NFL and Rec Room partner up for virtual fan experience

Originally posted on Video Games on Sports Illustrated
By Marco Wutz | Last updated 1/12/23

Rec Room, a free-to-play VR MMO game, partnered up with the NFL to provide football fans with additional means to bond and socialize over their hobby online. Players are now able to acquire officially licensed hoodies and hats representing each of the league’s 32 teams at the new NFL pop-up shop in the game. A new photo booth also provides an NFL-themed space for players to hang out in.

This enables them to show their support for their team in the virtual world, making it easier for them to connect with other supporters – or connect in friendly discussion with fans of rival teams about why their club is an evil virus of satan. Regular sports fans stuff, you know?

Just in time for the Super Bowl, this partnership provides another opportunity for many users to get their daily dose of football discussion. Rec Room’s Brian Sapp commented on the collab:

“We’ve always strived to make Rec Room a place where players could meet and socialize with those who have common interests, and we’re excited for them to be able to connect over their favorite NFL teams.”

For the NFL, this is another step towards expanding its fan base all over the world by reaching out to new audiences, as Ed Kiang, the Vice President of Video Gaming at the NFL, says:

“Rec Room is a perfect space for NFL fans to connect in the virtual world, cheer on their teams and celebrate their wins. Adding Rec Room as another virtual destination for the NFL will enhance our ability to reach existing fans while discovering new fans in their community of over 80 million users globally.”

Rec Room certainly offers a broad reach, being available on mobile devices running on iOS and Android, as well as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Oculus Quest, and Pico VR.

This article first appeared on Video Games on Sports Illustrated and was syndicated with permission.

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