Media companies and marketers have been diving into virtual reality, offering to immerse consumers in everything from serious documentaries to branded entertainment. Beyond the easy appeal to gamers, however, there are questions about general audiences and VR: How much time to people want to spend with their view of the real-world obscured by headsets? Does linear storytelling benefit from the ability to look in all directions, or perversely lose something in the expanded view?
Now Six Flags and Samsung seem to have come up with a use for virtual reality that might just thrill your average consumers: virtual reality roller coasters. As VentureBeat reports:
It's worth noting here that visitors still physically go on a moving roller coaster — there would be little point traveling to a theme park simply to sit on a chair or simulator. The VR goggles basically serve up additional sensory experiences — for example, riders may be transported to the future to save the world from aliens. And they can even fire virtual weapons in what Samsung is touting as the "first-ever interactive gameplay technology on a roller coaster."
There's no word on ad integrations yet, but don't be surprised if your virtual alien-infested world eventually includes some virtual Coca-Cola billboards too.