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Virtex Stadium Adds Counter-Strike to Its Virtual Esports Titles

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Esports fans are in for a new experience at the Virtex Stadium. Aside from EchoVR, users can now watch live gameplays of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2.

Virtex has partnered with Skybox Technologies to bring this unique spectator experience to gaming enthusiasts. With Counter-Strike as the first significant esports title at the Virtex Stadium, the virtual esports fan base on the platform is bound to grow faster.

An Immersive Experience for Counter-Strike Gamers and Fans

Following the launch of the Echo VR title on the platform, Counter-Strike allows fans to enjoy more top-level gameplay. “As the third most watched esport last year, CS: GO already has an enormous following, and we’re excited to be working with Skybox to deliver a 360° spectating experience unique to every fan,” said Virtex CEO and co-founder, Tim Mcguinness, in a press release shared with ARPost.

virtex stadium esports title counter-strike

Using their desktop and compatible VR headsets, users enter the Virtex Stadium, which is still in closed beta, where they can watch live gameplays recreated in 3D. They can customize their Ready Player Me avatars, meet other fans in the lobby, and enter the virtual arena. They can sit on the stadium seats to watch gameplay in full view or immerse themselves in the battle by diving into the map.

They can see opening duels, site retakes, and clutches up close. Dynamic map controls allow them to maneuver easily and spectate at any site they want. The epic virtual effects and sounds create a deep 3D spectator experience that’s like no other.

Collaborating to Make Fan Experiences More Meaningful

Virtex, a London-based software development company, has been at the forefront of esports. Its Virtex Stadium provides sports and gaming enthusiasts with an innovative VR platform where they can experience esports at a whole new level.

Founded in 2020, Virtex brings together the expertise of tech entrepreneur Christoph Ortlepp and seasoned VR player Tim Mcguinness. Sharing a vision to redefine the esports fan experience, they are collaborating with partners across the tech and esports space to bolster the capabilities of the Virtex Stadium.

virtex stadium esports event

In the past year, the company worked with Skybox Technologies to integrate Counter-Strike maps into the virtual stadium. A provider of spectator and analysis solutions, Skybox helps ensure that in-game models, key modes, and spectator tools are functioning smoothly at the Virtex Stadium.

It provides real-time data and 3D game recreations that allow users to view Counter-Strike gameplay from every angle. It also ensures that map control and all gameplay features work seamlessly to make the 3D viewing experience more enjoyable.

According to Ethan Cooper, CEO of Skybox Technologies, Virtex has done an outstanding job at building out the Virtex Stadium. “We are proud that via the Skybox and Virtex partnership, fans can soon experience live Counter-Strike in a whole new way. It’s an exciting time for our respective companies, and we are looking forward to continuing our partnership with additional game titles and new experiences,” he said.

This collaboration paves the way for more meaningful fan experiences across the globe. Fans can dive into the map and watch the players they follow in action. They can explore different areas during the matches or meet other fans in virtual hangout spaces.

More to Come From The Growing Virtex Community

The partnership between Virtex and Skybox has just begun. Through their continued collaboration, we can expect more tournaments and esports titles at the Virtex Stadium in the next few months. Virtex is also pitching to more partners to widen its offerings and make the platform even more engaging. It wants to collaborate with tournament organizers, teams that want dedicated stadiums for their fans, and brands that want to run activations on virtual platforms.

A die-hard esports fan, Tim Mcguinness is eager to announce more upcoming tournaments they are set to feature in the Virtex Stadium. But, for now, fans can enjoy the closed beta program and be among the first to experience this virtual esports stadium.

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Virtex Stadium Holds First Major Events, Inches Toward Open Access

esports, featured, sports, Sports & Fitness, virtual reality / /

A number of the attractions of watching live sports carry over into esports. However, unless you’re watching an esports tournament in person, a lot of those attractions go away. Interactions with other fans are limited. The game view is limited. The game is flattened and there’s little environment ambiance. Virtex wants to fix that.

