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Samsung acquires VR studio VRB

Gear VR maker reportedly paid $5.5 million for developer of The Launch, VRB Home

Samsung continues to invest in its VR ambitions. As reported by TechCrunch, the company recently acquired VRB, a New York-based start-up that participated in the Samsung Next accelerator program.

Details of the acquisition were not officially disclosed, but TechCrunch sources put the deal at $5.5 million.

On its official site, VRB describes itself as "a social VR platform centered around user expression and novel methods of communication." So far, its products have included a 360-degree photo-sharing app, VR experience The Launch (an animated short in which players participate in the launch of a spaceship), and VRB Home, which lets users customize and share a virtual home with others. It has also worked on a VR toolkit to help other developers in the creation of virtual worlds.

"We built the 'Start In-Residence' program to attract talented entrepreneurs who could leverage the best of Samsung's resources and build a start-up with the potential to strengthen Samsung's capabilities. VRB's success is an example of how we empower talented founders with a strong vision, great ideas and the boldness to see it through to scale. We're very proud of the VRB team and what we've accomplished together."

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Brendan Sinclair

Managing Editor

Brendan joined GamesIndustry.biz in 2012. Based in Toronto, Ontario, he was previously senior news editor at GameSpot in the US.