As part of my master’s thesis in design and research, I’ve been exploring how technology can bring people together in meaningful ways. Recently, I had an experience that perfectly captured this idea: playing table tennis in virtual reality (VR) with my friend from Augsburg, despite being 700 kilometers apart.
When I lived in Augsburg, my friend and I used to play table tennis regularly. It was a fun way to stay active and connect. After moving away, we lost that opportunity—until I tried Eleven Table Tennis on my Oculus Quest 3. This VR game completely blew me away. The physics feel incredibly realistic, and the movements of your opponent are replicated so accurately that it’s easy to forget you’re not standing across a real table.
What made this experience even more special was the ability to talk to my friend while playing. It felt like we were back in Augsburg, laughing and competing just like old times. The immersion was so strong that it didn’t feel like we were separated by hundreds of kilometers. Instead, it felt like we were in the same room, sharing a moment together.
This experience was truly inspiring because it showed me the potential of VR to bring people together. It’s not just about the technology itself but about how it can recreate real-life interactions and emotions. VR has always promised to bridge distances and connect people, and this was a perfect example of that promise becoming reality.
For my master’s thesis, this was a valuable impulse. It reminded me that design and technology should ultimately serve human connections. Whether it’s through VR, games, or other innovations, the goal is to create experiences that feel authentic and meaningful. Playing table tennis with my friend in VR wasn’t just fun—it was a glimpse into the future of how we can stay connected, no matter where we are in the world.
If someone has a Oculus at home and wants to get destroyed in table tennis – Text me 🙂
