Netflix has released its first virtual reality/360 video content in the form of a two-minute clip to promote Stranger Things, the new eight-part supernatural mystery that also serves as a homage of sorts to ‘80s-era horror flicks.
Netflix confirmed to TechCrunch that this marks the first time the OTT giant has used Google Cardboard and VR to promote a specific show. Netflix entered the VR realm last year via the development of an app for the Oculus-powered Samsung Gear VR that features a digitized living room and a virtualized screen that display shows and movies from Netflix’s substantial library. While Netflix is among those taking an early stab at VR, company CEO has held that the format will be a bigger hit with gamers than with consumers who are looking for an immersive way to view TV shows and movies.
Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, who lives in a small Indiana town in 1983, and launches an investigation when her 12-year-old son, Will, goes missing.
While getting the full effect of the clip – and its startling conclusion – requires the Google Cardboard or Gear VR headset component, anyone can still view the clip (and move around the 360-degree environment) via the YouTube video below:
