Immerse yourself in compelling stories with NYT VR

Virtual reality, he suggested, has a similarly “bright future just like photography did 119 years ago”. That was the scene from the premiere of a virtual reality experience called “The Displaced” created for a new New York Times VR app. But there’s nothing silly about the New York Times effort to make virtual reality journalism go mainstream.

Such a mass-market scenario is exactly what the Google Cardboard VR headset was designed for. Put on Cardboard, look around, and you’ll see yourself actually in his studio, among his colleagues and the art equipment, talking about projects in New York. It’s part of a New York Times Magazine cover story about the global refugee crisis. But despite a few technical limitations, it’s definitely worth checking out the first video produced for NYT VR, and we can’t wait to see what The Times does next.

A screenshot of The New York Times virtual reality app, “nytvr”.

Where VR is often gimmicky, the Times’ take is powerful.

You can view the films on NYT VR with your iPhone or using the Google Cardboard viewer.

For its entire history, one of The New York Times’ main goals is to bring its readers to the front lines.

Thompson raved about the technology on last week’s earnings call for investors, and said Thursday night that the paper’s VR initiative is “an example of the kind of irresponsible … not-very-well-managed, insane exercise which, as a company, we should do more of”. That act of downloading and watching the VR experiences on your own headset will nearly certainly be how most people get their VR kicks in the near future.

Virtual Reality apps are becoming increasingly popular, and there is much to be said about how this new technology can damage our eyesight. This also adds another badge to New York Times’ already marvelous reporting.

To launch the app, the magazine has profiled three children displaced by war and persecution – Oleg, 11, from eastern Ukraine, Hana, 12, from Syria and Chuol, 9, from South Sudan. Chris Milk, CEO of Vrse, told the audience at the NYT VR app event of how virtual reality can remove one of the final barriers between storyteller and subject.