The Professional Gamers' League is getting ready to start its third season, and the league is undergoing some changes.

　　First off, preliminary PGL play won't take place over the TEN online gaming service, as it has in the previous two rounds of competition. The two games that the PGL is focusing on this season are Quake II and Starcraft. Starcraft qualification will take place on Blizzard's Battle.net service.

　　"While TEN is the founder and owner of the PGL and continues to host much of each season's online competition, we've said all along that the league is essentially operated independently of TEN, and this agreement with Blizzard further establishes that," said Greg Harper, vice president of business development for TEN.

　　More importantly for potential entrants, however, is the fact that the PGL has boosted the prizes this round; US$20,000 in cash will be handed out to the winners of the two one-on-one categories (last "season," it was $15,000). In the "Action Teamplay" (Quake clan) competition, a total of $70,000 in cash and more than $30,000 in prizes will be handed out.

　　To participate in this round of PGL play, you'll have to register with the league (and pay the $9.95 entry fee) from July 30 through Sept 4. Qualifying rounds will run Aug. 14 through Sept. 6, with the PGL's "regular season" running Sept. 13 through Oct. 18. The league finals will run Nov. 12-14.