Racing experiences tend to work very well with virtual reality (VR) as it gives users a high-adrenaline experience while the car cockpit/dashboard provides a point of stability that helps prevent simulation sickness. Swiss company Virtually Live and Enova Holdings Ltd are hoping to take this to the net level by partnering to create the Formula E Ghost Racing Live experience for the Chinese market.
Formula E, or more officially, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, is a class of racing that aims to be a bit kinder to the environment in that it uses only electrically-powered cars. The first championship ran in 2014, and since then it has developed a dedicated following.
Virtually Live and Enova Holdings are aiming to create a VR experience that will allow fans to participate with races in real-time by letting players virtually compete against the professionals during Formula E events.
Markus Tellenbach, CEO of Virtually Live said:” We are excited to announce this strategic partnership with Enova allowing our ghost racing app to be introduced in the world’s biggest gaming market. Our unique live experience will enable millions of Chinese motorsports fans to participate in the live action of Formula E, the most innovative motorsports series in a fully immersive and unparalleled experience. Our cross-platform application aims to reach the full potential of Chinese motorsports enthusiasts as well as both core and casual gamers.”
Bob Li, CEO of Enova said: ”We are pleased to establish this partnership with Virtually Live and look forward to introduce the Formula E ghost racing experience to the Chinese gaming community.”
The two companies are initially aiming at the Chinese market due to the size of the available market, which is often cited as the biggest games market in the world, counting 619.5 million players and also due to China’s connection with Formula E, since the first ever Formula E was was run in Beijing in 2014.
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