Move Over, ‘Madden’: NFL Developing Virtual Reality Video Game

The simulation game would be the first of its kind for a major sports league

The NFL is trying to take a giant leap into the virtual world.

The NFL announced Wednesday in a statement it has partnered with sports technology and gaming company StatusPRO to develop an official virtual-reality simulation video game. The announcement marks the first time a major professional sports league has tried to create an officially-licensed, immersive, first-person 3D gaming experience for consumers.

“Virtual reality gaming is rapidly expanding and our partnership with StatusPRO allows us to explore a new immersive version of NFL gaming with support of the two largest VR platforms within this emerging space,” NFL senior vice president of consumer products Joe Ruggiero said in a statement. “We are seeing a growing number of fans engaging with VR and we’re excited to launch the first-ever VR gaming title that complements our existing offerings in the market today.”

The NFL and StatusPro will release a new edition of the game annually, and it will be available on Meta Quest and Sony Playstation VR devices.

Watch out, “Madden NFL.” Competition is on the way.