a League of Legends controller.

By removing the barriers of high-end PC rigs and steep learning curves, the WWHSL is targeting a massive, non-traditional audience. In the statement provided to Geek Native, King Supernuts was blunt about the League’s ambitions:

Of course it’s a gateway. Every time someone taps an X or an O on their phone, they are one step closer to joining The Worldwide High Score League. We accept all combatants, no console required, no barriers allowed. If you have fingers and an internet connection, you are eligible for greatness.”

The Worldwide Tic Tac Toe Championship culminates in live competition and city-vs-city leaderboards at SXSW from 12–18 March. For those who prefer their grid-based strategy in a physical format, there are plenty of complex variants available at Amazon.