Evolve, the 4v1, Hunters vs. Monster title from Turtle Rock Studios, is slowly trying to make its way into the realm of e-sports. As evident in past gameplay videos released before the game’s launch, a few quotes from 2K’s DB Sinclair, who commented and criticized the moves of the players, as well as suggested what should be done next.

In order to offer such commentary in an entertaining way, though, viewers, as well as the commentator, need access to the perspectives of each of the hunters and monster – something Evolve, in its current form, is unable to provide. Even Turtle Rock, which manages to show an entire match as part of their weekly livestream, admitted that it needs to utilize “thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment” to pull it off.

Fortunately, for those that would like a method that doesn’t require a ton of money, the developer will soon introduce a way for non-participants to see what’s going down in a match, via the appropriately named “Observer Mode.”

“As we’ve said many times before, we are fully committed to our community – never breaking you apart from your friends based on what content you own, and always looking for ways to hook our players up with things like free community features.”




The Observer Mode will have a few new features all to itself, with the most notable addition coming in the form of custom matches, allowing anywhere between 1 and 5 players, not counting the Observer. The new mode is chosen at the Hunter/Monster select screen, which means it’s more like a new class than a new mode.

A more obvious feature coming as part of being the Observer is the ability to switch between character cameras. It’ll work just as expected: players can quickly and seamlessly switch between characters, and once a camera’s been selected, it can be rotated in order to get a better angle on what’s happening around that specific player. If anything, the mode will offer a whole new way to see the often dominant monster pounce on an unsuspecting hunter, or maybe Daisy. Yes, Turtle Rock is giving Evolve players a DaisyCam, though Maggie has to be one of the Hunters in play.

But if you intend to give decent commentary, more than a new camera angle are required. Which is why the implementation of an informational HUD will be incredibly useful. It’s meant to show all the important details related to the Hunters and Monsters, minus all the “clutter” like, presumably, the jetpack meter.

“Want to see stuff like the current perks being used and expected survival odds? Done. Want to overlay the minimap? No problem. Just want to enjoy a cinematic angle? Toggle the whole thing off, kick back and enjoy the view. On top of all this, you can even outline characters, making it easier to see them across the map.”

There’s no word on when Evolve’s spectator mode is coming, but when it does, it’ll be for all platforms. For a better look at how the mode works, watch the video above (featuring DB Sinclair and Scott James) or watch a new livestream planned for tomorrow, March 5, at 3pm PT.