BBC Earth Teams with Oculus to Deliver VR Experiences

LONDON: BBC Earth and Oculus have partnered on three virtual-reality (VR) experiences, which invite users to step into the lives of very distinct animals.

Users will be fully immersed into the daily adventures of a Caracal cat, an Oogpister beetle and black bears. “Cat Flight” will feature the Caracal cat. By integrating cutting-edge computer-generated imagery into 360-degree video, users will be able to uncover the mystery behind how these extraordinary predators survive in the wild. “Oogie” will be an interactive CGI game featuring the Oogpister beetle. Based on real-life footage from BBC Earth, players will get to take on the form of the beetle and encounter the daily challenges of this unique creature. “Bear Island” presents an interactive 360-degree video where users will join black bears on a journey to the banks of an Alaskan river full of life. The user will be able to jump between different perspectives and parallel story lines, making full use of the interactivity that VR provides.

All three VR experiences will be released separately on Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR platforms this January and will be available free to download for the first three months. The move signals BBC Worldwide’s first venture into this area.

Julia Kenyon, the global brands director for BBC Worldwide, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Oculus to give audiences a completely different insight into the natural world. By allowing users to immerse themselves in the environments of these three animals, we are hoping to bring people rich and unforgettable adventures different from any traditional natural-history series.’’