E-Sports Arenas of the Future: The Rise of Immersive Stadium Experiences
E-sports are becoming a new sensation around the world. The popularity of the game has reached such a level that the projected worldwide revenue is likely to reach approximately US$4.8bn in 2025.
Modern esports tournaments are also being hosted on a large scale. Just like you go and watch a real football or cricket match in a stadium, esports are attracting crowds of similar sizes. The rise of the immersive experience the audience gets in a stadium is one of the reasons e-sport events are organized in large stadiums.
What Defines an “Immersive” ESports Arena?
Technological advances are the main reason for the e-sports arena providing an immersive experience to customers. Besides, the tournaments being the backbone of the esports industry, offer an immersive experience to players and fans alike. The following technical features are at the heat of an immersive esports arena
- State-of-the-art audio-visual technology
- Large HD Screens
- Lighting
- AR and VR technology
Players can enjoy gaming on high-definition displays with real-time trigger control. At the same time, fans can enjoy the gameplay on large screens, no matter where they sit in the stadium. The gameplay comes alive with technologies like AR and VR. Multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) are perfect examples of Augmented Reality. Whereas racing games are using Virtual Reality technology to make the game more immersive for players.
Audiences enjoy players’ POV on the big screen and experience a one of a kind gaming experience.
Key Technologies Powering Immersive Stadiums
As technologies are making the e-sports gaming experience immersive for players and audiences, more people are becoming interested in esports. Other than First Person Shooting (FPS) games, you can also play online rummy and other card games using advanced technologies.
The development of holographic technology has become a way of making the game more immersive for the players. In holographic technology players do not require a screen to see the objects in the game, rather they see real-sized in-game objects that offer a real-like experience.
Imagine if such immersive technologies are utilized in other gaming apps like rummy apps or others, millions of people will experience gaming like never before.
Besides holographic technology, ultra-low latency 5G technologies are providing a seamless gaming experience to both the players and audiences present in the live e-sports stadium. Out of all the technologies, how can we forget Artificial Intelligence?
As AI-powered opponents continue to help players become stronger, their contribution to making the live esports event is undeniable. AI-powered bots offer insights into the game helping audiences follow the game’s progress.
The Fan Experience: Beyond Watching a Game
Besides watching your favorite player live in action, the overall experience of the live event makes it more memorable and immersive for you. E-sports enthusiasts and fans can interact with gamers live in the tournament. Besides, they can interact with the event host to have one of a kind experience in their lifetime.
Besides, wearable devices are becoming mainstream in e-sports. It is projected to have a compound growth of 13.5% in the sports wearable market between 2023 and 2030. Fans are also experiencing an immersive gameplay with wearable devices.
Watching online streaming of e-sports events is fun but expressing your enjoyment with other people is something different. Here, audiences can engage with people who have played the same game and are excited about other video games in the market. Attending an esports arena creates a bond with people having similar interests in gaming.
Player-Centric Innovations
Technologies are offering players a set-up to perform better during the game. On stage augmented head up displays (HUDs) provide important information of the game to the player within his range of view. These displays offer a better gaming experience to players, improving their performance.
Immersive simulators offer better settings for the players to practice for big tournaments. Using modern technologies, these simulators offer a large tournament like environment to help them perform better.
Similarly, you can play online rummy card games on your mobile with no limits to prepare yourself for big tournaments. Another card game –Poker is also played like other esports, with live streaming and live audiences, it has taken card games to another height.
Real-World Examples: Arenas Leading the Charge
Besides, poker or rummy being played as an online card game on a big scale, let’s look at some cutting-edge arenas especially made to host esports tournaments.
Esports Stadium Arlington
The largest esports facility in North America boasts 100,000 sq. ft. of layout that can be adaptable as per needs. It also offers a completely functional RGB stage with 90-foot LED displays. The light and audio system adds to the gaming atmosphere.
The venue has become a reliable place to host large-scale esports events requiring LAN connectivity.
HyperX Arena Las Vegas
It is a kind of place where you can host large-scale esports events or visit to play video games on high-end devices. You can visit the arena while you are in Luxor and purchase game time to play various games.
Seoul’s LoL Park
The arena is managed by Riot Games which is the developer of League of Legends. The main focus game of the arena is also the same game. Here, you can play or watch matches on weekdays or weekends. It houses a café and merchandise shopping store for you to explore.
While the place remains free to explore for anyone, you have to pay to play games here or watch matches.
Future Outlook: What’s Next for E-Sports Arenas?
Immersive digital technologies have already blurring the fine line between physical and virtual worlds. With immersive technologies like AR/VR, Holography and high-speed internet connection, the future is already here.
Technological advancement is opening the gate to the future for the esports industry. In the future we might see players experiencing the real feel of being present in a live event using VR headsets. We might also see integration of augmented reality into online rummy, which makes playing online rummy more fun.
Conclusion
With large screens and immersive gameplay watching experience, modern gaming arenas are opening new dimensions of how you experience esports. The live gaming events provide audiences with a fantastic experience.
On the other hand, players are experiencing immersive LAN-based gameplay in a competitive environment. Finally AR and VR are the driving force in transforming the esports events.