UPDATED 12:18 EST / FEBRUARY 15 2016

NEWS

Syfy is making a scripted virtual reality TV series for Oculus Rift

Plenty of video game studios have been hopping on the virtual reality bandwagon over the last few years, and now it looks like television networks are also eyeing VR as potentially the next big thing.

Syfy has revealed that it is working on a new series called Halcyon, which will primarily be aired on television but will also feature several virtual reality episodes developed exclusively for Oculus Rift.

The show itself is being produced by Canadian studio Secret Location Inc, which has already created a few virtual reality experiences based on scripted TV series, including one for Fox’s Sleepy Hollow.

Here is a synopsis of the new show provided by NBCUniversal Inc, the parent company of Syfy (via The Indepenent):

Halcyon, is a police procedural series set in 2058 and focuses on a future world where virtual reality is as ubiquitous as smart phones are today. The series follows Julie Dover, a detective in the Virtual Reality Crimes Unit, investigating the first real-life murder to take place within virtual reality – a crime that shouldn’t even be possible – and the conspiracy she discovers behind it.

NBCUniversal ordered a total of 15 episodes for Halcyon, five of which will be available exclusively for Oculus Rift. Fans of the show who do not happen to have the disposable income for both an Oculus Rift and a PC capable of supporting it will not be able to watch the VR-only episodes, but Syfy said it will provide recaps for the episodes so they will not miss out on the story.

“Syfy is the perfect home for launching this innovative, hybrid linear and virtual reality series,” Steve Patscheck, EVP Global Programming, NBCU International Networks, said in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with Secret Location on Halcyon, as Syfy international channels break new ground with the launch of the brand’s first scripted virtual reality series.”

Production on the series is already underway, but there is currently no information on when Halcyon will actually begin airing.

Photo by Sergey Galyonkin 

A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.

  • 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
  • 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About SiliconANGLE Media
SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation, uniting breakthrough technology, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — with flagship locations in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology and AI.

Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.