REK.tv looks to revolutionize VR spectator sports.
Cix Liv, founder of VR fitness app YUR and mixed reality software LIV, and Bart Trzynadlowski, who won the 2021 OpenCV Spatial AI Competition for North America with his at-home VR laser tag experience, are launching a sports metaverse they hope will set the stage for a new generation of VR-powered spectator sports.
Liv announced the new company yesterday on Twitter, stating, “It’s my birthday, it’s time to announce a new company.”
REK.tv, as it’s referred to by the pair, is all about community building. The company was established with the belief that connecting people together to play and exercise will unlock the true potential of the metaverse. Liv and Trzynadlowski both feel that headsets should be viewed as sports equipment like football helmets or hockey skates rather than advanced gaming peripherals gadgets.
Their first step for REK.tv was to address the most common issues currently surrounding arena-scale VR experiences. To accomplish this task, the team reached out to fellow developers as well as VR gamers in order to gain their valuable insight. During this process, they learned that setup and calibration were common sources of frustration among users.
On Twitter, Liv also talked about how watching avatars run around in VR isn’t as gratifying as watching a real athlete perform an actual sport IRL. He points out the lack of a lower-body as one of the leading causes of disinterest among VR spectators.
REK.tv aims to deliver a more captivating experience for VR sports spectators, a move they hope will set the stage for a new genre of VR athletics and entertainment. The first step for the fitness duo is to build a solid community around shared experiences in XR through a series of events that will take place throughout the coming months. Next is to create a community and platform that merges esports and conventional sports in a way that would empower developers to create their XR sports for the platform.
Both creators have expressed interest in creating their own physically active VR experience as well as partnering with third-party developers. The duo also seeks to collaborate with location-based VR providers to remove common friction points such as venue space and device setup.
Liv and Trzynadlowski have set up a Discord and are actively taking sign-ups for their initial event. Players, developers, and investors are encouraged to connect!
Image Credit: REK.tv
