If reality were traded on Wall Street, 2020 would be a bear market. The world had no shortage of problems before COVID-19, and the pandemic has multiplied the misery manifold. Therefore, with the value of actual reality plummeting, it may be wise to invest in any viable alternative. Enter "Eleven Table Tennis," a simulated game on virtual reality (VR) platform Oculus Quest. Developed by For Fun Labs, the game has become a smash during the pandemic, with tens of thousands of copies selling at $20 a pop. Players praise the realism of the game, which allows you to hone skills against a virtual robot or compete in real time against (allegedly) real people. With most brick-and-mortar table tennis clubs either severely restricted or shuttered completely, even advanced players are flocking to the digital haven. "I am currently rated ~2300 in the game," writes user VRGoldenL. "After two months of practice, I can now loop the ball pretty well on both my forehand and backhand. The trick is to slow down my stroke... I know that will affect my real game, but it is still better than not practicing at all during the lockdown." While the vast majority of reviews are positive, there are downfalls. More than one player has attempted to lean on the virtual table, only to fall to the ground when they reach the limits of the illusion. Whatever the number of honest, self-effacing gamers who admit to such an embarrassing blunder, the actual number of victims is assuredly many times greater. Another technical difficulty arises from the sheer popularity of the game. With so many housebound players smashing the virtual ball back and forth at once, the servers are beginning to crash. For Oculus Quest and For Fun Labs, this is a very good problem to have. So remember, dump all your holdings in actual reality as soon as possible and stock up on alternatives. There is real virtue in virtual reality.

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