VR’s Latest Outing Is To The “Planet Of The Couches”

While most of the world has agreed that VR is the future, there are some who still doubt the very well stated fact. For them, the industry is providing new measures of growth every now and then. It was no hidden truth that for the ever-growing animation industry, Virtual Reality is the next big thing and here we finally have a proof. 

For 28 seasons, millions have followed the animated exploits of that mustard-skinned family of five. Yes, we are talking about The Simpsons. To mark the 600th episode of the series, the makers finally hopped onto the VR train. In celebration of the series’ 600th episode, the show decided to offer its opening couch scene in VR using Google Cardboard, and the result is incredible. Nearly every Simpsons episode has some kind of unusual, quick, and humorous scene of the family gathering on the couch to watch TV. After 600 episodes, this is the first exploration of the relatively new Virtual Reality technology. 

The short experience has been titled as the “Planet of the Couches” and is inspired by the classic science fiction film Planet of the Apes. Not leaving much to surprise, this time, couches instead of apes are in control. Anybody who has seen the film can guess what the family goes through in terms of plot but the real delight is through the VR features. 

The best thing about the video is that it is not just any panoramic video but a truly interactive experience. So no matter where you look, there are different visual gags in every direction. So when you discover tiny details, like Comic Book Guy rating the VR experience in real time, or the appearance of a couple of familiar aliens in the sky, it’s like the characters are waiting for you to look their way. 

How to experience the “Planet of the Couches” 

To experience the video in Virtual reality, all you need is an iOS or Android compatible smartphone and a Google Cardboard Viewer. To start with, just download the Google Spotlight Stories app on your phone and then the “Planet of the Couches” video, which currently is the first thing you will see on your screen when you load the app. Once it is downloaded, you are all set to go the “couch” land. 

Start up the Planet of the Couches story on the Google Spotlight Stories app. It begins with a short animation and then prompts you when the VR experience will start. Hit the goggles icon on the bottom right corner, to switch the video to VR which is going to split your screen into two. Insert your phone into the Cardboard viewer and look through the viewer while turning in different directions to experience all the action. 

Well, if this great outing by The Simpsons is any indication towards the future of VR, we are most likely to see other VR shorts making their way to the TV landscape soon.