Development of an esports HUD for Counter-Strike 2

Abstract

Esports is in a stage of constant growth. Esports tournaments grow in scale, prize money, and the number of concurrent viewers. Every year the minimum requirements from various studios and tour-nament operators for tournament coverage and broadcasting increase. Although these requirements are not prescribed anywhere, every studio or tournament operator uses Head-Up Display (HUD) in its broadcast.

The aim of this thesis is to develop a working HUD specifically designed for broadcasting of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports events. The development process involves a design phase where the HUD is con-ceptualized based on feedback gathered from a series of interviews with broadcasters and viewers. These interviews help to identify important elements that a broadcast HUD should contain, focusing on enhancing viewer understanding and engagement with the data of a CS2 esports match. The HUD inte-grates real-time game data using CS2's Game State Integration, ensuring accurate and timely display of information. Following the design phase goes coding, testing and evaluation stages.

The outcome of this thesis includes delivery of a functional and user-centered HUD which addresses viewers and broadcasters requirements.