Back in June of 1994, I traveled with my family to San Francisco to walk the busy strip of San Francisco California's Fisherman's Wharf. While there, I was fortunate enough to attend a Games of Tomorrow event where one of the earliest working virtual reality units was on display. Upon strapping on the headset, I was immediately taken by the world of VR and could not wait for the day when I might use one in the comfort of my own home. Fast forward to today, and I am the proud owner of a Playstation VR headset (with access to both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive units just a close friend's house away). While the long-anticipated experience of VR is still finding its footing, there's no doubt that the immersive platform offers something unique to gamers the world over.
Today, Warner Bros. has announced that they've partnered with the Vavle Corporation for an exclusive presentation on their VTC Vive virtual reality peripheral for all content related to the theatrical release of Steven Speilberg's upcoming adaptation of Ernest Cline's sci-fi thriller READY PLAYER ONE. As part of their agreement, the HTC Vive will produce several pieces of READY PLAYER-themed VR content to be made available through Viveport – the platform's app store. Additionally, Vive plans to bring READY PLAYER ONE content to its Viveport Arcade platform for location-based entertainment, with several unnamed "global consumer events" also in the works. Details about the rollout of that content have yet to be confirmed.
Viveport president Rikard Steiber expressed his excitement for the exclusive deal stating that, "READY PLAYER ONE is one of the most anticipated movies in the world, and has tremendous potential to engage and entertain the worldwide market, showcasing the transformative nature of VR. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Warner Bros. to bring these experiences to consumers, on all platforms, around the globe."
While its not clear as to whether Spielberg would have any direct involvement in the making of the READY PLAYER ONE VR content, the legendary director is indeed already a part of the VR boom thanks to the Virtual Reality Company, which was co-founded by MALEFICENT director Robert Stromberg for which Spielberg is an established adviser and shareholder.
If you ask me, READY PLAYER ONE is a perfect fit for a movie-to-virtual reality experience. For those who've read the book, you know of how much main character Wade Watt's adventure centers around the use of ground-breaking technology. While the install base for the HTC Vive is limited at this time, I'm positive that owners of the high-end VR unit will be delighted at the thought of touring a digital space with actress Molly Ringwald or whichever 80s icon the company can secure and reproduce for its exclusive content.
READY PLAYER ONE will arrive in theaters on March 30, 2018.