Amazon Prime Launches New Platform for VR Experiences

When many of us think about some of our favorite VR experiences, we probably think about games first. However, more and more video content is made using VR all the time. It was only a matter of time before Amazon got involved. Their new streaming service for VR experiences launched last week.

Introducing Prime Video VR

The site, Prime Video VR, launched on July 24, according to a release shared with ARPost.

VR experiences currently available include Good Omens, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in High Castle, and Jack Ryan. All of these titles are Amazon orriginals. Other networks with VR experiences on the platform include PBS and independent producers.

“Now, customers in the US and UK can watch their favorite titles within their own private virtual movie theater using an Oculus Quest, Oculus Go, or Samsung Gear VR headset,” reads the release. “In addition to Amazon’s extensive library of TV and movies, Prime Video VR offers a selection of ten 360° videos at launch and will continue to add new VR-specific titles.”

INVASION!, Return to Chernobyl, and Greenland Melting are some of the VR-specific titles Prime members can already experience.

Using a headset to interact with the VR experiences lets users explore content in a whole new way. Users can also control their searches using voice commands.

Using Prime Video VR

Prime Video VR comes at no additional cost to Amazon users that already have an Amazon Prime subscription. Those without an Amazon Prime subscription can still use the app to watch VR experiences from their own collections. However, they will not have access to Amazon Prime Video VR exclusive content like the titles listed above.

The Prime Video VR app can be downloaded from the Oculus Store on any compatible headset. The Oculus store needs to be installed on your mobile device in order to work with Samsung Gear. Once the app is downloaded from the store, users only need to sign into their Amazon Prime accounts.

Amazon in VR

As of November of last year, Prime Video is the second largest video streaming service in terms of subscribers. Second only to Netflix, Prime Video is a division of Amazon, one of the largest tech companies on the planet.

Adoption is likely to be high among VR users that already have Amazon Prime accounts. However, at this early stage, it is unclear how many new subscribers the VR platform will bring in. It should be noted, however, that competition among VR streaming services is not as tight as among conventional streaming services. Conversely, the price barrier may be too steep for Prime users without VR technology to go shopping. Nevertheless, this exciting platform is one more thing to do in VR and one more perk for Prime members.