Spectator Mode

The spectate menu

Spectator Mode allows users to watch other players' games with a delay of approximately five minutes.^[1] This makes sure the spectator mode can't be used for cheating.

Spectating a game

You can access the spectate menu by clicking the "Watch live games" button in the Arena. All games that are currently being played are listed there. You can watch a game by selecting it clicking "Watch". Games are sorted by newest, but you can also sort them by popularity (most spectators) or by rating (highest average rating of the two players). You can also only display specific game types, such as Ranked matches, Testing Grounds, Judgement, Challenge, Single player quickmatch and Trial. It is also possible to spectate the Tutorial, however, these matches are only listed if "all" is selected.

When you click on "Watch", you'll be able to see the game from both players' perspective. You'll always see the hand of the player whose turn it is. Furthermore you'll automatically join the chat room spectate-<gameID>. There you are able to chat with other spectators and you can see the players' chat.

Note that it is possible to spectate a game while searching for a multiplayer match. You'll still get the notification in the top right as soon as a match has been found.

The icon indicating how many people are spectating your game

When playing a match yourself you can see the number of people currently spectating your game in the top right corner.

Settings concerning spectate

The spectator settings

In the Settings menu, there are three options:

Allow

Other players are able to spectate your games and see your chat.

Allow, but hide your chat

Other players are able to spectate your games; however, they can't see your chat.

Block

Other players are not able to spectate your games; they are not even listed in the spectate menu.

Achievements

There are currently 4 achievements connected with spectating other games.

	Achievement	Description / Condition	Reward (Gold)
	Sit back and relax	Spectated a live game	100
	Notable	Have 5 users spectate one of your matches	100
	Renowned	Have ten users spectate one of your matches	100
	Celebrity	Have twenty users spectate one of your matches	100

References

1. ↑ http://youtu.be/EdaWP-zU3Y8?t=4m29s