endgadget | The new replay tools offered in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
are so much more than standard video-capture technology. In fact, it
isn't video capture at all -- it's data capture. The 3D replay tools
allow players to zoom around the map after a match, tracking their own
character, following enemies' movements, slowing down time and setting
up cinematic shots of their favorite kills, all within a 1-kilometer
radius of their avatar. It's filled with statistics, fresh perspectives
and infinite data points to dissect. This isn't just a visual replay;
it's a slice of the actual game, perfectly preserved, inviting
combatants to play God.
PUBG is an ideal test case. It's a massively popular online
game where up to 100 players parachute onto a map, scavenge for
supplies, upgrade weapons and attempt to be the last person standing.
Even though it technically came out in December, PUBG has been
available in early access since March and it's picked up a considerable
number of accolades -- and players -- in the process. Just last week, SteamDB reported PUBG hit 3 million concurrent players on PC, vastly outstripping its closest competitor, Dota 2, which has a record of 1.29 million simultaneous players.
Part of PUBG's
success stems from developers' relentless focus on making the game fun
to watch. Live streaming is now a major part of the video-game world,
with sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming growing in prominence and
eSports bursting into the mainstream.
Kim says PUBG
creator Brendan Greene and CEO Chang Han Kim built the idea of
data-capture into the game from the beginning, and Minkonet's tech is a
natural evolution of this focus. Minkonet and PUBG developers connected in late 2016 and started working together on the actual software earlier this year.
"One of their first visions was to have PUBG
as not just a great game to play, but a great game to watch," Kim says.
"So they were already from the very beginning focused on having PUBG as a great live streaming game; esports was also one of their sort of long-term visions."
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