It is a common belief that virtual reality technologies are only for gaming.
While VR gaming has gained considerable attention in recent years and the libraries of games for VR headsets are rapidly growing, virtual reality is not just meant for gaming.
Virtual reality technologies are being used in several different areas among which, 360-degree videos and films are very popular.
VR videos and films are so popular because traditional videos and films are almost as popular as traditional gaming.
Even if you are a gaming freak, there will be times when you will prefer to just relax and enjoy a VR experience, which doesn’t require you to interact with it to enjoy it.
We are confident that you will like much of the VR content that is out there waiting for you.
Why are we so confident? The reason is simple.
You will be able to enjoy VR videos and films for the same reason that makes VR gaming enjoyable.
What we love about VR gaming is that we are no longer a controller or a third person who is watching through a screen.
In VR gaming, you become the hero of the game you play.
You experience it from a first-person perspective, which makes it even more realistic.
The same is true for VR videos.
You are no longer a user watching a video through a display screen.
How Do I Run 360-degree Videos on My VR Headset?
There are a number of VR platforms that currently offer mesmerizing VR experiences which will captivate you in many different ways.
VR platforms like Within, VeeR and YouTube VR are a perfect start for your journey into VR videos and films.
To get started with VR videos, we have compiled a list of some of the best VR experiences that will ignite your love for VR videos.
This list contains different genres of videos.
Some of them will put a smile on your face, while others might even leave you with a few tears in your eyes.
Opening VR videos on VR platforms is relatively simple.
You must first launch the application, navigate through the catalog or search for a specific genre of VR videos, and finally, just click on the one you want to watch to start playing it.
It is important to remember that VR videos don’t require real-time processing to calculate the next frame to be played (like in video games or VR games).
Therefore, you can watch a 360-degree or VR video on any VR headset, as long as it supports the VR content library that hosts the video you want to watch.
Most of these platforms, including YouTube 360, VeeR, and Within, are available on a number of different VR headsets, including the Oculus Go, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Vive Pro, PlayStation VR and many other popular VR headsets.
Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes is a perfect start for your VR video journey.
This is because it has already introduced many robust concepts of storytelling to VR.
The VR video is an award winner that was shot in a single take.
You won’t be noticeable since the actors stayed in character and the crew managed to stay out of the way during the whole take.
Ashes to Ashes is available on YouTube.
It is a story about a dysfunctional family going through the emotional roller coaster of losing a loved one.
Things get intense, as the family tries to fulfill the last wishes of their lost loved one.
The best part is that you will be viewing the whole experience from the urn’s point of view.
Projects like these explain the growing popularity of the VR video scene.
It Float – A Cinematic VR Experience
The horror genre is discussed near the top of this list because horror VR films offer the most serious adrenaline rush.
This doesn’t mean that other genres are not as exciting in VR, it’s just that horror has a special place in virtual reality.
As you may have guessed, It Float is a remarkable cinematic experience that builds on the success of the 2017 blockbuster movie “It”.
The VR experience takes you through the streets of Derry, Maine, and into the sewers.
You will be introduced to Pennywise, the dancing clown, and the clown’s lair.
The Conjuring 2 – Enfield 360 Experience
Warner Bros. Pictures is getting more involved in developing VR experiences.
We love it! The result of Warner Bros.
Pictures’ VR investment is amazing experiences, like the Conjuring 2 – Enfield 360 Experience.
This is a huge treat for loyal fans of The Conjuring franchise.
This VR experience involves another notorious case that is handled by Ed and Lorraine, our beloved soldiers of the church, who are out on a hunt for evil.
The experience starts by entering a haunted house that is full of a number of malicious entities.
As you get further into the story, many ugly secrets of the house’s history are revealed.
The evil entities are aware of your presence.
They will do anything to drive you away and make you take off your VR headset with a scream.
You can enjoy this intense VR experience on YouTube.
Rings
Similar to The Conjuring 2 – Enfield 360 Experience, Rings is another treat for fans of the Japanese style of horror.
The Ring franchise has definitely left a mark on the entertainment industry and the franchise has now moved into VR.
