Virtual reality is slowly working its way into the mainstream, and many analysts think the recent release of the Apple Vision Pro will act as a catalyst for the platform to boom. When the headsets eventually become essential, they will have a huge impact on the entertainment industry.
The horror genre is likely to be completely revamped in VR, with the technology able to deliver incredibly immersive experiences. There have already been a couple of excellent offerings, providing a taste of what’s to come.
Entertainment Industry Heading Towards More Immersive Experiences
Immersive VR experiences are on the way, and certain industries will push the move towards them. Live streaming will act as the stepping stone towards this, with the online casino industry helping to push that platform to millions.
The live streaming genre has come a long way over the years, with Lightning Roulette highlighting how innovative developers have been. The game brings the classic wheel to players in their homes but incorporates animations as well. This makes it a perfect marriage between digital and real-world elements.
The live streaming category in online casinos is becoming increasingly diverse every year, and it’s clear that developers are focusing on providing greater immersion. VR offers the next step towards this, but it may be a few years before it starts to creep in. As tends to be the case, the online casino industry could be the proving ground before VR hits the mainstream. When it does, there will be immersive experiences throughout the entire entertainment industry.
Some Horror VR Offerings Have Been Met with a Positive Response
Just like online casino developers, filmmakers in the horror genre have constantly strived to create immersive experiences that make viewers feel as if they are there in the moment. This is done through clever camera angles and creepy soundtracks, and the best movies suck viewers in completely. VR will amplify that feeling even more, and horror is arguably the ideal genre for the technology.
There have already been a couple of horror offerings in VR, showing the potential that the technology has to revolutionize these movies. In 2016 Warner Bros. released The Conjuring 2 – Enfield Experience VR 360 in advance of the second offering in the popular horror franchise. It gave fans a chance to explore one of the settings from the movie as if they were there, and users agreed that it was a cool new way to be terrified.
There was also It: Float – A Cinematic VR Experience in 2017, a VR offering that promoted the Stephen King adaptation. It allowed viewers to float through the sewers of Derry, transporting them to the setting of the film with Pennywise lurking and ready to jump out.
Movies have always been immersive thanks to cinematic techniques. VR is set to take this to a whole new level, though, and could literally transport viewers so that they are in the movie. The horror genre is the perfect setting for this kind of immersion, and VR could lead to some truly terrifying experiences.
