Japanese game publisher Colopl NI has already set aside $50 million to invest in virtual reality startups and game developers. Now, the company is investing in virtual reality eSports with its recently released game, Cyberpong VR for the HTC Vive.
The game was built from the ground up for eSports and tournament-style matches. On May 15 at 5 p.m. PT, the company is hosting a “Duel the Devs” tournament in virtual reality on Twitch. It’s the first foray by the company into the new world of virtual reality eSports, and that’s an area that Colopl NI CEO Jikhan Jung believes will have great potential in the coming years. He talks about why his company is betting on virtual reality eSports in this exclusive interview.
How did you design Cyberpong VR for eSports?
We think that VR is currently too isolated for a single player experience, which can be lonely. Having fun together is the most important part of good game design for VR, since the platform really lends itself to a social experience.
We designed Cyberpong VR with a very clear goal of making it a social experience for people, whether that’s playing matches against each other or watching the competition. We tried to make the opponent be close enough that you feel like there are real people in VR. We believe that will create a better experience.
Our game is extremely fun and easy to learn, but is built for competition. So like any eSport game, if the player wants to do well and win, they must practice and become the best.
What opportunities do you see for virtual reality eSports?
ESports and tournament-style matches have been really popular for all gaming platforms, especially on PC. We believe that trend will only continue in gaming.
VR will replace gaming on PC, and will be even bigger. Thus, this has huge potential. This is why our strategy is to create VR games that are socially engaging.
How receptive at this stage are eSports leagues to this type of VR content?
It’s too early to tell, as there aren’t any eSports leagues in the VR space but we hope we’ll be one of the first game companies to realize this potential. We feel strongly that VR will be a big presence in gaming, and eSports is a natural area for games to further expand into.
Riot Games went and built out its own league with League of Legends. Is that a route you’d go?
Again, it is too early to say. But, we are committed to VR as well as investing in eSports, so it will take time, but I believe that eventually we will.
Another factor for any eSports is prize money and infrastructure. What are your plans from that perspective?
We just launched the game so are working to build a community. We are starting with a moderate incentive for players who join our “Duel the Dev” event, and we certainly are planning to have additional tournaments that will offer more prizes and infrastructure. We will share more when they are announced.
What are the current challenges of livestreaming a VR game in a 2D fashion?
Developing for VR is great. Some of the challenges include camera positions for the viewers, since it has to look fun and understandable since you’re not actually in the game. We realized that if we set the camera in the same angle as player, it will look very shaky and cause issues.
Several companies are working on livestreaming for VR, but the audience isn’t there yet. What role do you see VR eSports playing in getting eyeballs to those types of platforms?
The audience will grow as the VR category grows—with more hardware and games. ESports VR games will contribute a lot, since it’s always fun to watch when there is great competition happening. It’s like how we like to watch sports games when they are happening, the same will happen with VR games.
Is Colopl NI investing in any companies or building out any type of infrastructure for VR livestreaming itself?
We have not made any formal announcements, but we do plan to invest and expand our VR reach. So we will make announcements later.
What does spectating in virtual reality open up for fans?
Spectating in VR gives fans an opportunity to see what’s out there first before they commit to buying the device or game(s). Moreover, spectating will help people to learn from other players, including the best players, so they can become better. They can also meet new people, make new friends and help build a strong community. There are many benefits and opportunities, so it will be great to see this area grows over time.
How long do you see before there’s enough of an audience (at least across mobile devices) to support VR eSports?
It is definitely going to happen. I think next year will be an interesting year, since all the major VR devices will be in the market. And there will be at least 100 game centers and internet cafes in the major eSports countries like Korea, China and the United States.
