The Next Frontier for Online Poker is The Metaverse

Decentraland, Roblox, and Axie Infinity are changing the way we game online and may change the way we gamble. Metaverse platforms provide players with sprawling virtual worlds in which they can interact with one another. We are now seeing various gaming ventures turn their attention towards this technology and online poker platforms seem to be best suited for a jump into the metaverse. 

Polker: The First Poker Metaverse

Polker is the first Metaverse-based online poker game. It is similar to PokerStars VR in that players have avatars that can interact with one another; however, this platform is fully customizable, as players can decide where their game is based and who is dealing to them.  

The game has been built using Unreal Engine 4, so these graphics are unprecedented in the online poker world. It’s a step ahead of PokerStars VR, which is powered by Unity, so players in the Polker metaverse will have a more realistic poker experience with enhanced graphics. 

Deep learning and AI algorithms will also be used to create animations and interactions based on each player’s individual experience. So, Polker is designed to really immerse poker players in the metaverse, whether it’s in standard cash games or massive tournaments.  

The Next Generation of Online Poker

In-person and online poker are inherently social games, so it’s no wonder that game developers are taking poker platforms into the metaverse.  Just like you would visit your local cardroom, sit down at a table and chat with other regulars, the metaverse will give poker players a social setting that’s more immersive than your standard online platform. 

It seems like a natural shift for poker brands to follow in Polker’s footsteps. Poker players enjoy interacting in a community, so any real-money cardroom that launches a metaverse platform will certainly be at a competitive advantage. 

Poker NFTs

Another reason why poker would thrive in the metaverse is that there are unique opportunities with NFTs. In traditional poker, there really isn’t much to show off unless you have a tournament trophy or a World Series of Poker bracelet. However, NFTs allow you to capture memorabilia virtually in a way that has never been done before. 

Phil Ivey recently dropped an NFT of his legendary bluff against Tom Dwan during a High Stakes Poker match. There are now also Partypoker NFTs that allow players to own iconic moments throughout the history of Partypoker and Partypoker LIVE. 

These are the kind of items avid poker fans can own as NFTs, and there is even more potential for players to own bits of their own poker history. We can certainly see this technology extending to NFTs of individual players’ bad beats and big wins. 

Which Online Poker Operators Will Join the Metaverse Next?

Most gaming brands have stayed committed to traditional online poker platforms, so it’s difficult to predict which cardroom or casino will be the next to jump into the metaverse. As it stands, PokerStars is in the best position to do so, as it has already launched its virtual reality platform that allows players to interact in a similar way to the layout of Polker.  

Of course, plenty of adjustments would have to be made – but the groundwork has been laid. The graphics engine will need improving, and the platform would need to integrate AI in order to provide players with unique experiences before PokerStars could enter the metaverse. 

Another brand that is likely to join the metaverse is Partypoker. The popular online poker brand has teamed up with the Theta Network to launch an NFT marketplace and Partypoker’s owner, Entain, has invested £100 million in an innovation hub called Ennovate where products for the metaverse will be developed. 

World Poker Tour and Virtue Poker also launched NFTs in 2021. However, they don’t seem as prepared as Partypoker and Entain to create an entire poker platform that exists in the metaverse. 

So, it wouldn’t be surprising if a metaverse poker room was developed for Partypoker at the new Ennovate hub. If that’s the case, it likely wouldn’t be long before other poker brands begin to follow suit. 

Will You Join the Poker Metaverse?

For poker players who enjoy the social aspect of the game, similar to what we saw during the pandemic with poker games on Zoom, the shift into the metaverse will be an exciting one. Will you join in if your favourite poker brand launches its own metaverse?