The event runs from May 16 to 18 where around 60,000 festival goers will have the opportunity to play and watch as competitors "battle" for a trip to Rocklahoma 2008, a four-day rock concert showcasing performances by many of the artists featured in the Guitar Hero 3 game.

"We are glad to sponsor the competition at WildFlower. Gaming is part of SoftLayer's DNA," says George Karidis, chief strategy officer at SoftLayer. "The technology and services we provide are ideal for powering the growing online gaming industry. It's thrilling to see how each new generation of Internet-enabled game, from Guitar Hero 3 to World of Warcraft, is connecting people around the world in all new ways."

Interested parties can find out more information and register for the upcoming competition here.

SoftLayer says its sponsorship of the eMazing event grew out of an ongoing relationship between the companies. SoftLayer is currently the hosting provider behind eMazing's GamersZone, the online hub for all its tournaments and activities.

Based in Dallas, eMazing produces interactive game competitions that are staged online and at events across the country. The company says it began as an e-sports franchise before evolving to organize the same kinds of tournaments that it was competing in, with a vision of enabling more people to enjoy the convergence of traditional and interactive entertainment.

True to its self-proclaimed dedication to the gaming industry, earlier this month SoftLayer partnered with game guild hosting provider MMO Guildsites to support its infrastructure of 700 websites representing major game titles including World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, and EverQuest.