MLB Home Run Derby VR
MLB is launching an upgraded version of MLB Home Run Derby VR on the Meta Quest Store, complete with detailed renderings of all 30 ballparks.
The compatibility with Meta -- on the Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro devices -- gives the game greater market reach. The updated title includes multiplayer competitions, a progression of skill levels, customization options and more behind-the-scenes gameplay, such as experiences in the clubhouse and trophy room.
“It's really about a social experience, as well as the competition, as well as obviously fandom and team avidity,” MLB SVP/Gaming & VR Jamie Leece told SBJ during a demo at league headquarters earlier this week, emphasizing the value of faithful ballpark recreations. “It's incredibly powerful, that one-to-one experience for fans, to feel like they get to step in that place that they can't even imagine they ever would.”
An early access version of MLB Home Run Derby VR -- essentially, a beta product -- has been available in the Meta App Lab. Those who played that version will received an automatic upgrade to the expanded game, which retails for $29.99. Leece said the plan is not to annualize the game for new sales each year but rather to build upgrades into the same app.
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The VR version of the Home Run Derby began as activations at All-Star Games, festivals and ballpark concourses and was first released commercially in 2018 on PlayStation VR and HTC Vive. At the time, it limited gamers to choosing only one of three ballparks -- Miami, Washington and Cleveland, which were the All-Star Game hosts in 2017, ’18 and ’19. There wasn’t the same pathway toward unlocking new achievement, either.
“That's a very cool experience, but that's a two-minute rollercoaster ride,” Leece said. “For you to feel like you've got a 10-, 20-, 40-, 60-hour experience, you need to build something a lot more profound and a lot more scaled up for fans to want to play at home.”
The multiplayer and tournament modes are a big selling point, he noted, and users will be able to accessorize their avatars by earning points in the game instead of through microtransactions. There are social areas in the game where friends can hang out, and they’ll be able to appear as their custom avatars from other Meta experiences.
And when competing against someone, an animation will show the opponent’s progress via ball traces.
“So you feel presence,” Leece said, “and you also feel the pressure.”
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