When the BBC announced that it would be broadcasting the World Cup in virtual reality this year, we expected a novelty experience akin to PlayStation VR’s Cinematic Mode, where you’re placed inside a swish interactive environment with the game playing on a television screen larger than the one in Cristiano Ronaldo’s guest room.
The reality, if you’ll excuse the pun, is far beyond that. Available only in the UK, a new app allows you to actually take the trip to Russia, and sit in one of the executive suites or behind the goals to get a life-like view of the action. The resolution isn’t the best, perhaps owing to the limitations of Sony’s headset as well as the cameras that the BBC’s using, but the effect is impressive.
This is a far cry from your usual 360-degree video streams: there’s depth to the image that gives the scene distance, whichever seat you select. We were able to watch Luis Suarez crash a free-kick directly into Egypt’s stubborn wall in Uruguay’s narrow win earlier today; we even saw the divisive Barcelona striker’s tame effort hit the side-netting – something that commentator Jonathan Pearce missed.
It’s not perfect: the behind-the-goal seats don’t really give you the best view of the game, while the resolution issues mean it can be difficult to distinguish between the players at the far end of the field from the executive box. But the sense of place is very impressive: you can watch locals shuffling about to fetch food and drinks; you can see the managers strut around in their technical areas.
There’s an option to pull up a separate television screen, so that you can complement the live action with the BBC’s television coverage, providing you with replays and a clearer (albeit flat) view of what’s happening on the pitch. There’s also the time and date incorporated into the UI, although oddly enough no match clock or score overlay, something that could have been easily implemented into the virtual space.
Nevertheless, this does feel like a hint at the future of sports. It’s obviously not overly social so it’s the kind of thing you’re going to want to use primarily when you’re on your own, but the immersion is unparalleled. With higher resolution headsets and continued investment in the technology, we could be in for something special come Qatar 2022 – and particularly in 2026 in the USA.
You can find out how to watch the World Cup with PSVR through the link. Have you tried it out yet? What are your impressions? Hope for some better matches in the comments section below.
Comments 38
They won't make it too good. They need bums in seats.
I'll give it a bash with my Gear VR, it's a bit more comfortable for just watching things on and my PSVR doesn't reach the sofa
Luis Suarez’ performance lacked bite.
Any love for us Soccer fans in the States?
It's the little things that make it so fun. The commentators mentioning a player is doing something off-camera... and you being able to look across at it. Watching a player walking down the tunnel, then being able to look down and see him walk out.
I think the hospitality box view is great, but maybe behind the goals, a 360 camera would be better. The lounge setting with the window doesn't really look like it fits with that view.
Maybe it works better with PSVR but I can't even connect to the stream on mobile, typical shoddy work from the BBC
There needs to be more of this type of stuff for VR.
The Andres Iniesta documentary is available for PSVR as well. Though it is a bit on the expensive side.
I have zero interest in football, but I would imagine it’s great in VR for those that do. I hope more sporting events that I would watch get the VR treatment, like tennis, athletics and gymnastics.
Downloaded this last night and fell asleep waiting for it to install. Got a busy weekend but gonna try fit in some time to check this out.
@lacerz
Not if you’re going to continue to call it soccer no 😂
Absolutely amazing just think about where else you could place a vr camera to use as work purposes.
Security, airports, banks, then have an interaction button its limitless really. You feel like your more in control of your environment than evef before, too marks 👍👊🔥
Finally got it to work and it's really good, particularly behind the goals. This'll be amazing when we have significantly higher resolution screens for VR
Yeah this is great
Ok remember it’s first generation graphics need to improve also needs ability to have session with friends but even still it’s great
VR it’s the future
By next World Cup it could be the default way to watch sport
Just need a straw for my wine glass
... dont wanna go back to normal tv footy now. Flipped the view to behind the goal to watch Ronaldos free kick bend in sweetly. Corners and free kicks are so exciting when viewed from behind the goal. The resolution doesnt really matter as much as your really close to the players/pitch. Given that this is the first experiment, BBC really have nailed it. Imagine how good it will be once they fine tune it ... 5 more camera positions and higher resolution. . . Spectating Heaven.
I'm sure they could increase the resolution. I know the PSVR is not that high res, but the picture on the screen above you is much clearer.
Can I remind folks that we are currently on the FIRST usable generation of VR. It is blindingly obvious from all development out there that a headset with 4x resolution is coming.....and soon. In fact the hardware is probably leading the CPU processing/cost needed to support it.
