2016 REVIEW – VR
Get (head)set for VR
USA Network/Amazon series Mr. Robot was accompanied by a mass simulcast event VR event
They told us VR was going to be the big technology of 2016. Was it? Michael Burns reports
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his time last year interest in virtual reality was largely confined to experiential installations and the games industry. In 2016 on the other hand, you’ve not been able to move for some mention of it. The launch of Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive early in the year heralded the arrival of serious VR playback for consumers, while specialist GoPro and Red rigs, and semi-automated cameras like Nokia’s OZO, are now delivering high quality 360° capture. Sol Rogers, founder and CEO of Rewind feels 2016 was definitely the year of 360° video content, particularly with Samsung’s launch of its Gear VR and Google’s announcement of the Daydream HMD for mobile VR. “However, until the last few months the public was largely unaware of the power of the devices they carry with them every day,” he adds. “It wasn’t until ‘Pokemon Go’ became an overnight phenomenon that people began to realise just how much could be done using a simple smartphone. We’re getting to a point where there is enough good content to justify investing in VR, and there will be something available to excite and engage everyone.” Several new ventures were set up to service demand this past year. January saw Manchesterbased dock10 launch a 360 VR content service,
TVTechnology Europe November 2016
with 360° access to The Voice UK one of its first projects. Head of 360 production Richard Wormwell, observes a ‘huge amount of publicity and hype’ around the different types of technology available, both in capture and display: “I don’t think that it’s a question of the public being ready for VR, it’s more a question of the technology living up to the expectation of the hype.”
“We’re getting to a point where there is enough good content to justify investing in VR” Another recent startup is Factory 42, an immersive content studio set up by former Sky channel head John Cassy and BAFTA-winning director Daniel Smith. “Everyone is learning and experimenting,” says Cassy. “The tech is moving quickly. More devices and better devices are becoming available at prices consumers can afford. But if you look at the long term technological possibilities, it feels like we are still in the VR Stone Age.” THE YEAR OF EXPERIMENTATION Futuresource Consulting published a report on VR earlier this year, entitled “Virtual Reality: Niche or
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Mass Market?” Michael Boreham, senior market analyst with the firm gave us an update, stating that 2016 has been ‘the year of experimentation’. “VR is still taking baby steps with a great deal of work,” he observes. “PlayStation VR (PSVR, launched in mid-October) with PS 4/Pro, and the launch of Microsoft’s Project Scorpio console next year, will open up the console game arena and further raise con-sumer awareness of VR. Important work is being undertaken in the broadcast community, with a number of high profile sports trials, which included the Olympics, Premier League and Bundesliga football from Sky, BT and Fox Sports, as well as the NBA from Turner Sports in the USA.” IN SEARCH OF A BIGGER AUDIENCE “This is the year that VR has come of age. It’s on everyone’s radar,” agrees Mike Davis, creative director at Atlantic Productions. “But we have to recognise that it’s going to be a while before it reaches a bigger audience, if indeed it does. “I think the analytics that come out about who is consuming what [on PS VR] will be the first good guide as to how much people want something other than games,” he adds. “What stories do they want to engage with? Is it purely experiential rides, or do people want www.tvtechnologyeurope.com