PokerStars announced changes to its software and additions to its game offerings this week, slated to become active within the next few days. PokerStars representative Stefan detailed what would be seen in the update on the Two Plus Two poker forum yesterday.
The most noticeable changes will be made to the ring game lobby. Currently, the tried-and-true format is the “list view,” in which players can view all tables of a particular type in the main window, based on the various filters selected. This will still be the default view in the new lobby, but users can also try out the new “groups view,” which essentially condenses the information one will see. In this view, all tables of the same type will be grouped together on a single line. Next to that line, there will be a “Find Me a Seat” button which, when pressed, will whisk the player off to an open seat at a table of that type. Players will also have the option to simply observe a random table of the selected type.
For those who want it all, there will also be a “combo view.” This view starts with the “groups view” in a left-hand window, but when a table type is selected, all of the tables of that type will be shown in a right-hand pane, a la the “list view.” Each of those tables can then be highlighted to reveal the player list.
A new icon will also be available above the list of players which, when clicked, will pull up a graphical view of the table. If there is an empty seat, users can click on it to be taken directly to it.
In addition to the lobby changes, new tournament types are coming. Progressive Knockout tournaments, which will debut in Beta mode, feature bounties on every player’s head, as normal. The twist is that only part of this bounty will go to the person who wins the knockout hand. The rest will be added to that player’s own personal bounty, making him an even more valuable elimination to his opponents.
More ZOOM tournament variants are coming, as well. Amongst the new options that will go on trial are Timed, Bounty, and Satellite ZOOM tourneys.
It appears that the changes to the PokerStars software are part of a gradual move towards the highly anticipated PokerStars 7 client that is supposed to be officially released this year.
As is typically the case with PokerStars, the site is encouraging feedback from its customers and is open to tweaking things, particular those features in Beta mode (Progressive Knockout tourneys and ring game lobby views).