Tonkaaaap Shows us Poker's Virtual Future and it's AWESOME

We usually envy poker streaming star ‘Tonkaaaap’ because he wins big and is a full-time poker pro with thousands of loyal followers. But I challenge all of you to watch this video he posted on YouTube and not want to have a go yourself. Here it is.

Welcome, everyone, to the world of Virtual Reality Poker! It is a glimpse into the future of online poker and you should remember this video as it shows the first ever virtual reality poker game and it looks awesome. I showed a friend the video and despite them not even knowing how to play poker they asked me to teach them the rules so they could have a go at using the VR technology at the earliest opportunity.

In the video Tonkaaaap gives us a full demonstration as he plays heads up against a live friend who he even high fives during the game and throws items at them that they can catch if they are quick enough. The technology used in the video is the Oculus Rift with new touch controllers.

The virtual social casino has been built exclusively for virtual reality from the ground up and caters to a new generation of social casino player, one that virtually engages using the most up-to-date technology that is only just becoming commercially available as I write this. It is cutting edge and then some.

The potential for this type of technology is huge. Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2018 35,000 Virtual Reality headsets will be installed, following by 60,000 in 2019 and 95,000 by 2020. The technology is currently expensive but not hugely prohibitive, however, naturally it will become more affordable over time and thus available to more and more users as the prices get cheaper.

When you watch the video look at how the game is brought to life in a way no other “normal” online poker experience can match. Virtual reality casino games will deliver a better and way more immersive experience than casino games on mobile or any other tech platform can match. We are told that eventually virtual reality poker games will become a staple part of Tonkaaaap's Twitch stream and will undoubtedly skyrocket the interest in his brand and his channel.

In case you missed it, here are a few things we noticed in the demo. A branded tonka truck could be picked up, thrown and even used to push chips into the pot as a bet or raise. Tonkaaaap smoked a virtual cigar and blew out virtual smoke at the table. The chips could be picked up, thrown, shoved and moved around like real chips.

This all gives us a tantalising glimpse into the level of interactivity already possible in the technology which remains in its early alpha stages of development. The quality of the Virtual game is only going to get better as it’s development continues. You can visit the virtual casino site and sign up to the newsletter to be kept up to date with the latest information on this exciting concept.

Back to the present you should note that Tonkaaaap will be streaming the Online Poker League LIVE over the next month so you need to check out his channel here.