A History of Virtex

Virtex co-founders Tim Mcguinness and Christoph Ortlepp met at an esports event in 2019. Mcguinness presented the idea of “taking that whole experience that we were doing there in the physical world and bringing it into the virtual world,” Ortlepp said in a video call with ARPost. The two officially launched the company in 2020.

The following year saw the company’s first major hires (and its first coverage from ARPost). The company was focusing on integrating Echo VR and needed permission from Meta (then Facebook), who purchased the game’s developer Ready At Dawn in 2022.

“The first thing we had to do was get something that we could show to Meta,” said Ortlepp. “For us, Echo was a good community to start with.”

Virtex got the green light from Meta. It also got Jim Purbrick who had previously been a technical director at Linden Lab and an engineering manager for Oculus.

“Moderation is an area where he had a big impact on us,” said Ortlepp. “We need live moderators to keep people safe… If now we have two or three hundred people in the platform, what if we have ten thousand people? Can we keep users safe and prevent a toxic environment?”

Meta’s support also meant that Virtex could finally launch its beta application. The beta is still technically closed – meaning that it isn’t on any app store, and you have to go through the Virtex website to access it. However, the closed beta isn’t limited. Testers have the opportunity to participate in “test sessions” – live streamed games every Thursday.

The platform held its first major tournament in December, with another about to kick off as this article was being written. Games are scheduled every week into the spring.

A Tour of the Stadium

Right now, the Virtex virtual world consists of a stadium entrance, a lounge area, and a commentator booth in addition to the stadium itself.

“The purpose [of the entrance and lounge] is really to set the stage for the user, to welcome them,” said Ortlepp.

Virtex Stadium Environment - Exterior

In the lounge, users can socialize, modify their avatars (through a Ready Player Me integration), and even watch a miniaturized version of the live match. The lounge itself is still being developed with plans for mini-games and walls of fame. Connected areas including a virtual store and bar area are also in the works.

In the stadium itself, users can see and interact with other spectators. They can watch a 3D reproduction of the live game in real time, or watch a Twitch stream of the game on a jumbo screen above the stadium floor.

“We feature the video because we didn’t want to take away from esports viewers what they’re currently used to,” said Ortlepp. Virtex wants to give spectators options to explore viewing in new ways, without leaving them in an entirely unfamiliar setting.

A teleport system allows faster movement to different areas of the stadium, including the stadium floor to watch from within the game or even follow players through the action. This is possible thanks to the unique solution that Virtex has developed for recreating the game within the virtual stadium.

virtex stadium virtual reality stadium streaming

The studio also adds special recording and hosting tools like camera bots for streaming games within the stadium to Twitch and YouTube. Aspects of the stadium’s appearance can even be changed to match whatever game is being played.

“We are the platform. Ideally, we don’t ever want to be the content creators,” said Ortlepp. “So we have certain user modes for the ones that are actually operating the tournaments.”

When Can We Expect an App?

Virtex Stadium is up and running. But, the team plans to spend at least the next few months in their “closed” beta phase. For one thing, they really want to have their moderation plan in place before making the app more discoverable. They’re also still collecting feedback on their production tools – and thinking of new ones.

Further, while the platform currently has a decent schedule, the team wants to work with more games and more gaming communities. That includes other VR titles as well as more traditional esports. Ideally, one day, something will be happening in Virtex no matter when a user signs in.

“Where do we take it from here? There are no standards – no one has done this before,” said Ortlepp. “The virtual home of esports is basically the vision. It’s something we don’t claim yet – we have to earn it.”

It’s Not Too Early to Check It Out

Everything about Virtex is exciting, from their plans for the virtual venue itself, to their passion and concern for their community. Ortlepp said that the company is “careful about making dated timeline promises.” In a way that’s a little frustrating but it’s only because the company would rather hold off on something amazing than push something that falls short of their vision.

