IMAX VR

IMAX VR:
IMAX, the company behind the large screens is currently testing premium location based VR arcades. These are characterized for being:


  • Pods
  • Highly Social
  • Single and Multiplayer
  • 5 to 15 minutes experiences.


The three main elements in this new business venture are:


  1. Entertainment Industry: This attraction will be a new market for the entertainment industry.
  2. Real Estate: As in the movie theaters, mainstream premium VR “arcades” will require a location to which the users will go for the experience.
  3. Technology: The technology for the pods will have to be much better than the in home technology. It shall also include objects with which the users will interact.


The IMAX VR “arcade” is basically a standalone building that has pods which are designed in a social way. You can see into other pods in order to increase visibility. The goal is to be able to play with other people in other pods either in the location of anywhere in the world. The experience will be priced at approximately 10$ for 10 minutes or around 1$ a minute. The average time for the experience that is being considered is 15 minutes. This time is what seems to work best, as with longer experience user tends to have to take a break.


A lot of this content is available in steam, however people are willing to pay for it in order to consume it socially in a pod. The idea is to build a platform that will evolve. Obviosouly the content will initially be licensed from well known brands and franchises such as Star Wars, Ubisoft, etc.


The important thing to keep in mind is that VR is not seen as a development in the film viewing experience nor a competition with cinema. The goal is to give a user a different experience that at times will complement certain films. In this sense is it seen as ancillary content of films, not a replacement of them. In fact, hollywood has been using VR as a passive marketing experience.


For the user the experience is:


  • Active
  • Multiplayer
  • Interactive


The multiplex seems to be getting a little outdated. Millenials are not going to the theater as much. The hope is the VR will be a new way to new audiences to the multiplex.


The biggest issue right now is that the technology and content are at a 1 out of 10 in development.


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