philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Marvel’s first immersive story for the Apple Vision Pro is the most fun I’ve had on the device

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But I was very intrigued when Marvel announced What If…? – An Immersive Story– partly because it’s a show that instantly evokes mystery, but also because it promises to tap into the full potential of the Vision Pro. Spatial Audio, check. Eye tracking, check. Hand tracking, check. 

For the last few days, I’ve jumped into the What If...? Universe, complete with the Marvel Studios opening credits flying around me. That was quite the start. From there, I hit start, and I’m greeted by The Watcher, a being who appears larger than life in my living room and quickly gives me the lowdown. ...

As you progress through the chapters and the full experience, which lasts about an hour, you’ll quickly learn that What If…? An Immersive Story feels like a crossover between a movie and a game. You’re presented with a scenario, maybe a villain plotting to steal something, and then the screen will flip, and you’ll be pulled into that universe. ...

For instance, I was in my living room with The Watcher and Sorcerer Supreme Wong before a portal opened, and it switched from augmented reality to virtual reality. I quickly had to work on learning the mystic arts in this location. Here, I got my first taste of the gestures. I was curious how this experience would onboard for gestures, and the trick is a template that appears, and you place your hands, mimicking them. ...

For now, Marvel Studios x Disney Plus x ILM Immersive, What If…? – An Immersive Story, feels like the tip of the iceberg. It’s a free experience that everyone with a Vision Pro should at least give a go; it’s not super long – which also may be by design for comfort and battery life – but it does feel like a compelling experience. ...

See the full story here: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/marvels-first-immersive-story-for-the-apple-vision-pro-is-the-most-fun-ive-had-on-the-device