Rings is a fairly short horror VR experience.
However, it is an action-packed experience that will leave you with goosebumps.
The VR experience starts with you sitting in a room with just a television set.
As you may have guessed, you will witness a series of disturbing images on a television.
Things start getting intense, as a soaked girl starts reaching out from the television set.
You can get this VR experience from YouTube’s VR library.
The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man involves you in an intense discussion between three criminals.
It offers a taste of the sketchy underworld life.
Two drug dealers, Nick and Kid, have a large stash of cocaine hidden in an upstate barn.
They are set to make a run from their ugly fate.
The drug dealers’ plan is put to an abrupt stop by Frank, a dangerous guy, whom Nick and Kid owe a lot of money to.
Frank leaves no choice for the drug dealers, other than engaging in a game of Russian roulette.
With every missed click of the revolver, a new intriguing detail about each of the characters is revealed.
Do you have a role in this VR experience?
Try it out on YouTube to find out!
The Displaced
The New York Times’ media production has always done an excellent job of mixing real-life stories and storytelling methods.
The NY Times has taken advantage of the opportunity to dive into new virtual reality technologies to bring a new perspective to their content.
The Displaced is a thought-provoking VR experience which also proves that the New York Times is ready to tackle any new technology to reach more people.
The Displaced tells the story of three children who have faced the ugliness of wars and had to leave their homes to survive.
These kids are from Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine.
You can watch this VR experience on YouTube VR.
The Protectors: Walk in the Ranger’s Shoes
Journalism is an area where VR technologies are clearly making a significant impact.
National Geographic is a global favorite for millions of people with its informative documentaries about different issues throughout the world.
The Protectors is National Geographic’s next step into VR videos.
You will be heartbroken after you watch this.
You can watch The Protectors on YouTube VR.
The wild elephant is facing extinction in Africa due to poachers who do not care about these animals.
The wild elephant has been killed illegally for decades.
This has contributed to the gradual but consistent decline in the number of remaining wild animals.
The Protectors takes you through a day of a park ranger in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Garamba National Park.
This brave rangers’ sole purpose is to stop poachers from killing any more of these endangered species.
DuckTales: The Lost Key of Tralla La
The Lost Key of Tralla La was released as a feature 360-degree VR Video, before the release of the new show in mid-2017.
Disney has recently been very active in the VR video arena.
DuckTales: The Lost Key of Tralla La is another lively and happy animated VR video that will lighten your mood.
The video is available on YouTube’s VR video library.
It is just under two minutes long. It is fun, cute and has a good length.
Invasion
We present another animated 360-degree VR video, which will allow you to binge on an interesting story with funny interactions between the characters.
It is also aesthetically pleasing.
Invasion is created by the director of the renowned animated film franchise Madagascar.
Ethan Hawke lent his voice as the narrator of this VR experience.
Invasion is an Emmy award-winning VR short film, with a play time of about six minutes.
It is about two aliens arriving on the Earth with the intention of taking over the planet.
Their plan is abruptly changed when they run into a cute little bunny.
The rest of the experience is adorable.
Rome: A Guided City Tour
This is another amazing virtual tour that will motivate you to travel.
It is wonderful to know that through virtual reality technologies, you can now visit almost any place in the world.
However, I personally believe that virtual tours motivate us to make things happen.
They stimulate our desire for change in our repetitive daily life.
This VR experience takes you to one of the most beautiful and captivating cities in the world.
Rome is a great city to visit during vacations since it is home to hundreds of unforgettable views and landscapes along with the subtle touch of ancient architecture.
Daan and his girlfriend Elske take you on a guided tour of the city.
The commentary that you hear makes you feel like you are actually in this beautiful city with two great tour guides.
A Day in St Pete Clearwater
It is impossible to adequately describe the beauty of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, a beautiful region located on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida.
You can go to YouTube and watch a video tour of the stunning tourist spot.
However, even that won’t really fully satisfy the explorer within you.
This VR experience available on Youtube uses immersive technologies to take you on a day-long tour of St. Petersburg, which is considered to be a paradise for tourists.
