INTERVIEW WITH BADOINKVR

BaDoinkVR was one of the early pioneers of Virtual Reality adult entertainment. They have given away 10,000 cardboard VR headsets and have been featured in GQ, Fortune, Wired, and CNBC. BadoinkVR was also listed as one of the top VR porn sites in VR Observer.

We’ve been very interested in speaking with several adult entertainment VR sites to get their input on Virtual Reality, and we were fortunate enough to sit down with Xavi Clos, Head of Production for BaDoinkVR.

VRO: Tell us a little about yourself. What’s your background with Virtual Reality (VR)?

XC: I have been working in virtual reality since BaDoinkVR entered the market as an early pioneer in VR porn in 2015. I oversee the technical production and content development. As a Multimedia Engineer, I have a strong tech background, and I really love playing with and exploring the possibilities of new technologies.

VRO: In regards to how the adult entertainment industry has impacted technology, what do you see as the biggest impact it has had? Maybe something people don’t realize they use every day, but do not know it was initially driven by porn?

XC: From the early days of the VHS tape to DVDs and most recently virtual reality, the adult entertainment industry are the early adopters of new technologies. In the past, it was primarily because mainstream channels were not available to them so, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

VRO: Where do you see the future of adult entertainment and VR heading?

XC: We are still in the nascent period with virtual reality. The technology is literally improving everyday – everything from the cameras we use to shoot in VR to the gear people wear to consume the content. If you recall when the first mobile phones came out, they were huge, clunky and expensive. The same is true for the HMDs – they will keep getting smaller with more features, which will open up the market for more competition to drive down prices. Eventually, they become a technology staple in the household vs. a luxury item. As always, we will stay one step ahead of embracing new technologies to deliver a more compelling and immersive entertainment experience – from VR to AR to whatever the future holds is limitless for us.

VRO: What excites you most about VR?

XC: The empathy of the VR experience is unparalleled. The ability to take on another person’s body and be part of the action versus a passive observer is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced in your life.

VRO: What insights do you have around the confluence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), VR and haptic devices (sex toys) and the potential there?

XC: At BaDoinkVR, we’ve been working with numerous companies on the integration with haptics/teledildonics to sync with our content to further enhance the overall experience. We’re delivering a pleasure chest of options depending on which senses you want to titillate – you can order a la carte or the full meal. All of these “add-ons” allow people to personalize their experience in ways they were never able to do – it’s a very cool time to be alive.

VRO: Do you have any plans to partner with a sex toy company, or even developing something in-house to work in conjunction with your VR videos?

XC: Last year we launched a new initiative called Virtual Sexology, the world’s first virtual reality sex therapy program, where we partnered with Kiroo to integrate with the Onyx with Fleshlight to help people enhance the sensuality and as a masturbation aide. We are continuing to partner with other companies to again add new layers that enhance the overall sexual experience.

VRO: What do the actors think about VR?

XC: Shooting in VR is more difficult in some ways because it’s one shot, one take but they love it because there is more of a direct connection to their fans. Since it’s all shot in POV, they are actually speaking directly to the person watching them opposed to the other actors. On the flip side, the male actors have commented that it is often difficult for them to perform without moving!

VRO: How have VR videos performed so far?

XC: We are trying to keep up with the demand as fast as we can. Our shooting schedule is non-stop, and our subscriber base is growing exponentially. We get (and use) feedback from our users daily to incorporate new ideas and themes into scenes. Recently we launched a new site, VRCosplayX.com – virtual reality XXX cosplay parodies. It’s amazing how involved the community and super fans are in every detail of the scenes with parodies from Overwatch to Final Fantasy, Assassin’s Creed, Super Mario, Grand Theft Auto, Pokemon and League of Legends.

VRO: What impact will VR have on porn?

XC: It’s already been a game changer for the industry and will only keep helping it forge ahead. It’s no secret the tube sites took its toll on adult companies but with new technologies like VR and live cam, it’s helped companies reinvent themselves while simultaneously literally delivering a mind-blowing entertainment experience. You can’t copy what we do like in 2D.

As the technology improves and VR becomes even more immersive and interactive, do you think it will affect real life social interactions? For example, relationships and dating.
The digital love movement started quite some time ago but we’re not here to replace real life – we’re here to augment and improve it. Practice makes perfect and we’re the perfect partner to help make you better!

VRO: What is your favorite VR video right now?

XC: Right now I’m a big fan of VRcosplayX. We are proud of having scenes with the highest production values in the industry. My favorite video is “The 69th Element” which is a parody of “The 5th Element”. I’m a big fan of the film and our actress is wearing the same famous costume as Milla Jovovich on the original movie. It’s like a dream come true!

Check out BadoinkVR and Follow them on Twitter: @badoinkofficial