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VR 2.0: HBO and Discovery see future in holographic content

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By Adam Flomenbaum, Co-Executive Editor

April 21, 2016 | 2 min read

VR: so hot right now.

Everyone from Samsung to Facebook to Discovery to Vice is driving buzz around VR and the future of content.

But what does VR 2.0 look like? HBO and Discovery gave some indication yesterday when they took a stake in OTOY, a move that will “fuel development and distribution of holographic content.”

Discovery, with Discovery VR, has made a significant investment in the future of video content production, and its stake in OTOY is an extension of that:

“OTOY technology is a massive breakthrough and we look forward to seeing it take VR and AR experiences, including Discovery VR, to a whole new level,” said Paul Guyardo, chief commercial officer at Discovery Communications.

HBO, on the other hand, has mainly been focused of late on content acquisition for its expanded OTT and TV Everywhere offerings, HBO GO and HBO NOW. The network, however, is already working with OTOY on developeing content for Jon Stewart’s upcoming project.

“The future of media and entertainment is not going to be constrained by a screen, nor consumed through monolithic apps or platforms,” said Jules Urbach, founder and chief executive, OTOY.

“OTOY’s mission is to make holographic and immersive content a mass market proposition for consumers, artists and publishers alike. A key part of this endeavor is unifying production and delivery of content across all possible endpoints, from HTML5, to TV and social, to wearables. With HBO and Discovery as strategic investors and content publishing partners, we wouldn’t be more excited to work together to map out the future of entertainment.”

OTOY’s advisory board includes Alphabet’s Eric Schmidt, Ari Emanuel, and economist George Gilder.

Future of TV HBO Discovery Communications

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