Virtual reality can change poker as we know it. Imagine sitting at a table with your buddies, interacting with them like you would in a real casino and feeling like you're really there. Sounds cool, right? Well we're not far from reality. What does the future of poker and virtual reality hold for us? Let's take a look at it and see how this combination breaks stereotypical myths!
Poker in an unknown universe: Virtual reality is changing the future of the game
Several technological advances have been crucial in shaping modern online poker. Thanks to them, for example, statistics about opponents are available at any time you can think of. With current technology, it is possible to look into the head of an opponent without trying to decode their poker face. However, virtual reality is a chapter in itself, even in the world of poker. Virtual poker platforms create a realistic environment. Players can interact with the game and can also communicate with other players in a virtual environment.
A significant factor in the improvement of VR was the COVID pandemic, which cancelled all public activities and forced people to retreat to their homes... Before the pandemic, regular player meetings were a kind of ritual for many, wherever poker was played, it was a sacred place. However, sanctuaries and rituals were canceled due to the global threat at the time. However, people are resourceful, and so the aforementioned virtual reality entered poker. Thanks to it, even those who occasionally played online poker, but missed the social element and enjoyment of the game, found their grip on the game.
PokerStar VR as the first virtual poker platform
The platform's marketing alone promises authentic poker action in visually stunning casino environments and realistic chip and card movements. It also states that it uses the best poker software in the world. For purists or anyone putting real money into the game, the reliability of the software's random number generator (RNG, the algorithm that governs the generation and distribution of card sequences) is a key feature. PokerStars VR notes that its RNG has been certified by one of the leading accredited testing labs for online gaming worldwide.
Within this platform, the possibilities are almost limitless. You can participate in public tournaments, complete with weekly leaderboards and prizes for the winners, or you can take a private table with your group of players. Among other things, you can also collect play money chips. Each player chooses an animated avatar to represent them in the game, and the real-time voice chat will almost make you forget that you are not sitting at a real table with all your friends.
Vegas Infinite by PokerStars is available for free to everyone on Steam
The game mechanics themselves are similar to physical poker. You can study your opponents and, if you have enough time, you can virtually reveal them. Hand movements and gestures are transferred to the game via controllers, and the physics of handling chips and cards are fluid. In recent years, leading technology companies such as Facebook and Google have invested billions of dollars in developing virtual reality applications. The quality is increasing significantly and the technology is becoming affordable enough to enter the mainstream.
The promises of virtual reality are ambitious, to the point of radically changing the way we view the world and our places in it. Within virtual reality, we may be able to better understand the needs of the contemporary world and positively influence change. But all of this can only be discussed today. When it comes to poker, however, the verdict here is clear. The combination of poker and virtual reality is a winning phenomenon.
Source - RyanSchultz, Steam, PokerStars, YouTube
