Gamers love to play games, it’s in the name after all. But there are times when you just want to watch someone else play. Streaming gained popularity with this mindset. Whether it’s to watch a speed run, see someone playing at a level you could only dream of, or watch friends goof off, it can become as fun as playing.
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Games have been adding spectator modes for years, looking to both improve usability and give you a chance to watch as you wait, or just watch. Spectator mode takes controls away from you, for the most part, letting you be a passive observer of the gameplay.
10WWE 2K Games
While it’s always been possible to watch two bots face each other in whatever matches you create, with the 2K series, the the GM Mode is reintroduced. GM Mode lets you book Raw, Smackdown, WCW and/or NXT matches to gain as many fans as possible. you’re able to do it alone or with friends to see who the best GM is.
After booking your show, you have the option to spectate any match you like. You can use a variety of camera angles to add to the action to the ring. You and a friend can also announce the match and trash talk the other’s show, adding to the competitiveness of it.
9Mortal Kombat (2011)
Mortal Kombat(2011) — aka Mortal Kombat 9 — was a return to form for the former Midway developers. After being purchased by Warner Bros, they ditched the 3D plane and went back to a 2D fighter. They also jam-packed the game with single-player and multiplayer content.
In King of the Hill, you’re able to watch other players fight each other. While you’re still in a queue to fight, it gives you a lot of fun little things. On Xbox, you’d watch through your avatar or favorite characters on PlayStation. You could throw things at the screen and give scores to the matches you watched.
8Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6is one of the most content-heavy outings of the series. Capcom has revamped mechanics, included a story mode, an open world, and more. Even their lobby, named battle hub, has been upgraded to give it the feeling of a modern arcade.
In arcades, people would gather around a cabinet to watch players compete. Street Fighter does this but with more data than you’re able to hope for. You get real-time information on what buttons the opponents are pressing, the damage their recent attack or combo has done, and even the attack type.
7Grand Theft Auto: Online
Grand Theft Auto: Onlineis one of the most successful games as a service in history. It brings the over-the-top gameplay of GTA and allows people to play with or against each other. While it’s fun to just mess around with it, part of the fun of GTA is seeing people do wild things.
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Spectate became an instant hit when it was introduced into GTA:O. You can watch any person in their server that allowed it. You could watch something as mundane as someone in their apartment or as action-packed as a high-speed chase after a botched robbery. It offers multiple camera angles and the ability to switch players seamlessly.
6For Honor
For Honor is a fairly unique game. It’s a fantasy game in medieval times that has you play with various historical figures. Samurais, Vikings, knights, and more all do their best to defeat the enemy team. There can be a lot of action to follow, especially when you’re in the thick of things.
Enter spectator mode, which allows you to see everything how you’d like. You can see an overhead view, follow a particular player, or free-roam to see any part of the battlefield you want.
5Splatoon 3
Splatoon 3is more of the same but in the best possible way. All the inky-goodness you love is amped up while still offeringa good number of differences from the previous game. One thing that was brought back is the Spectator View.
InSplatoon, up to two players can watch private matches with a free-roam camera. While this was inSplatoon 2, an update allowed for automatic camera switches in Splatoon 3. It also gives stats like how many splats and assists the player has.
4Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duckis toAmong UsasFortniteis toPUBG. GGD is a free-to-play alternative that gives you a vast number of customization options as well as roles with special abilities for the avians. They also offer things like built-in proximity chat.
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A January 2022 update brought in a spectator mode that allowed people to join other games. While spectating, you get to hear and see everything any player you attach to does. You can’t give them hints though, as it automatically mutes you, so don’t think about cheating.
3Minecraft
The world ofMinecraftis ever-changing, whetherthrough the usersor the developer. Because of this, there’s always something to explore. It can be daunting traveling to see all these locations, though that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. Still, many want a more relaxing way to see things without worrying about being damaged or anything.
Spectator mode in Minecraft lets you fly around the world. In some versions, you can see every entity around you and in all versions, you can go through walls, water, and even lava. It gives you the freedom to see almost anything you’d want.
2Battlefield 5
Battlefieldhas had its ups and downs, andBattlefield 5is no exception. While it faced a ton of scrutiny before launch, fans were still excited about what it was offering. Despite its issues, it offers one of the best spectator modes in all of Battlefield.
Battlefield 5 lets you follow individual trucks and players around the map or free roam. It gives you a wide array of options like filters, depth of field, and more. you may even use it like a move shoot with director mode, letting you set up cameras at key points along the map and toggling between them.
1League Of Legends
League of Legendsremainsa powerhouse in gaming, toppling over 140 million active users a month consistently. With those numbers, you never have to worry about finding a match fairly quickly, whether you’re playing or spectating.
Regardless of if you’re new or a veteran, spectate mode offers valuable information on the game and players. You can see health bars, item builds, cooldown, and more. You can even remove fog to get a better view of everything happening. It’s worth using, and frequently.
