Amazon is in talks with virtual-reality companies about developing original virtual-reality content, multiple people familiar with the matter told TheWrap.
The insiders characterized the talks as being in early stages. The meetings are being led by Amazon Studios, which is responsible for original series like “Transparent,” some of the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private.
Amazon declined to comment.
Virtual reality is an immersive entertainment format that’s among the buzziest consumer technologies this year. VR uses responsive headsets that make users feel like they’re in the middle of the action.
Some of the world’s biggest companies are rushing into virtual reality. Tech giants like Facebook, Samsung and Google are pouring investment into developing VR headsets and making them widely available.
Amazon streaming-video rival Hulu has already begun creating original and exclusive VR content and distributing it through its own dedicated virtual-reality app. Netflix has an app to watch regular movies and TV with a VR headset, essentially creating a virtual living room for viewing.
An Amazon job posting for a virtual-reality manager emerged in March, which indicated that the company was creating a platform for distributing VR content. But this is the first indication of Amazon aiming to be in the business of making the content itself.