PokerStars Breaks New Ground with Virtual Reality Poker Tour

September 13th, 2019 | by Kaycee James

PokerStars may have pulled the plug on its long-running Caribbean Adventure but the tournament team has just powered up another interesting innovation.

PokerStars Virtual Reality Poker Tour (VRPT).

PokerStars VR will host a new free-play tournament series called the Virtual Reality Poker Tour. (Image: PokerStars)

Adding the next layer to its virtual reality (VR) product, PokerStars has created a new free-play MTT series.

Known as the PokerStars Virtual Reality Poker Tour (VRPT), the series will feature a variety of stops all set in different virtual locations.

PokerStars VRPT Takes Players into Orbit

The first event of Season One will take place in late September onboard the Galaxy Space Station. Highlights of the opening schedule include:

September 27 Mini Main Event, a 1 million chip buy-in with a 60 million guarantee
September 28 Main Event, a 5 million chip buy-in with a 300 million chip guarantee
September 29 Ultra High roller, a 25 million chip buy-in with a 200 million chip guarantee

Entry to every tournament will be free and the winners will receive play money chips and a bracelet for their avatar. Additionally, the top performer on the tour will be given the opportunity to become an official PokerStars VR ambassador.

On completion of the first event, PokerStars’ VRPT will head to Macau in October and a special “to be announced” venue in November.

VR Opening Doors for Poker

Although PokerStars VRPT is a free-play festival, it’s a preview of what could come in the future. While the practicality of VR poker is still up for debate, PokerStars VR has received a positive reception from the online gaming community.

The major sticking point, however, is speed. Aside from the hardware and software being less refined than traditional gaming devices, VR gaming is all about immersion.

Because of that, PokerStars VR features chip tricks and animations that slow down the pace of a game.

For some players, particularly recreational ones, that’s all part of the fun. In fact, with almost every top operator, including Partypoker, focusing more on the casual market, VR seems like a natural fit.

However, whether or not it will satisfy those looking to achieve the best hourly win rate is yet to be seen.

For now, though, PokerStars VRPT is a neat idea that should generate some buzz around the evolving platform. What’s more, it’ll be a chance for one player to become a recognized member of the PokerStars team.