Virtual Perceptions

By Tom Ffiske // 20 May 2020New to the newsletter? 

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THE BIG STORY

ther is that over $100 million has been spent on Oculus Quest content so far. One story revolves around a company that live-streams immersive events, while the other focuses on gaming. At least, for now. Bear with me, and please keep this question in your mind as you read on: "How will you watch the events of the future? With Apple's AR glasses, or Facebook's VR headset?"Let's start with Apple. Why did the company buy NextVR? The acquisition surprised me because for over five years Apple has been focused on AR, not VR; all actions pointed towards glasses, not a headset. So a sudden move towards a VR broadcasting company caught many - including me - off-guard. Is Apple making a mixed-reality solution? I don't think so. NextVR has two strengths: the content partnerships it handles (such as the NBA) and its robust content-delivery technology. If Apple wanted to incorporate event streaming technology in its next-generation spectacles, using NextVR's technology provides a solid technological framework. The content doesn't need to be in VR to be effective; AR has the same benefits of a 360-degree view and watching a match. So a possibility is that Apple is buying the content partnerships and expertise for live-streaming events to their specs. Doubling down on events make sense as partnerships can generate a lot of money, especially if companies own the platforms where events can be hosted. In a recent interview with Protocol, Facebook hinted that watching live events with Oculus is another focus area for future expansion. Facebook and Apple have the same intentions. Which brings us back to the second story, with $100 million of content purchased on the Oculus Quest since May 2019. Small pickings for the giant company, sure, but it indicates that the content ecosystem has a lot of life. The majority of the finances is made via its gaming, and gaming will remain Oculus' focus as it continues to grow. In an interview with Protocol, the company said streaming games will be a big part of its business. But remember: the company also has the capabilities to stream music gigs and events, and already has companies working in the area. It is not a big step to go from video games to live sports. So I will ask again... How will you watch the events of the future? With Apple's AR glasses, or Facebook's VR headset?

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OTHER STORIES

• Last week, I mentioned that a leak suggested the PlayStation 5 - and possibly the PSVR 2 - was coming in October 2020. Sony clarified they were not. Cool.

• Targo produced four VR documentaries in partnership with UNESCO around the lockdown. The documentaries are made up of footage shot on the streets of four major cities (Paris, Venice, Tokyo, and Jerusalem) during lockdown. All of them can be watched on the Oculus.

• ViRvii - which is surprisingly difficult to spell, pronounce, and type - has signed a partnership with Oculus to produce content by 2021. ViRvii, founded in 2019, is a technology firm that develops proprietary user experiences merging music, art, and virtual reality.  

• Samsung is terminating its VR video apps on all of its devices. This is a continuation of cutting support for the Samsung Gear. Which begs the question: what was that VR device they showed a few months ago? 

• You can now play GORN on the PlayStation VR. Just make sure to not punch the TV screen, okay? 

PEOPLE MOVES

• Mark Harwood and Sinclair Fleming joined ViRvii as Executive Producer and Head of Engineering respectively. Harwood was Global Head of VR at Starbreeze Studios, and Fleming was Lead Engineer at... Starbreeze Studios.

NICOLA ROSA - THE IMMERSIVE WIRE INTERVIEW

Nicola Rosa is the Global Head of Immersive Learning at Accenture. Nicola is currently part of the Accenture Digital UKI, where he is the Go-To Market Lead for XR (AR, VR, and MR). We discussed the growth of gaming brands during the pandemic, and the sense of immersion that technology brings to experiences. 

FINAL WORD