When the Turner and IMG co-produced ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational 2018 begins on Friday, studio analysts will be keeping their eyes on the competitors’ eyes. A new set of eye-tracking metrics will be used to measure each gamer’s visual behavior.
Using micro projectors and sensors supplied by the Tobii Group and computing power from Dell Gaming, each player’s eye movements will be recorded. Live action won’t appear any different to viewers, but studio analysis will include overlays during Dell “Getting Technical” segments.
Prior to a match, gamers will sit in front of their screens and undergo a series of tests that help the eye-tracking system calibrate for typical retina movements. During the match, tiny infrared cameras on their consoles will log each competitor’s visual function. In the above image, the blue and red circles illustrate where each competitor is looking.
The 24-player tournament includes 22 elite players and two winners from ELEAGUE’s Challenger tournament for amateurs. The matches will livestream on Twitch at 3 p.m. ET. Featured matches will re-air on TBS later that night at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
“As esports continue to grow, technology presents unique opportunities for fans to have a window into the decision making of these highly skilled pro players,” Robert Occhialini, Turners Sports VP for esports products and technology, said in a statement. “Like in traditional sports, these esports stars have distinct abilities that we can now show as part of ELEAGUE’s live event coverage, and we are excited to offer viewers an unprecedented level of access to live fighting game competition through our partnership with Dell.”
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SportTechie Takeaway
As esports continues to professionalize, new tracking metrics and analytics are beginning to emerge. Tools like visual analysis—other competitors in this space include Vizzario—highlight the skill level of gamers and help peel back the curtain for viewers seeking to understand what makes a pro gamer elite.