Phygital Explained
What are
phygital sports?
Phygital sports seamlessly combine physical activities with their digital counterparts, creating engaging and immersive hybrid experiences for participants and spectators alike.
There are currently four core ranking disciplines overseen by the WPC – Phygital Football, Phygital Basketball, Phygital Dancing, and Phygital Shooter – but there is also a number of non-ranking disciplines, and new and exciting sports are being developed all the time.
Phygital football
Phygital football
Phygital Football blends physical football (soccer) with digital technology to create a hybrid gaming experience. Players compete against each other in a virtual contest before taking to the field for a real-life match. By combining sports and e-sports elements, it creates an innovative, immersive experience for players and spectators, redefining the future of football.
Phygital basketball
Phygital basketball
Phygital Basketball is an innovative hybrid sport where players compete both in physical gameplay and on a basketball simulator. In this game, each team consists of four players aiming to score as many hoops as possible. Points scored in both stages are then combined and the team with the most points wins, making for an exciting, fast-paced competition.
Phygital dancing
Phygital dancing
Phygital Dancing seamlessly merges the physical and digital worlds, creating a dynamic platform for competitive choreography. Participants aim to replicate on-screen dance moves while in-game algorithms score them for accuracy, style, and rhythm. By combining cutting-edge technology with live performance, phygital dance offers a fun and entertaining competition for both professionals and enthusiasts.
Phygital shooter
Phygital shooter
Phygital Shooter is an immersive, team-based tactical sport. Matches unfold in two stages: a digital stage, where teams compete in fast-paced rounds across two maps, and a physical stage, where players engage in a real-world game of laser tag. Phygital shooter blends strategy, skill, and excitement, offering a unique and dynamic competitive experience.
Other disciplines
Outside the four core ranking disciplines, there are a host of other phygital sports for athletes and players to enjoy. Below is a list of some of the most popular.
Phygitalisation – the future of sport
With phygital sport exploding across the world, new disciplines are constantly being assessed and developed.
Almost any sport or game can be phygitalised if it fulfils the criteria of the three key mechanics – phygital sports (a combination of a physical sport and its gaming counterpart), esports (mainly video game tournaments, but which may sometimes have a physical element), and tech sports (disciplines that use new inventions and advanced technology).
The development of new disciplines is overseen by Phygital International and its PI Lab, which uses an advanced scoring model to assess the potential growth and popularity of new disciplines and to decide whether to include these disciplines in the main GOTF program.
