The Oculus Rift headset has been making a bit of a splash lately. The virtual reality headset has essentially been in development since the 1980's. But recent technological advancements have made it a polished product just about ready for consumer shelves. It played a fairly big role in this years South by Southwest festival and has wowed video game developers at conferences around the country. Oh and it's creator, Oculus VR, was recently acquired by Facebook for $2.4 Billion. So they're having a good 2014 so far.
So this got me thinking. With Facebook being the giant that it is, a lot of money could be poured into this technology over the next few years. Would it be a stretch to see the Oculus Rift headset in a sports context?
Of course the potential for virtual reality in sports games is endless. Can you imagine playing Madden and looking side to side for the most open receiver? Or being that receiver and looking over your shoulder at just the right second to see the ball hurled your way?
But I'm talking about a real life sports viewer experience. You could be standing right in the middle of the paint at an NBA Basketball game when someone leaps over you for a posterizing dunk. You could be running right along with an NFL running back and turn around to see the defense chasing you into the end zone. You could sit right on the crossbar of an NHL hockey goal as two teams scuffle for a puck right in front of you.
With the cameras available today, there is literally no end to the possibilities for the Oculus Rift headset in sports viewership. I think it still has a long way to go before it has a fully practical use, but I think it is well on it's way.
Do you think Oculus Rift has the possibility to enhance your sports viewing experience?
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