Whether you are looking to lasso on a galloping horse, slam corners in an Indy car, or just fly high atop a Pegasus munching achievements, this virtual reality controller may be just what you have been looking for – workout included.
Now available for pre-order, the VirZOOM virtual reality controller is an exercise bike based controller for your favorite virtual reality platform. The VirZOOM VR bike can be used to play five different games with an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or PlayStation VR headset.
This is not just an ordinary stationary exercise bike with a screen in front of it. Ok, it is definitely an exercise bike with a screen in front of your face. But this bike has sensors and game controllers.
The VirZOOM system integrates sensors that measure pedaling speed, so the faster you pedal, the faster you go in the virtual game, which also helps solve some of the motion sickness problems with moving VR experiences.
In addition to the pedal sensors, because your head is motion-tracked with the VR headset, shifting your head will allow you to move left and right within the virtual game. The handlebars have familiar game controls that also allow you to interact with in-game elements.
The company’s VR controller bike helps to solve some issues like VR locomotion discomfort, unintuitive controllers, and safety when wearing a headset often found in current virtual reality experiences.
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The VirZOOM VR bike controller will be sold for $249.95, with the first 300 units available for early access pre-order at a discounted $199.95 price. This includes the VZ Controller, access to their portfolio of VirZOOM-developed games starting with three-to-five core games, and a one-month subscription to VirZOOM Plus. VirZOOM Plus includes online multiplayer functionality, tracking of fitness data including heart rate, calories burned, and distance covered. The VirZOOM Plus subscription starts at $9.95 per month.
Although it is meant to be a fun gaming experience, this is definitely a workout. A bit over the top, but I could see virtual reality enthusiasts actually using this to get a quick workout in. We could one day see this become a multiplayer game experience for gyms. Imagine a room full of VirZOOM bikes lined up and an instructor yelling at participants as they all pedal around a racecourse or fly in uniform atop a soaring Pegasus.
This is the SoulCycle of virtual reality.
