Athletes meeting with coaches to discuss their performances and plan the next game is a time-honored tradition. But the next generation of esports stars can rely on coaches with better WiFi than whistles.
Esports platform PlayVS and AI-powered game analytics provider Omnic.AI are teaming up on a double-team to help young gamers improve in a range of competitive video games, with a focus on high school students in scholastic esports leagues.
AI analytics is becoming a popular tool for gamers to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement. Omnic.AI’s Omnic Forge platform uses AI to analyze how players perform when playing games like Valorant, Fortnite, Rocket League and Overwatch 2, with Madden and other titles in the works. Players upload their gameplay footage to Omnic Forge to have it analyzed and their strengths and weaknesses detailed much faster and cheaper than hiring a human esports coach.
Coach AI
The deal with PlayVS expands Omnic Forge’s tools to its user base of young gamers. High school students using PlayVS get free access to Omnic Forge features. It’s a way for players in scholastic esports leagues to hear professional insight without exorbitant costs.
Free users get five uploads and two insights per game, but you can pay for unlimited and deeper access to the AI analysis. The platform also allows players to compare their skills with professional gamers who share the same playing style, allowing them to learn from the best players.
The deal shows how AI is changing not only the way games are made, but also how they are played and even how they are embedded in education and education-related programs. As esports grows in popularity, students of all stripes will likely be eager to use AI analytics to improve their play and perhaps even increase their chances of going pro. Or at least strategize for other parts of their lives.
Advanced analytics can build skills for specific games and esports in general. Omnic even claims that AI coaching can increase critical thinking, communication, and other skills that translate to the real world.
“Partnering with Omnic.AI represents a significant leap forward in the way we support and develop young gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS. “Their innovative technology will help our community refine their skills and differentiate themselves from other gamers, allowing them to continue to refine their craft and reach new heights in and beyond the world of esports.”