Dating App has Avatars meeting in VR
Flirtual
is a dating app that matches VR users together and facilitates dates in social
VR applications. The creators say it’s a collation of a trend that’s already
happening—people meeting in VR and forming real-world relationships.
Being
in real relationships through online games is not a new concept. For at least a
few decades now, players in virtual worlds such as Runescape, World of Warcraft,
and Second Life, have formed virtual relationships that often also go into the real
world.
The
same has been happening in VR, and while the games of yore have players
communicating mostly by texting and voice, VR of course ups the stake with the
feeling of being physically present. Although VR users are still represented as
avatars, and generally have little resemblance to their real selves, VR makes
the experience of communicating with people in virtual worlds objectively better;
VR users can actually dance together and some use that added immersion feature
to get even more intimate in VR.
The
added realism makes VR the perfect platform for being in real-life
relationships say the creators of Flirtual.
It
is not its own self-contained social VR app, in fact, Flirtual is actually a
non-VR app which matches users who can then decide where and how to meet in VR.
The creators say most of the Flirtual’s VR socializing is currently happening
in VRChat.
The
Flirtual app itself will feel familiar to anyone who has used a modern online
dating app, with a few cautions.
Instead
of pictures of themselves, Flirtual uploads photos of their avatar (or
avatars). The sign-up process is typical and has questions about your interests,
and what kind of person you’re looking for. And there’s a ‘Sexual Orientation’
field along with ‘Experimenting in VR’ among a range of more common options.
Also specific to VR, Flirtual asks about the type of VR equipment you own and about
your favorite social VR apps.
While
it might be strange to match with other users based only on what their VR
avatar looks like, the creators of Flirtual say that, for many people, that is
what is appealing about VR dating.
When
you choose your avatar, it’s the personality that makes the difference, the
developers said. Flirtual checks the vibe in VR before sending IRL pics or
video calling.
Other
than matching users in the app, Flirtual also hosts speed dating and social
events in VR.
Flirtual
co-founders Anthony Tan and Kyle Farewell say their desire to help match the VR
users comes from their own experience with VR dating.
Why
we have created this? Because VR changed our lives. Honestly. It helped us come
out of our shells, we made some of our best friends there, survived quarantine
sanely, and fell in love.
Farwell
says he met his girlfriend with whom he has been together for two years in
VRChat, and they recently moved in together.
Flirtual
is a re-launch of a similar service that Farwell started in 2018 known as VRLFP
(Virtual Reality Looking-for-Partner). After appointing Tan as CEO, they worked
to launch the modern version of Flirtual, which has the ability to search for
new VR friends rather than specifically looking for romantic connections.