Turner has been working with YouTube personality Olan Rogers on bringing his new animated TBS show Final Space to virtual reality. The network is the process of producing a virtual reality (VR) pilot for what could ultimately become a “Final Space” VR series, revealed Turner’s executive VP of marketing and brand innovation Michael Engelman recently.
TBS also just released an augmented reality (AR) app for Final Space, and is exploring ways to use AR & VR not just as marketing vehicles, but to actually generate revenue as well. “AR and VR are super exciting,” he said.
One reason that Final Space is getting the AR & VR treatment is Rogers’ existing online fan base. “His brand is built on the internet,” Engelman said. “This is absolutely the kind of property to experiment with.”
As part of those experiments, TBS premiered Final Space on the front page of Reddit in February. This month, it followed up with an AR app that gives fans the ability to invite Gary, Mooncake, and other characters from the show into their living rooms. The app premiered on iOS first, and is scheduled to come to Android phones in the coming days. Users will get access to new content every week after the show’s latest episode airs.
As for the “Final Space” VR pilot, there’s no word yet on if and when audiences will get to see it, or whether it will actually turn into a full-blown VR series. “You launch when it’s right and ready,” Engelman added.
