It’s the future, but instead of flying cars, companies can tell exactly where you’re looking while playing videogames. Not an episode of Black Mirror, but in fact the reality of Eleague’s next Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament. As part of the Premier, an upcoming million-dollar, 16-team tournament, they’ll be implementing various tech to improve the watching experience. One of those is biometrics to show where the players are looking during key engagements.
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“Eye-tracking technology developed by Tobii will be utilized by ELEAGUE for the first time, tracking the eye-movements of some of the world’s best CS:GO pros using micro projectors and sensors,” say Eleague, only sounding a little bit like the Borg. It’s then used to create an “immediate gaze overlay” of where that player was looking. They don’t detail exactly where they’re planning to use this, only that it’s for showing “how player react and process high-pressure scenarios.” It should be fascinating, and educational, for any aspiring pros.
Elsewhere they’re also adding VR support to their broadcasts, compatible with every platform you’ve heard of and probably a few you haven’t, as well as “advanced analytics.” Turns out that’s just about mapping every movement, ‘nade and stat they can, and giving it all to viewers via a site called Shadow.gg.
While naturally this isn’t going to revolutionise watching CS:GO, they’re enhancements that aren’t going to get in the way of the core experience, which quite literally millions already enjoy. Implementation and use should also improve over time, and with Turner footing the bill we can expect more of these sorts of developments going forward.