CS:GO esports: The virtual camera operators capturing the action

No matter what sport you love, when you’re watching and cheering on your team you don’t want to miss a second of the action.

That’s why one of the most important, and often least appreciated jobs, is being one of the many camera operators.

It’s no different in esports, and that’s where people like Jake come in.

The 25-year-old, also known as zarx online, is one of a team of four “observers” who act a bit like cameramen on the virtual battlefield.

They work together to give a comprehensive picture of how the action is unfolding.

Some will have the ability to jump between player perspectives, seeing exactly what’s on their screen.

Others will control in-game cameras on the ground or in the air, taking a bird’s eye view of the match. And some, watching on a seven-second delay, manage replays.

“Essentially, an observer is your main person bringing you all the action in-game. So everything you see, the camera angles or the kills, that’s our job,” he tells BBC Newsbeat.

Jake’s work is on show at Counter-Strike (CS:GO) tournaments, such as the BLAST Premier Spring Final, hosted at London’s Wembley Arena over the weekend.

The five-against-five first-person team shooter is one of the biggest esports globally, attracting millions of viewers each year.