North American based giant esports organisation, Cloud9 has signed a multiyear partnership deal with the technological mammoth Microsoft. Microsoft will be working as official technology and performance analytics partner for Cloud9 and help co-develop esports driven tools for all Cloud9 teams.
According to press release Microsoft will be utilizing its Azure platform to analyse and mine data from the competitive matches and practice sessions. The said data will then be processed to provide valuable information such as strategies, player insights, team formation, etc for players and teams to utilize.
In the press release, CEO and Owner of Cloud9, Jack Etienne said:
“As our organization looks at reaching new heights this year and next, we are incredibly excited to use the power of Microsoft technology to help get us there. At Cloud9, we are all about giving players the tools they need to succeed, and with Microsoft leading the way for us, we’re going to have the competitive edge”
Mike Downey, Director of Sports Technology at Microsoft also shared information about the deal and role of Microsoft in this deal:
“Using a range of Microsoft’s commercial and consumer products and services, we will work with Cloud9 to build tools that will help them train more efficiently and determine their best strategies to win. Pairing the technological expertise of Microsoft with some of the world’s best gamers and coaches, we have an opportunity to develop some really innovative technology.”
Although the use of data analytics in esports isn’t something new or out of ordinary, what stands out from this deal is that both organizations will develop tools which Microsoft may later integrated into their Azure platform and partner up with more teams in future. The possibility of others also getting benefits of data analysis and tools is huge and this might push the skill cap higher making the games more competitive and more enjoyable for the audience.
Cloud9 currently fields teams and players in many esports games including League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch and Rocket League. With Microsoft’s support and resources at disposal, there is plenty of room for Cloud9 to expand further and dig deeper into analytics which in-turn will improve their teams and help generate better results in competitive matches.
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