Unique Opportunities Courtesy of USA TODAY NETWORK
Have you ever come across an ad or a product and you were surprised by the company that produced it? That was me this past spring while I was looking for a summer internship and I found out that USA TODAY NETWORK was looking for a Unity Developer Intern. For those that do not know, Unity is a game engine that powers games such as Hearthstone, Cities: Skylines, and Pokemon GO. The fact that one of the biggest media companies in the United States wanted a game developer peaked my interest and I jumped at the opportunity.
On the first day of my internship, I quickly found out why the NETWORK was in need of a Unity developer. USA TODAY NETWORK is at the forefront of a new genre in storytelling: 360 videos and virtual reality (VR). Last year, the NETWORK launched “VRtually There,” a series that allows journalists to share their stories in 360. More recently the NETWORK released its Eisenhower VR series, a collaboration between USA TODAY and the Pensacola News Journal that gives an in depth interactive tour of the U.S.S. Eisenhower by placing you on the ship’s deck during live training missions.
Both of these mediums allow USA TODAY NETWORK to give the user a more immersive story experience. When you read an article on the internet or in the newspaper, it is sometimes hard to convey certain details and key story elements. However, with 360 video and virtual reality, you can feel as though you are right in the middle of the action. This is especially true in virtual reality, where you are able to interact directly with various story elements.
USA TODAY NETWORK’s long-term commitment to 360 videos and virtual reality also gives interns a unique opportunity to work with some of the newest and coolest technology on the market. As an aspiring game developer, I am especially excited to work on a VR project since virtual reality is considered the future of the gaming industry. Since the technology is so new, especially to journalism, the VR team is small, so I’m given a lot more responsibility than the typical intern might be given.
However, it isn’t only myself who is getting valuable experience with virtual reality. As with all products, a virtual reality project takes a lot more than just the developers to be successful. UX Design interns are exposed to different design strategies and marketing interns get the opportunity to promote a unique experience.
What USA TODAY NETWORK is doing is investing in the future. By releasing 360 videos and virtual reality experiences, the NETWORK is getting greater exposure to emerging technologies, allowing for us as interns to a part of that change.
