Oculus wants people to watch TV in their VR headsets, and later this month, it’s launching a dedicated “Oculus TV” app with partners like Showtime, Netflix, and ESPN. The app is a virtual home theater and a hub for non-VR video apps. That includes existing services like Netflix and Hulu, which have been on the Gear VR since 2016, but also services we haven’t seen on a headset before. The new ESPN+ subscription service, which launched in April, will be launching through Oculus TV, and so will Showtime’s streaming service, Showtime Anytime.
Oculus TV will let you stream ESPN, Showtime, and more in VR
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
Film and TV studios have experimented with putting both 360-degree and traditional video into headsets, and part of the priority has been to create social experiences so people who don’t live near each other can still watch TV together. Oculus TV is part of a larger push for non-gaming content by Oculus — which is also launching an app called Oculus Venues for live concerts, comedy nights, and sporting events.
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