X Games ProBoarder, which was released to stores Nov. 10, is the only snowboarding video game to feature eight professional snowboarders, who helped design every phase of the game, from the 2,000 trick combinations to the riders' apparel. Winter X Games competitors such as Olympic medalist Shannon Dunn, Peter Line, Todd Richards and Tina Basich worked closely with designers to make ProBoarder the most realistic snowboarding game on the market.

Ron Semiao, director of programming for ESPN2, explains, "The inclusion of ProBoarder is part of an ongoing effort to remain close to our alternative sports viewership and to mirror the culture and lifestyle of the Winter X Games' target market. We're adding ProBoarder to the Winter X Games as a lifestyle element rather than an athletic competition. Not all of our viewers can pull off 720s on a snowboard, but they can do it in ProBoarder, and it will enable them to better connect with our athletes."

The competition at the Winter X Games will pit eight professional snowboarders against eight consumers who will have qualified at promotional events to be held at selected malls across America. The sites have not yet been selected. No purchase is required to qualify and there will be no cost involved in entering the tournament. Each mall qualifying event will feature an eight-hour day of play in a 20-by-20 promotional display. The dates of these qualifiers will be between Dec. 5 and Dec. 20, 1998.