The Yokohama DeNA BayStars baseball team has worked with telecoms experts KDDI to create a virtual version of its Yokohoma Stadium where fans can virtually congregate while watching its games.
Looking to replicate the game day experience during Covid-19 lockdown, baseball fans are able to move around the stadium complex and engage with the avatars of other virtual spectators, before moving onto the baseball field where a live game can be watched on a giant screen. In the most recent Virtual Hamasta event, a fan park was added outside the stadium with a stage where virtual pre-game entertainment took place.
Fans are able to visit The Virtual Hamasta events using a virtual reality headset, to enjoy a truly immersive experience, while a 2D version of the virtual world is also accessible through computers and smartphones.
The virtual events are free to attend. The first one took place in August 2020, with the third, and most recent happening in March 2021.
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