You won’t be able to feel the warm temperature of the beach, but you can enjoy the warm sunshine, the amazingly calm and blue ocean, and the beach’s bar scene without saving up a lot of money or asking for vacation time from work.
Against Blue Currents
One of the best things about virtual reality is that it is free of physical constraints.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have money to roam around the world, if you have run out of vacation time, or if you are disabled in any way.
If you put on a VR headset, you are completely free.
Against Blue Currents is another VR experience that shows us the delights of the world’s exotic places from the comfort of our own home.
Dive deep into an ocean with experts who will describe all of the amazing habitats and marine animals that your diving party encounters.
Against Blue Currents is available on VeeR.
KINOSCOPE: A VR Journey into the World of Cinema
The box office has now become a part of our daily lives.
Many of us watch a movie almost every single week and visit a movie theater at least once a month.
However, we still know very little about the history of cinema.
KINOSCOPE is an immersive VR experience that takes the participants through the early days of cinema.
You will experience how the industry began and how and when it was revolutionized.
The VR experience will be very enjoyable as you experience everything that has made the movie industry into what it is today.
Celebrate World Cup 2018 in VR 360
Although the FIFA World Cup 2018 is over, our passion for football remains.
Whether you will love this VR experience developed by VR or not, boils down to a single question.
Did you attend the FIFA World Cup 2018 or did you watch it from your home?
Not everyone could travel to Russia to enjoy one of the most popular sports in the world.
However, thanks to this VR video by VeeR, you can experience what it was like to be sitting with thousands of your team’s fans, cheering on as your team pushes forward.
Star Wars – Hunting of the Fallen
Star Wars earned a place in the culture of millions of people throughout the world within a decade of its release in 1977.
The movie’s creators of the movies have been working very hard to bring great experiences for Star Wars lovers.
Hunting of the Fallen is a remarkable VR fan film that will make you love the Star Wars universe even more.
Star Wars – Hunting of the Fallen is the story a small group of Jedi warriors who survived Order 66.
The VR experience is available on Youtube.
Friend Like Me – ALADDIN on Broadway
Musicals as a medium for delivering art are an excellent way to tell great stories and to engage the audience.
Colors burst in front of every corner of the audience’s eyes, as everyone on the stage sings, dances, and acts in perfect harmony.
The magic of live theatre, however, is far more captivating than that.
Friend Like Me combines these two critical aspects of storytelling and offer you a front row seat at the show.
Friend Like Me – ALADDIN on Broadway will make you feel like you are the center of attention.
You will enjoy the whole fantastic performance from the best possible position on the stage.
You can enjoy this VR experience on YouTube’s 360-degree video library.
Kit Kat #MyTravelBreak – Munnar 360o video
Kit Kat is a popular sweet that you can buy almost anywhere.
It is a delicious snack and its marketing team works hard to offer enjoyable videos and cool advertisements.
This #MyTravelBreak 360-degree video has everything that you would want from a virtual tour.
The pristine scenery, beautiful landscapes, and rich Indian culture that you will experience in this VR video, make it a truly special VR experience.
The video is available on YouTube and has over 14.6 million views.
NASA: Cassini’s Grand Finale
The vastness of beautiful and dangerous space will always intrigue us.
However, even if you aren’t an astronomy fan, you will be stunned by the beauty and vastness of space that is shown in this stunning VR experience.
The Cassini spacecraft’s 20-year journey itself is a spectacular achievement.
This does not even include its final exploration around Saturn’s orbit, which was the key to unraveling many mysteries about this enormous planet.
Along with the soothing voice of the narrator, you will witness the giant planet from an up close and personal perspective.
National Geographic: Lions 360
National Geographic has earned another deserving entry on this list with its powerful and intriguing Lions 360 VR video.
The VR video is about a young lion named Gibson growing to adulthood in Zambia.
The VR video puts your right in front of these dangerous animals so that you can experience their daily life without putting yourself in danger.
The VR experience has many beautiful landscapes.
