The limited-time VR experience came and went — but don’t worry it’s coming back soon.
The first day of Comic-Con kicked off in San Diego and USA Networks made quite a spectacle of their self-destructing Mr. Robot VR experience premiere.
Announced on Tuesday, the television network partnered up with Chris Milk’s VR studio Within to create a virtual reality experience for the Emmy-nominated show that was being billed as “the first nationally simulcast virtual reality experience.”
Anyone around the world with access to a VR headset could download the Within app and tune in at 10:45 am PT to watch the Mr. Robot VR premiere. If you were able to catch the premiere in VR, the roughly 10-minute experience took you into Elliot’s memories as a fly on the wall for his first date with Shayla, his drug dealing girlfriend that was brutally murdered by another dealer in the latter half of Season One.
Aside from some users who experienced technical difficulties during the simulcast — a challenge not surprising for a VR livestream — USA Networks made even more of an event out of the premiere at Comic-Con with three different activations.
Simulcast at Petco Park
Fans in town for Comic-Con, headed over to Petco Park and took their seats in the stands before the 10:45 am PT premiere event. You were given a custom Mr. Robot Cardboard headset and branded headphones.
10 minutes before the simulcast, the cast of Mr. Robot made a surprise appearance to join the viewing with fans. Cardboard headset in hand, cast and fans jumped into the VR experience and all watched together.
Afterwards the cast took a selfie with everyone.
Mr. Robot Repair Shop
Fans who may have missed the viewing at Petco Park could also pop into the Mr. Robot Repair Shop, located just blocks from the Comic-Con convention center.
With a line that stretched around the block all morning, fans were waiting to get inside and check out the VR experience on Gear VR headsets while sitting in a masterfully recreated set of Elliot’s apartment.
Given a Gear VR headset and headphones, up to 10 fans could enter the apartment at a time and sit wherever they please. Since the VR video journey starts you off in the same apartment, the set adds an additional immersive layer to the whole experience.
Mr. Robot Creepy Uber Van Rides
And for the fans who were maybe just too lazy or didn’t want to wait in line at Petco Park or the Mr. Robot Repair Shop, you could open up your Uber app and hail a special Mr. Robot pickup.
The Uber rides weren’t your normal Prius. Instead a shady looking white panel van would pick you up with VR headsets in back that you could then slap on and experience the premiere. Probably best to bring a buddy for this one.
If you missed the simulcast, you’re out of luck for now — at least until next week. USA Networks will be uploading the whole thing to their website and the Within app.
Be sure to say Hi to Shayla for us.