This BBC World Cup VR is also a first and given it's a FIRST it's damned good. Too many people expecting near perfection upon release! I remember being blown away when breakout appeared in UMIST union in 1976 (reality check for the spoilt 1080p generation!).
This will get better, far far better, and it is quite clear this kind of presentation has a healthy future.
LET'S GOOOO PORTUGAL
@AFCC Still dislike Ronaldo?
G.O.A.T.
I'm working over the weekend so I won't be able to check out the VR till Monday at the earliest.
Maybe VR will make England interesting to watch .
@yorkshirelad Yeah, completely agree. It's very impressive as it is, but also very exciting to imagine where it could be in the future.
Imagine watching Formula One from a few angles (especially Monoco) boxing and WWE from one of the corners.
@AFCC Iran will be the first of the group.
@adf86 have you watched the stuff on YouTube? There are a quite a few WWE (corner post position) videos on there.
This is one of the reasons I love VR and it seems to be getting into sport a lot now. F1 post quite a bit.
I hope VR continues to grow. I want a world where everything is offered in VR haha.
Gutted I won’t be able to use the app as I’m currently living outside the UK. I could stick a VPN on my router but it would probably make the stream even worse.
I think maybe once they get to a top quality level they will charge for the service. so it would give fans unable to go to the likes of Qatar or even fans unable to get a ticket to see their own team in the Champions League final a chance to get as close to the action as possible without being there. World Cups, Champions League games & European Championships would all be sellouts so it could be extra revenue. Then if you look at local derbies, I'm Celtic fan and it is extremely difficult to get a ticket for an away Old Firm game(even home games are hard to get tickets for if you don't have a season ticket) so if I could by a ticket to experience even just a fraction of that electric atmosphere I would pay for it and I know many other people who would do the same. Then there is the disabled fans who can't get to these things. All this then you have ex-pats or even people who don't want to go out on a wet & windy Wednesday night after being at work all day & this begins to look like an exciting prospect for the future.
@PS_Nation joke of the year xD
@yorkshirelad I was just hoping I could join the stream, I used gear VR as my S8 has a better resolution and it's very good particularly behind the goals where you are much closer. I'll definitely be watching at least one game fully in VR. One thing I did notice was that it's about 20 seconds behind the TV
@AFCC No, that’s Xbox One, lolol.
@get2sammyb This is amazing , I've watched Manchester Utd a few times on PSVR and it's so life-like you can hear all the fans talking in a cockney accent around and about you , the fans even have half and half Utd-Liverpool scarves on. This is the future , I hope one day our shouts will be heard by the players too , I know what I'd shout at Anders Herrera !
@MinerWilly Took a break from signing Champions League final petitions to pen this comment, Willy?
@Soulchimera Yeah I have and while the WWE stuff is cool there just small highlighted segments. Imagine watching Wrestlemania in VR? Would have been a completely new way to experience disappointment
@adf86 @SoulChimera Are you watching YouTube on the PS4 on PSVR in VR? Is there a VR section to browse? I recall the YT app asking if I wanted VR view but I just assumed it was flat "cinematic mode" so I never bothered with it.
@rjejr yeah, choose the VR mode. It will appear as if it’s just cinematic mode, but if you select any 360 videos, they will be in full VR.
There is a lot a decent content on there now.
@SoulChimera Thanks, I'll give it a go.
@get2sammyb 😁
First let me say I was excited for this. The way you can swap positions is great. The big screen showing the close ups is really good as well. But to say the resolution is not the best is a massive understatement its s*** The wide shot showing the whole pitch is terrible. If it did not have the big screen above it it would be unwatchable.
@PS_Nation OH NO U DIDN'T!
Btw I see so many people praising Xbox as the better console with true 4k and Dolby Atmos and the best looking games...MY GOD I was feeling like punching those guys after E3
@Fight_Teza_Fight I actually made a funny "inside" joke on my facebook...most if not all of my friends know I don't like Ronaldo that much so I put a "KEEP CALM I LOVE CRISTIANO RONALDO" image on my wall...LOL everyone was freaking out!
Honestly I like him as a player, I just don't like when he is cocky! And I prefer to watch Messi..
@PS_Nation Spain out of the cup x)
Not really interested in the Footie, but will give it ago when my new PSVR headset arrives on Wednesday, just to see how it works. Got the PSVR starter pack with VR super hot for £199 in the days of play sale (already have 2 move controllers) . Still not sure I made the right decision getting it but too late now!
Tap here to load 38 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...