GOLDEN GLOVES VR PREMIERES MULTIPLAYER AT USA BOXING OLYMPIC TRIALS IN LAFAYETTE

TULSA, Okla. November 22, 2023 – Golden Gloves VR, a virtual reality boxing game, has entered the burgeoning eSports arena with the addition of a multiplayer function, allowing two human players to compete via their avatars in the same virtual game environment, says Aaron Sloan, founder of Tulsa-based tech company, Engine Room VR. 

Through an eSports initiative with USA Boxing, the National Governing Body for Olympic-style boxing in the United States, GGVR will begin testing multiplayer at the USA Boxing Olympic Team Trials in Lafayette, La., Dec. 4-9 (demonstrations will take place Dec. 4-6). During the event, top-level amateur boxers from across the nation will have the opportunity to demo the feature through virtual boxing matches, paving the way for corresponding eBoxing Tournaments at future real-world USA Boxing and Golden Gloves of America events. The multiplayer function will be available as an in-game option in early 2024. 

ESports are enormously popular and have experienced exponential growth over the last decade. Earlier this month, world viewership for the 2023 League of Legends World Championship, one of eSports most prestigious tournaments held this year in Korea, peaked at more than 6.4 million viewers. The eSports market is expected to have a total of 924 million users by 2028, with worldwide market revenues reaching $3.8 billion this year. 

During the 141st International Olympic Committee Session in Mumbai, India, the IOC announced it’s exploring plans to create an Olympic eSports Games. The IOC's announcement builds on several previous Olympics initiatives in eSports.

“We are thrilled to be on the ground floor of the virtual reality fitness, gaming and eSports industry,” says Sloan. “Adding multiplayer to our Golden Gloves VR game allows us to build on our existing relationships with two of the best known organizations in amateur boxing to create exciting eSports competitions that will be open to athletes and gamers across the world.”

In addition to multiplayer, one of the most requested gaming features, GGVR features a scoring system specifically designed to reward proper boxing form and technique. After launching multiplayer, GGVR plans to host official qualifying, ranked eSports events with in-game and real world prizes at both virtual and in-person tournaments. Players will be able to use these same features to organize their own non-qualifying tournaments, or play casually with friends. GGVR also offers a single player career mode, male and female boxing characters, mixed reality, an in-game fitness tracker, and in-game training videos. Live, virtual fitness classes are in development. For the latest news on GGVR, visit the GGVR Discord page.

Golden Gloves VR was designed by Tulsa-based tech company Engine Room VR for Meta Questvirtual reality headsets. Endorsed by Golden Gloves of America, a world-renowned name in amateur boxing, GGVR was developed in consultation with professional and amateur boxers and coaches to provide a realistic, immersive and progressive boxing experience where players can train and compete in a variety of virtual settings. 

Players can advance through the amateur and professional ranks as they compete for titles, facing increasingly difficult opponents, each with his or her own personality and fighting style. Former professional boxers and world titleholders, Micky Ward and Christy Martin, voice the Golden Gloves VR in-game ringside announcers. 

Engine Room VR’s partnership with USA Boxing includes the creation of a virtual USA Boxing training facility and arena inside the Golden Gloves VR game, which mirrors the official complex at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. This immersive and progressive boxing experience allows athletes and gamers alike to hone their skills and build endurance on adjustable heavy, double-end, and speed bags with physical properties precisely calculated to mimic their real world counterparts. 

Golden Gloves VR is available for pre-release download from the Early Access section of the MetaStore. The early release of the game is also available through Sidequest, a virtual reality content platform. A PC version of the game is also available on popular online gaming platform, Steam.

USA Boxing is the National Governing Body for Olympic-style boxing in the United States. USAB is a non-profit corporation and a member of the United States Olympic Committee, responsible for training, competition and development for its sport, as well as nominating athletes to the U.S. Olympic, Youth Olympic, and Pan American Teams. With over 40,000 members, including athletes, coaches, officials, physicians and administrators, USA Boxing sanctions all Olympic-style boxing competition in the United States.

National Golden Gloves began in 1923 when Chicago Tribune Sports Editor Arch Ward conceived the idea of a newspaper sponsored citywide amateur boxing tournament. Champions were awarded a miniature golden glove. Many great professional boxers have launched their early athletic careers participating as amateurs in Golden Gloves tournaments. Golden Gloves continues to play a major role in the selection of representatives for the U.S. team in the Olympic Games. Former National Golden Gloves champions include outstanding boxers like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Oscar De La Hoya.

The Engine Room Boxing Gym at 316 E. 11th Street is owned and operated by Aaron Sloan, a registered cardiac nurse, President of USA Boxing’s Oklahoma Local Boxing Committee, President of the Kansas-Oklahoma Golden Gloves franchise, and a USA Boxing-certified coach, judge and referee. The Engine Room offers competition and fitness training, as well as the Ready to Fight Parkinson’s Specific program. Developed by Coach Sloan in 2016, RTF is now the official therapy-boxing program of USA Boxing.