Baseball fans are getting to test their skills in the Visionworks Big Hitter VR Baseball Game at the Little League Baseball® World Series. The VR game allows fans to walk into a virtual ballpark, step up to the home plate, and hit a home run with a real baseball bat.
fans stepped into a VR batting cage and took swings against a robot pitcher.
Groove Jones created the game with the Visionworks’ agency – Moroch Partners, in Dallas, Texas. the objective was to create a realistic baseball VR experience that anyone could step up and play.
“We think VR is a great platform for giving baseball fans a real sense of what it feels like to stand out there, giving it their best as the swing for the fence,” said Dale Carman, Creative Director at Groove Jones. “The game is great fun. Easy to learn and challenging to master. Just like the real sport.”
Video of the Game Activation
Players put on an HTC Vive VR headset, which transports them into a ballpark with a powerful robotic pitcher staring down at them from the pitcher’s mound. In your hands is a real baseball bat that is being tracked by a sensor attached to the base. This allows you to see the real-life physical baseball bat in Virtual Reality. So, forget game controllers. This game uses a real bat to hit sliders, knuckleballs, curveballs, and fastballs.
Fan Engagement
Fans of all ages experience this while at the Little League World Series. Visionworks, a leading provider of eye care services with more than 700 retail stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia, sponsored the game. They licensed the game from Groove Jones to entertain fans who attend the Little League World Series.
The Game is Fun, But it Has a Message.
The game demonstrates the importance of annual eye exams and protective eyewear for school-aged children, especially those who play sports. Participants will see how 1 in 4 children who experience vision problems see the world.
“When you are out on the field and then your vision becomes blurred, it drives the message home about how important it is to get your vision checked,” said Dale. “You see the ball coming, and then wham, you can’t focus. It is dramatic and reminds you how important good vision is.”
The game tracks the player’s performance, keeping up with the pitch count, hits, and misses.
“We’ve launched VR productions at the Super Bowl, PGA golf tournaments, NASCAR races, and now the Little League World Series,” said Dale. “These baseball fans are loving it, and competition is fierce.”
