E-Sports Entertainment Association League (ESEA) has introduced a suite of innovative tools, Refrag. The ESEA League is a long-standing staple in competitive esports. The organization has hosted competitive leagues for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) and Team Fortress 2 (TF2). Furthermore, ESEA has been a valuable resource for players looking to pursue an esports career.
However, over the last few years, the organization has grown stale. FACEIT’s growing popularity and free-to-play system continue to draw players from ESEA. At this point, many CSGO players feel that ESEA survives because it hosts the most viable competitive league in North America. Though as more organizations dabble in developing leagues, ESEA must keep its relevancy — hence Refrag.
Insider-exclusive Refrag suite
On June 11, ESEA unveiled Refrag on Twitter in a short video. The set of custom in-game mods includes Restrat, Prefire, and NADR. Refrag is designed as a tool for teams and individuals looking to step up their game.
Restrat
According to ESEA, Restrat is the “world’s first real-time multiplayer demo viewer.” It features three main modes — Watch, Versus, and Record.
NADR
NADR is a tool developed to assist users with improving their level of utility usage. When using NADR, players have access to numerous tools like Trajectory Finder, Flash Tester, and more.
Prefire
Similar to the workshop Prefire maps, ESEA’s Prefire “teaches you how to prefire common positions around maps.” However, Prefire differs from the basic workshop maps in that there is optional co-op and FPS optimization, among other things.
Community feedback
Refrag is being overwhelmingly embraced as an exciting new addition in the community. The suite gives a series of resources to teams and individuals who may not have access to more advanced tools. However, the downside is that Refrag isn’t just a paid service, but it’s paywalled behind the most expensive subscription tier. For now, the suite is only available to Insiders and not Premium members.
Despite the downsides, Refrag offers invaluable tools that aren’t readily available through workshop maps or custom servers. If all goes well, perhaps ESEA will consider changing the subscription tier or making a set of tools free to use for those who are unable to subscribe.