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ONTOP Studios Wants to Bring Theaters Back to Life With XR Esports

AR games, augmented reality, esports, featured, Sports & Fitness / /

Have you ever seen an empty theater and thought that the space had more potential? It doesn’t even have to be an abandoned theater, just a theater with more rooms than it regularly uses, or a theater that isn’t showing movies at all hours of the day. What if those theaters could be used for, say, XR esports? That’s the idea that Nuno Folhadela is exploring with ONTOP Studios.

Meet ONTOP Studios

ONTOP Studios makes AR experiences, filters, and games. Its mission is “turning the world into your playground” through augmented reality. The studio makes independent projects but also works with an impressive list of partners including Vodafone, Samsung, and Snapchat.

ONTOP’s most recent venture, ARcade Sports, involves turning empty theaters into XR esports playgrounds through its social AR games. The idea didn’t come about because Folhadela, the Studio’s founder, has anything against movies.

“My background is in cinema, but I’ve been working in games,” Folhadela said in a video call with ARPost. “My interest is always to bring stories into the real world… Going to the cinema isn’t just about movies, it’s about an experience.”

So, why change that experience? The answer, as so many answers do these days, has to do with trends that were already underway before the pandemic caused them to explode.

“After the pandemic, movies really got hit hard. We realized that gaming is what the younger audience is going for,” said Folhadela.

From Movies to Games to Esports

Games are more interactive than movies, but they’re also more social, and both of these elements of storytelling are drawing younger people away from conventional forms of linear narratives, according to Folhadela. But, that’s not the end of the story. Games are more interactive and social than movies, and AR is a more immersive medium than 2D games.

“As a player, [AR] brings everything that we view on a screen into the real world,” said Folhadela. “All of these adventures that you have, are confined onto a flat screen. Now, you can bring all of your adventures with you.”

All of this talk about young audiences doesn’t mean that ONTOP is only interested in kids. Like VR arcades, ONTOP’s theater arenas appeal to visitors of all ages, including entire families.

ONTOP Studios - esports - ARcade Sports - game Morgana

“One man said that it felt like the first time playing with his kids – he was used to them sitting and playing Fortnite and him sitting and watching them,” said Folhadela.

Further, AR gaming can involve a lot of movement. This makes things more exciting for the players, but it also opens up a whole new level of attraction for spectators. At a time when streaming video game playthroughs is already popular, making gaming more human brings a lot of promise by making esports a lot more sporty.

“You really see the players running around so when you see a good player it’s seeing a good athlete. It’s bringing those worlds together,” said Folhadela. “It’s taking the ‘e’ out of ‘esports.’”

Buying Tickets and Paying Bills

So, how does ARcade Sports work? Folhadela describes the esports platform as a “b2b2c” (business to business to consumer) model. ONTOP Studios develops the content and maintains the companion app. Content is then licensed to property managers who promote the availability in their area. Content can even be modified to fit different areas or different business licensees.

“ARcade Sports is a platform, it’s not a game. We are always adding new games and new features,” said Folhadela.

A ticket to play in the XR-enabled esports facility includes a QR code. Scanning the QR code with the companion app lets players enter the same session. The app tracks the players’ performance in the game including their activity levels. Games are tiered based on difficulty, so beginners aren’t left out and veteran gamers don’t get bored.

esports - ARcade Sports - Morgana game

Right now, ARcade Sports is only available at select locations in Portugal. That’s set to change.

“We launched the games locally to understand the mechanics … for many players, this was their first experience with AR,” said Folhadela. “Now that this is at the right moment, we are hoping to expand to the US this year.”

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

During our call, Folhadela displayed a number of experimental social features that aren’t yet ready to be fully integrated into the platform. However, hopefully, by the time that ONTOP Studios brings its unique brand of XR esports to the US – ideally this summer – there will be even more to keep gamers entertained, whether they’re playing or watching.

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