CSGO fans and s1mple are upset with observers at Berlin Major

The 2019 StarLadder Berlin Major faced significant criticism from both professional players and dedicated fans regarding the quality of observing throughout the tournament. The viewing experience suffered from consistent technical and decision-making errors that disrupted match flow.

Observers serve as the visual directors of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive esports, controlling camera angles and player perspectives to showcase the most critical moments. Their role demands split-second decision making and deep game knowledge to anticipate where action will occur. Missing just one key frag can completely change how viewers understand a round’s outcome.

While observing high-level CSGO matches presents immense challenges due to the game’s unpredictable nature, professional tournaments typically maintain excellent standards. This makes the Berlin performance particularly noticeable and disappointing for audiences accustomed to seamless broadcasts.

Even elite player Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev publicly expressed frustration through social media platforms. During the Vitality versus Grayhound matchup, his Twitter critique highlighted fundamental observing failures that professional competitors immediately recognized.

“I have 1 question for observer (Vitality-Grayhound) – What the heck are u doing?” s1mple’s question reflected broader concerns about observer decision-making during critical round situations.

Community feedback on platforms like Reddit documented several consistent issues: observers frequently missed elimination frags, jumped to dead players’ perspectives unnecessarily, and created disorienting camera switches during multi-kill rounds. These errors transformed strategic gameplay into confusing viewer experiences.

Beyond kill misses, observers demonstrated poor strategic awareness. One notable example occurred during Vitality/Greyhound on Overpass, where the broadcast showed two Counter-Terrorists holding B site while the actual action involved Terrorists executing an A site execute with smokes and flashes. The secondary camera wasted screen space on irrelevant positions instead of focusing on the developing play.

Professional observer Connor “Sliggy” Blomfield provided context through extended social media posts, suggesting potential production constraints like budget limitations or excessive communication channels complicating observer decisions. Such backend issues often remain invisible to viewers but significantly impact broadcast quality.

Effective observing requires not just technical skill but also deep game sense – anticipating player rotations, understanding execute timings, and recognizing which duels matter most to round outcomes. The Berlin team seemed to lack either the experience or support systems needed for major tournament pressure.

Common observing mistakes include over-switching perspectives during clutches, focusing on economically irrelevant kills, and missing transition moments between map control phases. These require specific training and practice to overcome.

Despite the criticism, Blomfield expressed confidence that observer performance would improve as the tournament progressed and teams adapted to production environments.

This incident underscores how crucial skilled observers are to competitive CSGO’s ecosystem. When observing works well, it becomes invisible – seamlessly guiding viewers through the narrative of each round. When it fails, it disrupts the entire viewing experience.

For tournament organizers, investing in observer training and proper production infrastructure pays dividends in viewer satisfaction and retention. Like learning weapon mechanics in modern shooters, observing requires mastering specific techniques through repetition and feedback.

Advanced observing techniques include predictive camera placement based on economy reads, understanding team tendencies, and maintaining narrative continuity throughout matches. These skills separate adequate observers from exceptional ones.

The Berlin experience ultimately serves as a valuable case study for the entire esports industry about the importance of broadcast quality and the skilled professionals who create it. Much like mastering class selection in tactical shooters, observer development requires systematic approach and continuous improvement.

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