Samsung has done much to challenges our perception of the company. From a mobile perspective, it created its own operating system, Tizen, and two years ago it announced that it was joining forces with Oculus VR to create a mobile virtual reality headset. Back then, VR had hardly reached today’s level of hype and mainstream media coverage for the emerging technology. But we now know that headset as Gear VR, the first mainstream virtual reality headset for the mobile market. Following this discourse from mobile tech into VR, Samsung has entered the entertainment industry by opening its very own VR movie studio in New York.
The announcement was made at the Sundance Movie Festival in Park City, Utah, but the conglomerate has yet to disclose details regarding its newly formed studio. What we do know comes from Marc Mathieu, chief marketing officer of Samsung USA, who said that the studio would be put in an preexisting Samsung office. It will share the space with a marketing team; one that might get quick and easy access to the events in the studio. Samsung also announced a year-long partnership with the Sundance Institute, the organization responsible for the festival’s arrangement.
The Sundance festival is a smorgasbord of virtual reality projects dealing with various subjects, such as a controversial shifting of perspectives in a date rape scenario and a soothing drift through the skies of San Francisco as a bird. There’s also a short sci-fi film from Oculus VR’s own movie studio that puts you in a dense forest with a gigantic robot. Gaming isn’t the only area where VR is anticipated to make a dent, as both new films and experiences are in the works. Samsung is thoroughly exploring the virtual space, making sure they cover as much ground as possible.
With rumors circulating that even Apple is looking into the technology, and an ongoing recruitment to back those rumors up, it could be that Samsung is trying to get the upper hand in the emerging market before its mobile rival manages to get a foot in the door.
