International Racquetball Federation Endorses Racket: Nx to become the first official Virtual Sport.

The IOC-recognized International Racquetball Federation (IRF), based in Colorado Springs, USA, has followed the IOC’s announcement of their Virtual Sports Series with a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in developing Tel Aviv-based One Hamsa’s immersive virtual reality (VR) game Racket:Nx as a potential full Olympic Virtual Sport and an eventual candidate for the Olympic Games.

The IOC’s Virtual Sports Series includes five games which simulate cycling, rowing, baseball, sailing, and auto racing, but only two are physical games [for cycling and rowing] and presently none are immersive virtual reality.

IRF Secretary General Luke St. Onge said: “When we realized what this combination could mean not only for our federation, but for all of racquet sport, we jumped all over it. This will be a game-changer, for us and for world sport. We look forward to sharing so much more as this exciting partnership unfolds.”

Virtual Sports Association CEO Victor Bond, who brokered the deal, says: This is a marriage made in future-sport heaven: a world-class developer and a unique, successful, and wonderful game, with a fully global international IOC-recognized sports federation, that has the vision and the grit to not just see around the corner but to go there.”

One Hamsa CEO Assaf “Usul” Ronen, added: “Racket:Nx is fully immersive and fully athletic, allowing players of all racquet sports – not only racquetball – to play full out inside a lighted, player-responsive, sound and music-filled dome, in a game that is blow-your-mind unique and engaging. The moves of all racquet sports are supported, except for those that would not work in the average living room or family room, like a racquetball dive or a clay court tennis slide.”

Ronen continued, “Racket:Nx has over 150,000 players on most VR platforms, including the fastest-growing VR headset, the Oculus Quest 2. That means that this game is more likely to achieve the mass acceptance that the IOC seeks. Racquet sports, it turns out, all together, may be the largest sports category in the world, eclipsing even world football.”

With virtual reality hitting the mainstream with the Quest 2, and with the IOC ushering in the era of Olympic Virtual Sport, this trailblazing partnership is betting on the roles that immersive virtual sport will play in the mass adoption of VR and in the extension of the Olympic Games.

Questions and Answers

Will this game be “virtual racquetball?”

No, it will not be “Virtual Racquetball.” Our goal is to develop a virtual sport that can be played in a normal home, in the living room or similar room.

This is to encourage wide adoption of the sport, in line with the IOC’s interest in expanding participation in healthy electronic sport.

Though Racket: Next allows and rewards most of the strokes of racquetball and all other racquet sports, it cannot allow players to run from side to side or front to back in a full racquetball or other racquet sport court space.

And simulated VR movement in this kind of space induces motion discomfort in too many people to be acceptable to us.

Racket: Next  is its own unique take on a Universal Virtual Racquet Sport, and we are endorsing it as such.

Will Racket: Next be in the Olympic Virtual Series?

We hope to be, but we will need to apply for that honor.

Will Racket: Next become a discipline of racquetball?

No, because it is not a version of racquetball.

However, we intend for it to become a full racquet sport discipline of the IRF.

Why did the IRF choose Racket: Next? What other games were considered?

It is a beautiful game, literally and physically. It encourages vigorous athleticism and competitiveness. It supports Solo play, Co-op play [like doubles], and Multiplayer one versus one play, with opponents located anywhere in the world with wifi. And it is a proven game, on the market since 2017.

It is also on far more VR platforms than any other, including the incredibly popular and affordable Oculus Quest 2. {Other platforms include products made by HTC and Samsung, as well as others that run on PCs].

Regarding other games, the Virtual Sports Association has searched the world for other games with the characteristics described above. For the moment, Racket: Next stands completely alone.

Will it be available in China?

Yes, absolutely. The Quest is not available in China, but there are many other platforms, including the Chinese-manufactured Pico Neo and iQIYI’s Qiyu 3.

Is One Hamsa paying the IRF for its endorsement?

No.

What role will the Metaverse Sports Association play?

They will play a wide range of roles, from membership recruiting to tournament management to sponsorship development.

Will this project take resources from IRF racquetball programs?

No.

The IRF are making no up-front payments, and will compensate their partners only from the revenues that they help to generate.

Will this sport qualify for the Olympic Program?

It is far too early to say that.

However, with enough players in enough places, Racket: Next would completely meet the requirements described in detail by IOC President Bach two years ago: that it be fully athletic, not only at the highest levels of competition, but throughout… that it be consistent with Olympic Values, with no violence or discrimination [by the way, it is completely Gender Neutral]… that it be offered by a fully accredited IOC-recognized sports federation like the IRF, and that it contribute meaningfully to the appreciation and broad acceptance of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement.

It is also highly televisable and streamable: the ball is impossible to miss, and the sights and sounds of the game are glorious.

Finally, the venue, judging, referee, and other operational requirements of Racket: Nx will be drastically less than for conventional sports.

So, we think that Racket: Nx will be an outstanding candidate for the Olympic Program.

Why is the IRF doing this?

The IRF recognizes that this endorsement allows us to expand their visibility worldwide.

Because they believe that they have an opportunity to offer the best virtual racquet sport game in the world to the entire range of racquet sports players and fans, in a time when virtual reality is finally going mainstream, primarily because of the Oculus Quest.

After all, there are more total racquet sports players in the world than there are soccer players, and Racket: Nx appeals to them all.

And the Oculus Quest – on which Racket: Nx is consistently highly rated – is taking the world of consumer VR by storm, and this is in addition to all the other platforms which support Racket: Nx.

So we see an opportunity to bring this amazing VR Sport to the world at just the right time, especially given the IOC’s support of virtual sport.

By doing so, we also hope to create more interest in racquetball, which is another amazing racquet sport.

What about the controversy surrounding the requirement that the Oculus Quest connect to players’ Facebook accounts?

Though we do not have such concerns about the use of the Oculus Quest, those that do must act accordingly, and we will respect and accept their decisions.

Of course, no one who wants to participate in the Racket: Nx program is required to use the Quest, There are many other VR headset alternatives which will work wonderfully.