Kick back and watch the best of zero-gravity esports action this weekend during the Echo Arena Quest 2 Rookie Cup and the Dunks & Half-Court Invitational. While they’re very different types of events, both indicate significant growth of the VR esports ecosystem overall so viewers can take their pick or tune in on both days for the best competitions in zero-gravity.
Quest 2 Rookie Cup
Echo VR is offered as a free download from Oculus and in recognition of the Quest 2 release last month, Echo community members have organized a Rookie Cup where veteran coaches pair up with some of the rookies who began playing after September 1.
Events such as this create a welcoming environment, encourage interaction between veteran and rookie players, and promote engagement in the community overall. Some players simply want to make friends and others want to experience competitive play so they can decide if they might want to participate in the pro league.
Echo Arena is featured in various VR esports events and it’s a popular choice for leagues such as the Collegiate VR Esports League (CVRE), but the largest VR esports pro league to feature Echo Arena is the VR Master League (VRML), a community-driven platform that features the most competitive VR games on the market.
VR Master League casters have teamed up with organizers of the rookie event to provide coverage for the event. These guys put on a fantastic production and while veteran players of the game enjoy it, coverage of events such as this is an excellent introduction to VR esports and Echo Arena in particular for people who aren’t familiar with virtual reality or esports. The production crew will ensure that viewers know what’s happening and you’ll have the opportunity to hear some of the player interaction as well since today’s matches are being played with open comms.
The Echo Arena Quest 2 Rookie Cup is being sponsored by Asterion Products and VR Community Builders. Asterion has supported several community events and recently joined the VR Master League as an official sponsor. VR Community Builders is committed to the development of positive, inclusive environments in immersive reality and beyond.
We hope you can join us to see which team will claim bragging rights as the new rookie champions (and their coach)!
Coverage begins at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET / 7 pm BST.
Watch on the VRML Twitch channel.
Dunks & Half-Court Invitational
After you’ve seen the rookies battle for supremacy on Saturday, be prepared to see what the pros can do on Sunday during the Dunks & Half-Court Invitational being hosted by Subnation and VR Master League.
Subnation, the leading media and entertainment company focused on the culture of gaming and lifestyle of esports, has teamed up with the VR Master League and some of the game’s top players to show the world why Echo Arena is seeing massive global adoption.
During the Dunks & Half-Court Invitational, we’ll see which VRML master tier player can out-shoot the others in a half-court contest, discover who’s the best at dunking during a 1v1 dunk contest, and then we’ll be treated to an invitational show match.
“This year’s game has added an additional person to traditional gameplay, increasing the difficulty of the game and making it twice as physically demanding,” said Brandon Hardin, a top-tier Echo Arena player also known as ‘b-love.’ “We are also providing a spectator view, which is imperative in creating the best experience when watching VR games.”
A well-made spectator experience is important for esports in general, but with VR games it’s especially important that the viewer understand what’s going on and feel engaged in the action happening on screen. VR is an immersive experience so it can be a bit challenging to express the physical and emotional involvement of the players. Echo Arena has one of the best spectator cams available in VR esports, however, and the VR Master League camera crew ensure that viewers always have the best possible view of the action. It truly enables people watching a 2-D screen at home to follow the action the same as they would with traditional sports.
“For viewers, the Echo Arena Invitational is going to be an immersive experience that allows for the game to feel just as real as the NBA or the NFL,” said Doug Scott, co-founder & Chief Managing Director at Subnation. “And by integrating additional competitions that are game adjacent, we are curating an esports programming experience that rivals that of the NBA All-Star Weekend.”
Subnation has an extensive history advising local sports authorities and governing bureaus as they build viable gaming and esports ecosystems. They’re also the official cultural partner for flagship industry events like E3 and DreamHack. The interest of companies such as Subnation in the growth of VR esports and games such as Echo Arena indicate positive steps forward for the VR esports industry overall.
Tune in on Sunday to see the master tier players in action and then join the community so you can meet others who play the world’s most popular VR esports game.
Coverage begins at 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET / 10 pm BST.
Watch on the Subnation Twitch channel.
