Hulu gets into VR craze with app for Samsung Gear headset
Hulu is the next media company to jump into virtual reality, announcing on Thursday an app for the Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus.
The VR app is available to download on the Oculus store through the headset. It features Hulu content in a 2D environment and has 25 VR-specific shows from National Geographic, Showtime, and other content studios.
The new VR app also includes Hulu's first originally produced VR short film, "The Big One." Hulu partnered with Lionsgate for "users to witness a meteor shower that soon turns into an apocalyptic nightmare."
The 2D content is obviously not optimized for VR, however Oculus says users can watch shows in various 3D environments, with options such as a living room, beach, or movie theater. To access the 3D environments, focus on and select the tent icon during video playback.
Hulu-competitor Netflix has had an app on the Gear VR since its launch in 2015 and features a similar viewing experience.
Hulu has previously promised to launch more VR apps.
"Providing viewers with dynamic environments of their choice and themed around their favorite shows provides a whole new level of engagement, which together with our cinematic VR experiences makes Hulu an exciting VR destination," Julian Eggebrecht, Hulu's VP of device platforms, said.