Eye of the Match: The VAR Game

Eye of the Match: The VAR Game places the player in the role of a Virtual Referee working in a dedicated review room. When a key moment occurs in a football match, a replay tape is generated for the player to examine. The player uses on-screen computer tools to play, pause, scrub and zoom through the footage, and can consult a match log for additional information.

When the player finds an infringement, the Disciplinary Action System is used to decide whether to punish a player or a team. As the game progresses, new regulations are introduced, so a single replay may contain more than one infringement. Decisions are made under pressure from fans who expect quick and fair rulings, and the player’s performance during each shift contributes to a score that they are encouraged to keep high.

The game also includes a narrative element. Over time, the player learns more about how the company they work for operates and chooses which path to take as a Virtual Referee. The story raises questions about whether the player will always make fair decisions and whether external influences are involved, with the outcome depending on the player’s choices.