The NBA keeps virtual and partners with Gym Class!

The NBA All-Star Weekend 2023 will start this Friday in Utah, and as one of the most technologically involved sports organizations, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and virtual reality (VR) basketball game Gym Class (IRL Studios Inc) have reached a licencing agreement to let users play on courts with team logos and dress up their avatars in licenced virtual gear.
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šŸ“± With the introduction of Gym Class VR in 2021, Metaā€™s Oculus Quest platform guarantees a realistic, social basketball experience. This comes with a virtual replica of an NBA team’s court, two different sets of branded apparel, and a team-branded basketball. In a brand new licensing relationship, all 30 teams will be made available in the game as part of the NBA Bundle, which you can purchase for $20. You can also get team-branded basketballs and accessories as separate purchases.

Various community features, including the option to compare match data, are available while users construct a customizable avatar to compete in exercises and competitive games with other players. The gameā€™s shooting, jumping, and sprinting aspects are all based on actual bodily movements observed by the Meta Quest hardware. The level of immersion is increased, and it also provides some exercise.

Due to the collaboration, customers can buy an ā€˜NBA Bundleā€™ that contains a virtual recreation of the court used by their preferred team, official clothing, and a game ball. The aim is that official NBA branding will heighten engagement, increase sales, and strengthen the sense of realism.

šŸŽ™ Adrienne O’Keeffe, NBA Head of Digital Consumer Products, said, ā€œOur collaboration with Gym Class will provide our fans with a new way to express their NBA fandom and connect with each other. We look forward to NBA fans fully immersing themselves through this innovative gaming experience.ā€

šŸ—£ Paul Katsen, Gym Class Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, expressed: ā€œNBA fans will be able to feel what itā€™s like to step onto their favorite teamā€™s court with their friends. Weā€™re excited about this relationship with the NBA and our shared vision of connecting fans through the game of basketball.ā€

With over a million downloads, the VR basketball game Gym Class VR promises to be the most widely used. It offers a free-to-play mode and a ā€œGym Class Proā€ tier with premium features, including individualised private courts.

šŸ’° Gym Class VR has raised US$9 million with investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Danny Green, Andre Iguodala, Lonzo Ball and Kevin Durantā€™s Thirty Five Ventures.

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