Entertainment

Virtual Sports: Where it All Began, and Where it’s Heading

fantasy sportsSports have been part of our lives for millennia, and it is showing no signs of fading away soon. As a matter of fact, sports games – be it football, basketball, baseball, and so on – are more ubiquitous than ever. Go to any part of the globe, and you’re bound to see someone throwing a football around or playing a few hoops. But sports have also evolved in their own unique way, and now, aside from so-called ‘real’ sports, we also have the benefit of virtual sports. So what’s so special about virtual sports, and where did it all begin? More importantly, where is it headed?

The quick facts

When we talk about virtual sports (such as games from Playing Legal), to avoid confusion – we’re basically referring to electronic sports games which are able to generate particular feedback on a certain device, such as a tablet or a mobile or smart phone. As its name implies, virtual sports stems from, and is inspired by, real sports. What first began as sports games which were drawn (literally) on paper has now evolved so much that it can be played on an array of gadgets and devices and the games are now available to virtually anyone with an Internet connection (which is roughly 3.6 million people – and the number is rising even as we speak).

The fascinating history

Just like any other means of entertainment, virtual sports began slowly – but it has risen steadily ever since. The very first time a computer was used for virtual sports was actually as far back as 1961, and this was in the form of fantasy football which was specially-coded and programmed for an IBM computer. This earliest form of fantasy football was played by two teams, who competed against each other with the use of player statistics and random number generators. The outcome of the game was decided in this way, and it even included a play-by-play account as well.

Games today

Nowadays, you can only imagine how things have changed when it comes to virtual sports. Thanks to motion capture technology as well as specially-developed software, the most complex (not to mention realistic) animations can be developed and created. One such example is the sports animation developed specifically for FIFA in virtual football. As an entertainment platform, virtual sports are more exciting than ever, with more and more people signing up and experiencing the ultimate thrill.

A look at the most popular virtual sports game of all

Arguably the most popular virtual sports game of all, virtual football is now enjoyed by thousands upon thousands of people around the world. The game of virtual football simply involves a bunch of players (virtual) who try to score a goal by kicking the football around. One of the most popular kinds of virtual football games is the one developed by Globalbet. What’s so great about virtual football is that if you bet on it, it’s not that different from betting on a real game – but the added advantage is that with virtual football betting, you don’t have to wait 90 minutes (sometimes more) to learn the game’s outcome. The outcome of the game is determined in a mere 90 seconds.

A comparison of virtual sports games and real sports games

As mentioned, one major difference between virtual sports games and real sports games is that you don’t have to wait that long to know who wins. The outcome is played out in a minute and a half. So if you’re the impatient type, then virtual sports definitely have an edge. Additionally, if you want to bet on virtual sports games, you don’t really need to have expert or updated knowledge about its real world counterpart. In other words, you don’t need to know which player has recently been injured and won’t be able to play, and you don’t need to have advanced knowledge of the team’s starting lineup. The beauty of virtual sports games is that it blends spectatorship with gamesmanship, with the result that the spectators are not only interested in one or two of their preferred teams – instead, they become interested in a lot more games and their outcomes. Spectator engagement at virtual sports games is at an all-time high, simply because it brings a distinctive thrill every single time.

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