A Guide on How to Watch and Play Tennis in VR
If you are a big fan of Tennis, then you are not alone! It’s a sport watched and played by over a 1 Billion people around the world. Now, thanks to the emergence of what’s known as Virtual Reality (VR) Technology, players and fans are taking the fascinating game a notch higher. You can immerse yourself in an experience that feels pretty much like you are in a real tennis court. Yes, you can stream live Tennis matches in VR, plus you can also play Tennis in VR on your own or with family & friends. Now, if you are new to the world of VR, then let’s expound more and tell you all you need to know to get started with this amazing tech. Let’s get started, shall we?
What’s Virtual Reality (VR)?
If you are new to VR, then it’s just a technology that uses a computer to simulate real-world experience. So, you can immerse yourself into a live Tennis event in a simulated court-side feel, albeit from the comfort of where you are. You can also create a real-life tennis game and play with a computer or other players. The nice bit is that you can do all these in a simulated 3D environment, from the comfort of where you are in the world.
It’s a concept that started in fiction and movies, but it’s now a reality, and the VR market is growing quite fast!
Getting Started with VR for Tennis
Getting started with VR for watching or playing Tennis is quite simple. All you need is the following:
- VR Headset: You must have seen that device that’s mounted on the head. That’s it the core device you need to play and watch live VR Tennis. You need to purchase the right headset for an excellent simulated live or gaming experience. There are many vendors in this niche, so it’s just a matter of finding the right headset on your budget. Ideally, go for a VR headset with features like good storage, sensors, and cameras that afford you 6 degrees of freedom (DOF), fewer wires in the setup, etc. Some of the best VR headsets in the market include the likes of HTC Hive, Oculus Go, Oculus Rift, Gear VR, Sony Playstation VR, Windows Mixed Reality, and Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream etc.
- VR Accessories. You also need extra accessories to play and watch Tennis in VR. For example, you will need controllers to simulate the racket movement in a Tennis game. The beauty is that most necessary accessories will be delivered with your headset.
How to watch Virtual Reality Tennis
Now that you know a thing or two about what you need to get started with VR for Tennis, let’s look at how you can watch live events. Again, you will need a proper VR headset to start watching live Tennis events. The VR headset is mounted over your eyes, allowing you to experience a glamorous 3D view of the tennis court from a live camera on the court.
The lenses on the headsets adjust depending on the positioning of the eyes, hence giving you a better wide-angle focus of the game that you are watching. Once you have the VR gear, where do you watch the content? This is where a platform like NextVR comes in.
Using NextVR to Watch Tennis
If you haven’t heard of it before, then NextVR is one of the best virtual reality platforms with lots of VR ready content from sporting events, entertainment, movies, and much more. You will be able to connect and stream real-time tennis matches as they are played on the tennis court. The setup is also straightforward:
- Buy and set up your headset using the manufacturer’s guide. NextVR recommends that you go for top VR headsets we have mentioned for a better experience. As a rule of the thumb ensure that you can test your headset with NextVR before buying. You are also better off checking on the official site to find out if the headset is supported.
- You can then download the free NextVR from the app store, depending on your VR headset. You can also use Steam for PC-based tennis experience
- You can set up your NextVR app and find the best tennis content in VR. Some of the most popular live events on the platform are the likes of Wimbledon, the US Open, etc. You should note that it’s not entirely free, you need to subscribe to access premium tennis content on the platform in 3D.
When to watch Virtual Reality Tennis
The virtual reality tennis is available when live games are streaming. You can look at the schedule of the tennis games once you have the NextVR app installed and find out exactly when the matches will be streamed on the platform. The app also has lots of replays of top Tennis matches you can catch at your own time.
Playing Tennis on Virtual Reality
You can also play Tennis with your VR headsets and controllers. It can a bit confusing if you are a starter, but let’s break it down for you:
How to play Tennis in Virtual Reality
It’s essential to know that Tennis VR games are often created by third-party developers, while others are created by the VR headset vendors. We can’t reiterate this enough. You need to be careful when buying VR headsets if you are to enjoy playing VR Tennis. Here are the simple steps to start playing Tennis on your VR gadget.
- Buy a VR headset with proper controllers what will be used to play Tennis
- Find the Tennis games for your device or on the Steam platform (You will need to set up your device for steam to access most Tennis games in the market). As an example, one popular game in the Tennis VR market is the First Person Tennis, a simulator developed for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. This is just to show you that most Tennis games will be developed for a particular set of VR gear.
- Buy and set up your Tennis game on your VR headset, your PC, or TV to start playing!
Where to play Tennis in Virtual Reality
You can play the game from the comfort of your home away from the Tennis court. The play area for Virtual Reality Tennis is diverse, as you can play while seated, standing, or even in a Room-scale play area. It gets even more exciting as you can play along with a created opponent, or you can use a split-screen or even a cross-platform multiplayer. Virtual Reality makes it possible for you to join other players online and face each other on, making it even more exciting and enjoyable.
When to play Tennis in virtual realty
Virtual Reality Tennis is accessible to you upon subscription. You can play anytime in the comfort of your home, as you do not need to be on the actual tennis court. If you are playing with an opponent online, you may need to schedule a time when both of you can meet on a virtual tennis court for the match.
Final Word:
Virtual Reality technology has revolutionized how people across the world can experience sports from the comfort of their homes. VR is also giving many tennis lovers a new way to play lots of cool Tennis games in an immersed 3D environment. It’s just getting started, though. There is more to come in the world of VR and Tennis!