Daybreak Game Company moved into esports in a major way when the H1Z1 Pro League competition was announced earlier this year, and so we talked with both Mike Madden, H1Z1 Senior Game Designer, and Jace Hall, Twin Galaxies Co-Chairman, about the tournament, and what it means to both of them.
Tell us a little bit about the overall philosophy for the H1Z1 Pro League?
Hall: The vision for the Pro League is unlike anything out there. We wanted to create a professional esport league that prioritised players, teams, and viewers - one that felt like a more traditional sports model.
Where did the idea come from?
Hall: We came up with the idea for the H1Z1 Pro League when we were looking for a logical esports league solution that considers the business perspective when not being the actual publisher of the game title. In most traditional sport leagues like the NBA, the primary economic driver is viewership and not the sale of basketballs. Working backward from viewership as the primary objective, things like understandability, accessibility, and entertaining presentation become much more prominent in the equation. The template of very successful traditional sport league models are already there with proven ability to address this paradigm, so our idea and vision was to build from that basis.
Have you changed the game at all to suit esports?
Madden: H1Z1 is fun to watch and is competitive at its core, which is why our community rallied behind the game as an esport. As the game grew as an esport, we knew we had to make some adjustments to make sure both viewers and competitive players had the best experience possible, while ensuring that the game remained fun to watch and play. On the gameplay side, we added features like spawn selection to increase strategic play, and we reduced the average length of a game to give us the ability to play multiple games in one match to reward consistency. And for viewers, we added in spectating features - like the Versus bar - to boost understanding by relaying key information to viewers.
How have you approached spectatorship?
Madden: Spectatorship is an integral part of the overall esport experience, so we invested time into training spectators and in features that allow for a positive viewing experience. This includes graphical overlays and spectator camera tools to help viewers better understand the game. We also looked at ways to improve the spectator experience from a gameplay experience. Reducing the length of the matches, for example, allowed us to host more games in a match to better reward consistency, and also helped to keep action high for viewers.
Hall: We obviously have the studio in Las Vegas, which came about because of a partnership with Caesar's Entertainment, so we have fans watching live every week. It is an absolutely amazing space and the stage we've created is by far the most ambitious set up of any pro esport. Additionally we stream exclusively on Facebook. It is an amazing platform for us because it opens up viewership to a broader audience than just gamers, which goes back to the overall vision.
How has the competition impressed you so far?
Madden: The H1Z1 Pro League has been stunning to watch. These athletes are insanely good and have such a grasp of the game that it is hard not be impressed week-over-week with their play. I am really enjoying watching the different team strategies employed each week as teams adjust their gameplay to try to maintain or take over the top ranking.
Hall: We have been learning a lot, and it's been absolutely amazing. SettoDestroyX has been dominating, but it's just been a joy to watch 75 of the world's best battle royale players do what they do best. Even off the stage, the players impress. Pineaqples from Echo Fox donated two mobile gaming stations to a local children's hospital. It's that kind of sportsmanship that'll bring esports into the mainstream.
Who have been the standout teams/players?
Hall: That's a tough one for me to answer. I believe that all of the teams and players should receive accolades, as they have all put so much time, effort and commitment into the Pro League. Every one of them has brought something unique to the table.
Did you always think Battle Royale would make for a good esport?
Madden: H1Z1 blew up on Twitch when it first launched into Early Access, and it showed us just how watchable the game and the genre was. There is a natural ebb and flow to a battle royale game that keeps viewers and players on the edge of their seats which, combined with its easy-to-understand concept, makes the genre spectator friendly. With this as its foundation, it was clear that H1Z1 had the potential to be a good esport. Potential became reality with the first H1Z1 Invitational in 2015 and players started expressing a lot of interest in H1Z1 an esport. So we worked with our community to put on more tournaments, refine the player and viewer experience, and eventually establish the first battle royale esports league with Twin Galaxies.
Hall: 100%. It's so easy to understand. People can understand the objectives within 30 seconds of watching a match, so no significant educating needs to take place, which can be a barrier to entry. In addition, our stage setup is conducive to watching the game and perceiving it as "sports"; it's like a normal stadium where you have the players arranged in a circle with monitors above them. We think it's much better than two teams on a stage facing the audience, playing while the audience sits and watches like a music concert. That doesn't feel like sports. We think our circular format is much more exciting.
Has esports affected your approach to the game as a whole i.e. when considering what tweaks to make in the future?
Madden: While we take esports and competitive play into consideration when making decisions for H1Z1, the game remains the same at its core - a highly competitive battle royale shooter that's fun to watch and play for players at all levels. We want to enable our professional players to continue to excel at their craft, but we also want to make sure the average player can still enjoy their time in the game. It is a balance that we continue to refine to provide the best experience for all players.
