When players clash in a digital spectacle, it’s easy to focus solely on the competition. Yet, behind every perfect replay, crystal-clear audio cue, and dynamic graphic, lies a sophisticated production apparatus that rivals traditional sports broadcasting. 

The esports industry is a rapidly expanding powerhouse projected to reach $15 billion to $55 billion by 2035 depending on how the market is defined (Source1) (Source2). Millions of viewers worldwide tune into platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and ESPN to witness these high stakes digital battles; for every professional gamer, there’s a team of professionals making the show happen: technical directors, broadcast engineers, V1s, and more. These roles offer stable, well-paying careers in an industry on a meteoric rise, and the skills honed in esports production are highly transferable and critical for the digital age.

Producing a live esports is no small feat. It involves intricate technical challenges particularly concerning Network Device Interface (NDI) and network infrastructure. The sheer volume of high-quality audio and video feeds coupled with the need for seamless, real-time delivery indicates the need for expertise. Organizations may struggle to assemble the best teams to manage the complex setups, especially when dealing with hundreds of AV channels, as seen in major events like the Star Wars Unlimited Galactic Championship in Las Vegas. 

Atomic Television and The Galactic Stage

Atomic Television stands at the forefront of this demanding field. This week at the Star Wars Unlimited Galactic Championship, Atomic Television is implementing a comprehensive production setup designed to capture every moment of the action and simultaneously film multiple matches with both live and delayed playback. Our team is utilizing:

• • Proton 3G in 1080p59.94 Ross Carbonite Ultra
  • 3 hard cameras and 10 PTZs
  • 5 channels of graphics (without α)
  • 2 channels of graphics (with α)
  • 2 externally rendered composite machines giving us overheads, player ISOs, and card data
  • 10 channels of records
  • 14 playback inputs and 6 playback outputs
  • 2,000+ Dante channels
  • 54 channels of audio
    • 30 belt packs of RF
    • 10 channels between RTS & Bolero
  • 13 KP panels + 8 hardline drops
  • 12 channels of partyline
  • 6 multisite cellular radios
  • *New* Ubiquiti UniFi Mobile 5G Router with T-Mobile Business SIMs providing Gigabit-class local internet (1+ Gbps)

All of these assets alongside the Atomic Television team, allow for a truly immersive experience and demonstrate Atomic’s capacity to handle events of immense scale and complexity. We are proud to collaborate on the Star Wars Unlimited Galactic Championship with industry leaders such as Punch Drunk, Sightline, and AV Vegas to deliver this cutting-edge production.

Esports production is a blend of creativity, collaboration, and technology. It’s a field where technical prowess meets storytelling to deliver engaging content to millions. Atomic Television is dedicated to being a leader in this exciting domain and will work to push boundaries of what’s possible in live esports broadcasting.