Major League Baseball’s virtual stadium is back. A metaverse experience for traditional (non-VR) devices, it lets you watch actual games as they unfold in real time, albeit recreated in a 3D environment. MLB will host interactive watch parties for select games in the environment every Wednesday in September.
As a baseball-centric version Second life (for the older folks in the back), it features 3D avatars that correspond to players’ movements. Athletes’ precise plays and positions are tracked using the same Sony Hawk-Eye cameras used for the league’s Statcast analytics system. The experience seems tailor-made for headsets like the Vision Pro and Meta Quest, but for now it’s limited to traditional screens. Improbable, a London-based company known for its metaverse experiences, created the technology.
There's an audio element, too, as you can listen to the in-game plays and sounds and chat with other fans in spatial audio. New this season is a party system that lets you talk directly to your friends. The league is also bringing back a virtual scavenger hunt to keep you interested in case the game gets boring.
MLB’s virtual stadium debuted during the 2023 season, first for an All-Star exhibition game and then for a regular-season finale and a postseason matchup. This season’s virtual lineup begins Wednesday, with three more games throughout September:
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Wednesday, September 4, 6:50 pm ET – Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins
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Wednesday, September 11, 7:45 p.m. ET – Reds vs. Cardinals
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Wednesday, September 18, 6:35 pm ET – Giants vs. Orioles
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Wednesday, September 25, 6:40 pm ET – Rays vs. Tigers
It's not clear who this experience was created for, but hey, at least it's free. You can log into the virtual stadium using any modern device with a web browser on MLB Virtual Baseball Stadium WebsiteYou will need to create or log into an MLB account before you will be allowed through the virtual turnstile.