It takes the audience much closer to the wilderness than they could ever go on their own.
Witness Gibson’s struggles to reach adulthood, as he faces the threat of a dominant male lion in this amazing VR video.
By the end of the video, you will feel like a partner of the brave lion in his endeavors and will share his pride.
Lions 360 is available on YouTube.
What Happens Inside your Body?
This VR experience is focused more on delivering information in an easily understandable manner rather than presenting unmatched graphics and cinematic camera spans.
What Happens Inside your Body is a fun and colorful virtual presentation that shows you how many of the human body’s vital systems work.
Transitions take place so that the camera transports you from one system to another through blood vessels, while a soothing narration helps you to understand the different functions of each system that you visit.
This VR experience is a perfect entry for children into VR.
They can experience VR’s powerful immersive technologies while learning about their own human anatomy.
Adults can also look inside their bodies to see what makes their bodies unique and capable of achieving wonders.
New York Times: We Who Remain
Within addition to National Geographic, the New York Times also deserves an entry on this list, with its extremely bold and powerful VR documentary We Who Remain.
The VR documentary tells us about the lives of citizens who have suffered the collateral damage from the war between rebel forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North and the Sudanese Government.
The VR video is not an action-packed movie, where a hero struggles against his enemies and ends up saving the day.
This is real life, where events progress differently than in the movies.
This thought-provoking piece takes the audience through the lives of the victims of this unfortunate war, using a serious tone.
This allows the audience to feel the hardships faced by these individuals at a personal level.
You can easily find We Who Remain on YouTube.
Video Game Vehicle VR Demo
This VR video was developed primarily to present an argument in support of gaming on VR headsets.
The creators of this video weren’t focused on coming up with an intriguing name for this demo.
However, when you watch this VR demo, you will admit that it took a lot of hard work to make this video.
The VR video is created based on an interesting concept.
The VR experience starts with two friends getting into a car, with Gatling guns mounted on the front.
This vehicle is modified to travel through games.
The car then takes these friends through several different brilliantly designed and well-detailed 3D worlds that you would typically see in VR games.
While this is primarily a fun project, I would highly recommend that you check it out to witness the beautiful CG animations and detailed 3D worlds.
A Day in the Life of a ‘90s Teen
There is an excellent chance that you don’t know about Buzzfeed.
However, this group of trending content creators has been around for a while.
Buzzfeed usually focuses on funny and relaxing projects that many teens can relate to.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the company has entered the VR realm to deliver fresh content.
A day in the Life of a ‘90s Teen is an interesting reenactment of everything about a typical teenager’s life in the 1990s.
If you experienced being a teenager in the 1990s, you will enjoy this VR experience as you go down memory lane with the help of this video.
If you didn’t experience the 1990s as a teenager, be prepared to be baffled at how life used to be without smartphones, high-speed internet and dozens of trending social media platforms.
Puns aside, this is a great project that you should watch.
Porsche – Hotlap with the Porsche 919 Hybrid
Are there any race car lovers in our audience? Of course, there are!
This one is a pretty special VR experience for anyone who is even slightly into superfast cars.
Fasten your seatbelt, as you are placed in the passenger seat of what is considered one of the world’s most powerful high-end sports cars.
This VR video will have you and the 919 Hybrid beast that you are sitting in make a high-speed lap on the Circuit de la Sarthe.
The car’s driver, Marc Lieb, is a very special name in the racing world.
He is the 2016 Le Mans winner.
Prepare to experience what happens all around you, when you are inside a car that is going four times the speed limit with a Le Mans-winning driver sitting beside you.
Conclusion
The VR videos in this list are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are many different platforms that host hundreds of VR experiences you can enjoy, while relaxing on your couch.
The VR video scene is gaining in popularity.
Many traditional filmmakers have started experimenting with these immersive technologies, which has resulted in numerous surreal VR experiences.
Even those who enjoy virtual reality for gaming, will appreciate 10 to 15 minutes of relaxing and entertaining VR video content.
Be sure to stay in the loop and be on the lookout for more interesting and intriguing VR content.
