No more VR: IMAX says goodbye to virtual reality

In 2016, IMAX began adding VR offerings to its programme and supporting the production of content. Now the cinema operator is pulling the ripcord.

IMAX is saying goodbye to virtual reality and plans to close its last remaining VR centres in Bangkok, Los Angeles and Toronto. The Canadian cinema operator announced this to its own investors last week.

Four of these VR centres had already been closed down, including the only European one in Manchester. Towards Variety the company confirmed that it had "tested a number of different concepts and locations". Apparently they were not satisfied, as the VR pilot programme is now to be discontinued completely.

At the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017, IMAX had started to invest in virtual reality, as we reported. Together with other investors, USD 50 million was to be invested in VR content. In addition, VR centres were set up in Los Angeles and other locations, where customers could immerse themselves in VR experiences lasting 5 to 15 minutes. IMAX had previously announced its intention to develop a VR camera together with Google to help filmmakers produce VR content. However, this had already been cancelled at the end of 2017, writes Variety.

 All experiments completed