Movie company IMAX is planning to open a virtual reality center in Manchester, England by the end of 2016. This facility is one of several that will be launched worldwide, and it will offer a variety of VR experiences from both movies and games. These centers will display content that IMAX is developing with Google, and they will also feature “pods” which can be used by a single person or by a group. Although they are highly experimental, IMAX hopes to use these virtual reality centers to figure out what exactly consumers want. The locations opening by the end of this year will “test several factors, including the overall customer experience, pricing models, and the types of content featured.”
An IMAX theater
One benefit to a theoretical VR center is its accessibility. If the opening of these locations is a success, IMAX will make virtual reality accessible to a wide range of people; what was once the topic of science fiction will suddenly become as commonplace as watching a movie. However, some limitations also exist. The VR experiences offered by these centers will range from 5-15 minutes and will likely lack in variety. The comparison of owning a VR headset vs. visiting a VR center is a bit like watching Netflix vs. visiting a movie theater. Users’ options will be predetermined for them, and some may find the experience dissatisfying.
Virtual reality itself also faces some criticism; Ray Kurzwil predicted that “By the 2030s, virtual reality will be totally realistic and compelling and we will spend most of our time in virtual environments … We will all become virtual humans.” Although all new technology faces some degree of skepticism, virtual reality does seem primed for abuse and overuse. Some critics subscribe to the idea of escapism: that people will turn to media as an escape from their lives.
The idea of these centers combines a couple topics that we have covered in class. We have discussed virtual reality on a few occasions, and experience design undoubtedly plays a large hand in the creation of these virtual reality experiences. The idea of technological convergence also comes into play, as these centers combine movie theaters, arcades, and individual gaming systems.
IMAX’s virtual reality centers have not garnered much attention yet, but when they begin opening new locations worldwide, they may face some backlash. The concept is exciting and brings to mind ideas of futurism and advancing technology, but only time will tell if these centers live up to the expectations.
Sources:
http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/11/13250454/imax-european-vr-center-opening-this-year
IMAX’s first European VR center will open before the end of 2016
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/the-good-and-the-bad-of-escaping-to-virtual-reality/385134/
Personally, I love the concept of virtual reality and how it is not being implemented to people’s lives. At one point in time, Virtual Reality was just a dream, but now it is a ‘reality’. As much as I enjoy the VR headsets, I feel most of the enjoyment one gets from them is through interaction. Forcing people to sit down and watch a movie while wearing a VR headset is not a bad idea, but limits it’s full potential. A large part of Virtual Reality to me is interaction because it is the interacting aspect that truly separates Virtual Reality from just watching a small screen in front of your face. If the theater in England can find a way to implement these headsets into their movie theaters while maintaining both a safe and sanitized experience, it would attract a large crowd. I know I would pay 10-15 extra dollars more to watch a movie with a virtual reality headset. However, like mjo5316 said, when 3D televisions came out, they received a similar hype. Now we don’t even consider 3D televisions as something that is wanted/needed in a house. One thing is for sure though, movies that are filmed in the first person point-of-view (especially horror films) will be a blast to watch and I am looking forward to seeing this implemented in other American theaters in the future!
Your post reminded me of a trend that my family and I experienced a couple of years ago- the 3D TV. My dad decided that it was something we should all try, and so he bought a new TV with the 3D component and 3D glasses. We were all so intrigued by it, and so were visitors and other family that stopped by. Unfortunately, a couple months from when we purchased the TV, the glasses were left dusty in the TV cabinet. Much like the 3D TV, virtual reality centers may be a fad that dies out in my opinion. While it seems cool in the beginning, we all have real lives to attend to! More so, the fact that one would have to visit a public location/ theater to experience virtual reality may be one of its biggest downfalls- it’s just not convenient. Until virtual reality can be brought into the home, and even then, who’s to say it’s not just a fad just like the 3D TV? On the other hand, the somewhat social aspect of visiting a virtual reality center may be an engaging way to experience this new technology- with other people you may not know. Development in more content as you mentioned would certainly be helpful to keep virtual reality a relevant technology we use everyday too. Regardless, I don’t think virtual reality has a place in our everyday lives. Most of us are content to use our phones as a mindless distraction, and other technologies such as laptop/tablet to be productive, but the level of escapism that virtual reality garners may not be appropriate.
This seems like a very interesting and innovative option for those that want a more immersive experience with movies! I think this is a smart idea as USA Today has just reported: “the autumn box office is falling, down about 16% from the same period last year, according to the tracking service comScore”. Last summer was also dramatically down from the year before which should frighten theater owners.
I think this should frighten movie theater owners and requires them to innovative like these VR centers. As the world around us gets more innovative so do some of the traditions that are falling behind compared to other experiences that are stealing movie theater goers. I do see how you believe this could get some possible backlash but I do think this is the right time to introduce this product. Movie theater owners do have some serious competition already from a growing field of quality TV shows and original movies on Netflix that has been mentioned before on this blog.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/10/16/fall-box-office-election-sully-accountant-doctor-strange/92203140/