Samsung and Google have been showing some new virtual reality software at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the annual event held in Utah by The Sundance Institute to recognize and promote independent film making.
Samsung is promoting the Samsung Gear VR, a headset designed to hold the Samsung Note 4 in front of the eyes and provide an immersive 3D experience to users, with the help of three virtual reality shorts.
Samsung already have some great VR content for users of the Samsung Gear VR thanks to the Oculus VR store, a partnership between the two companies to bring hardcore immersive gaming to the Android system, but are hoping to catch the attention of movie buffs with their virtual reality content streaming service Milk VR.
Movies on display include Herders, a documentary about Mongolian Yak herders, and Wild – The Experience, produced by Fox, and based on the new Reese Witherspoon movie of the same title. Lastly there’s Strangers with Patrick Watson, a short piece about the Canadian singer.
Not to be outdone, Google bought along two virtual reality pieces for Google Cardboard users both currently available in the Google Play store.
Kaiju Fury, an exciting 360 panorama of a city under destruction from titanic monsters, which has previously been seen running on the Oculus Rift. Also available was Evolution of Verse, or VRSE. Developed by Chris Milk, VRSE is a collection of 3D photo-realistic CGI-rendered shorts claiming to be an ‘expanding universe of Virtual Reality experiences’. No doubt Google is looking to prove that Android device can match the power and immersion of the PC-powered Oculus.
You can get Kaiju Fury here and VRSE, usable with or without Google Cardboard, is available here.
