Global esports company ESL will host the world’s first virtual reality gaming tournament broadcast later in November, giving esports fanatics an immersive view of the action through VR headsets.
Presented in a partnership with virtual reality entertainment platform Sliver.tv, ESL’s upcoming broadcast will feature gameplay from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends and live stat-tracking with VR overlays will keep viewers updated on tournament standings.
Streaming live from the upcoming Intel Extreme Masters tournament in Oakland, California, ESL’s premiere VR broadcast offers players a 360-degree view of the venue and its featured competitors. When experiencing the event through VR headsets, viewers can expect to see real-time cutaways, replays, and stats that track player kill-death ratios, scoring streaks, and other key factors over the course of each match.
During breaks in the action, viewers can observe the bustling show floor via either a bird’s-eye view or through a unique real-time camera feed that captures the action from a first-person perspective. Supported VR platforms range from gyroscope-equipped mobile devices to dedicated headsets like GearVR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. Viewers across all platforms can access the live feed through the Sliver.tv app.
“Sliver.tv is helping us raise the bar for VR live-streaming with VRLiveStats,” ESL Product Manager Stuart Ewen said in a statement. “Having a real-time in-depth look at everything that happens in a CS:GO match is something unique to a VR broadcast. Now, viewers not only have a bird’s-eye view of all the action and a first-person feed, but also all of the statistics to put together a high-level view of how a round or match unfolds. All of this is only possible in a VR environment.”
Sliver.tv CEO and co-founder Mitch Liu adds: “We’re thrilled to work with ESL to showcase our VRLiveStats technology. Our vision is to transform the esports spectator landscape forever, and incorporating augmented live stats into our VR 360 live-streams of CS:GO and LoL is a big step towards this vision. Fans around the world can now access valuable game stats and information in real-time, all within a natural, immersive VR experience.”
The Intel Extreme Masters tournament kicks off on November 19 at Oracle Arena in Oakland.
