PICO has announced its sponsorship as the Official VR Headset Partner for the inaugural Olympics Esports Week (OEW). For the first time, the PICO 4 VR headset will be used in the main virtual taekwondo competition.
Programming of Olympic Esports Week will be available on demand on the PICO Video app.
The first event of its kind is created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will be taking place in Singapore between 22 and 25 June 2023, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Sport Singapore and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).
“We are thrilled to be the Official VR Headset Partner for Olympic Esports Week. This partnership highlights PICO’s commitment to revolutionising the way people experience sports and gaming. We believe that VR has the power to merge the best aspects of both worlds, offering unparalleled immersion and physical engagement. We are excited to showcase our technology and contribute to the success of this groundbreaking event,” said Allen An, Regional Director for PICO Southeast Asia.
The four-day festival event will take place in Singapore at the end of June, showcasing the best of virtual sports, gaming and esports.
As the official VR headset sponsor, PICO’s VR headsets will be utilised, for the first time, in Virtual Taekwondo, one of the main competitive events.
This combines Singapore company Refract Technologies’ proprietary real-time full-body motion tracking system AXIS with the PICO 4 VR headset to deliver a groundbreaking VR adaptation of the traditional Korean martial art.
Virtual Taekwondo was created by Refract in partnership with World Taekwondo as an innovative game that will captivate participants and spectators alike, showcasing the incredible potential of VR in the world of sports.
In addition, PICO will be offering the programming of Olympic Esports Week on the PICO
Video app, providing viewers with the opportunity to enjoy the action on demand.
More details below from the press release.
PICO says its commitment to maximise the potential of sports and exercise in VR is evident in its choice to partner with Olympic Esports Week.
The event encapsulates the ethos of “gamifying sports”, which perfectly aligns with PICO’s VR solutions to diverse scenarios – consumption in sports, videos, and entertainment, as well as commercial use in education, healthcare and corporate training.
The headset’s sweat-resistant face coverings, super lightweight design, and support for full body tracking expand the range of movements available, pushes the boundaries of what VR can offer.
Throughout the finals of Olympic Esports Week, attendees will be able to experience VR esports content in the PICO booth within the Free-to-Play Zone at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Content available to try on PICO 4 Headsets in the Free-toPlay Zone includes All in One Sports VR, Eleven Table Tennis, Racket:NX, Ultimechs and many more.