Google & NBC Team Up For 10 Multi-Episode VR Productions, SNL, SYFY, More Coming Soon

Telemundo, E!, and more will get the VR treatment in the future if this goes well.

Charles Singletary Jr

May 2, 2018 8:35 AM

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Right on the heels of Oculus GO being shipped out, a couple media giants are teaming up for VR content. Google and NBC Universal have teamed up to create at least 1o multi-episode VR shows, including content from Saturday Night Live, SYFY, and Bravo Media. Other networks, including E!, NBC News, Telemundo, and USA Network will be a part of the VR productions in the future.

The various VR shows will be made available on YouTube, as TV Technology reports. The shows will also be viewable on the web or using any mobile phone.

"NBCUniversal’s networks and shows have a proven track record of high-quality storytelling that audiences can’t get enough of. Bringing them to VR lets fans connect with that content in a whole new way,” said Amit Singh, VP of Business & Operations for VR & AR at Google. “NBCU's teams were able to easily capture engaging VR content using the latest VR Jump cameras. And with YouTube, audiences can experience it on any device, bringing them closer to their favorite series.”

At the tail-end of 2017, BBC called out the lack of quality VR content while launching its own virtual reality studio. "We want to excite audiences by creating the most enthralling experiences imaginable using the power of VR," said BBC's Head of Content Zillah Watson. "So with every commission, we will target a specific set of audience needs and occasions, ensuring that each piece is compelling enough to make people want to put on a headset."

That type of mindset is understandably needed, but is even more crucial right now. The launch of the Oculus Go is a turning point for VR accessibility and quality content on it and devices like it will be instrumental in steering the industry one way or another. Other companies seem to be aware of VR's growth potential, with Mozilla launching a VR/AR web browser and their own social platform, director Alejandro Innaritu using mixed reality to bring his work to life, and Samsung launching the Pilot Initiative for episodic VR content. There is an abundance of other examples out in the wild as well, but this is just the latest snapshot of powerful entities tapping into VR.

“We are constantly looking for opportunities to bring consumers new ways to experience content from across the NBCUniversal portfolio,” said Ron Lamprecht, Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises. “This partnership combines the creative expertise of NBCUniversal with Google’s VR capabilities to create these engaging experiences. We look forward to working with Google and YouTube on more collaborations like this in the future.”

Stay tuned to Shacknews for more VR, AR, and mixed reality updates.

Charles Singletary Jr

News Editor

Charles Singletary Jr keeps the updates flowing as the News Editor, breaking stories while investigating the biggest topics in gaming and technology. He's pretty active on Twitter, so feel free to reach out to him @The_CSJR. Got a hot tip? Email him at Charles.Singletary@Shacknews.com.