mk2 Opens Doors to Europe’s Largest Permanent Virtual Reality Facility (in English)

mk2 Opens Doors to Europe’s Largest Permanent Virtual Reality Facility
mk2 VR Delivers Premium VR User Experience with Level of Design, Quality and UX
Never Achieved Before!

(Paris, France) – December 9, 2016 – mk2, a leading French cinema operator, today announced the grand opening of “mk2 VR,” its permanent, premium space dedicated to experiencing the best of Virtual Reality (VR). Through a strategic partnership with BNP Paribas, mk2 adds the mk2 VR experience to its Paris multiplex, mk2 Bibliothèque, France’s third largest movie theater with nearly 2 million attendees per year.  Located in the heart of Paris’ new ‘tech district’, the mk2 VR facility offers consumers access to the latest VR technologies and exclusive content from some of the leading VR developers from around the world – all under one roof!

Accessible to everyone, mk2 VR showcases all the latest cutting-edge VR technologies from companies such as Oculus Rift, Sony PlayStation VR, HTC VIVE, MSI and more. Through these technologies, consumers can access VR experiences that span from fictions and games to fully immersive interactive programmed content. Users can come to mk2 VR to experience VR content that meets at the crossroads of fiction, documentary, gaming and art.

“We are bringing VR to a multiplex-like environment with the opening of the first-ever entertainment venue fully dedicated to upscale VR experiences,” said Elisha Karmitz, general director, mk2.
“mk2 VR’s concept offers consumers a lively, culture-filled facility focused on VR and good times, and that is why mk2 VR features ‘Le Perchoir mk2,’ a terrace bar developed in association with one of the trendiest rooftop and open air bar chains now in Paris, Le Perchoir. For anyone looking for a new experience, wanting to enjoy VR technologies or just having a drink in a cheerful environment, mk2 VR is poised to be the ‘go to’ place on the forefront of this latest revolution in entertainment.”

mk2 VR ©Crédit photo: Benoit Florençon (www.benoitflorencon.com)

mk2 VR Hours of Operation:

mk2 VR is open from Wednesday to Sunday, holidays and every day during school breaks. Private space can be reserved upon request at www.mk2vr.com.
•            Wednesday 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
•            Thursday 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
•            Friday 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
•            Saturday 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM
•            Sunday 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Tickets (can only be purchased at mk2 VR):
•            20 minutes: 12 euros
•           40 minutes: 20 euros

mk2 VR ©Crédit photo: Benoit Florençon (www.benoitflorencon.com)

“As a major actor of the seventh art, and with a history of 100 years, positioning us in this domain as the reference among European banks, BNP Paribas – the bank for a changing world – is delighted to be the partner of mk2 for the opening of the first place entirely dedicated to virtual reality, in Europe,” said Bertrand Cizeau, BNP Paribas Group head of communications. “This partnership allows BNP Paribas to continue its commitment to sourcing emerging talents and offers over 1000 clients the possibility to discover this unique venue.”

mk2, with mk2 VR, is the first cinema operator to develop an entire business around VR.  Faithfull to its 40 years of history in selecting and programming the best international films, the finest content in VR is selected by a dedicated programmer to merge mk2’s famous know-how in the cinema industry into VR. As a thriving hub of culture and entertainment, mk2 VR will live to the rhythm of its exclusive content and sneak previews (revealed every Wednesday) all year long.

On opening day, mk2 VR will feature VR content, including:
·         Birdly® by SOMNIACS: The best VR flight simulator, exclusively at mk2 VR.
·         Assassin’s Creed Experience VR by Twentieth Century Fox
·         Star Wars™ Battlefront ™ Rogue One ™ X-Wing VR Mission by Electronic Arts
·         The Climb by Crytek
·         Homebound Joyride by Quixel
·         Introduction to VR by Felix & Paul Studios
·         The Walk by smartVR Studio
·         Eagle Flight by Ubisoft
·         Ocean Descent by Sony London Studio
·         Space Pirate by I-illusion
·         Holofit by Holodia

mk2 VR in brief:
·         An interactive space spread over 300 square meters (3300 sq. ft.)
·         In the heart of Paris’ “3.0 district” near the BNF François Mitterrand library and Halle Freyssinet, Europe’s biggest start-up campus (opening soon)
·         12 “VR pods” for individual experiences
·         The latest technology – HTC VIVE, PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and MSi
·         1.5 million euros invested
·         100,000 visitors expected in 2017

Online Press Kit: HERE

About mk2
mk2 is a multi-award winning film exhibitor possessing a know-how extracted from 42 years of excellence. mk2 produced more than 100 movies and operate 26 theaters in Europe. mk2 have been awarded several times for the movie they produce or distributed, including 160 awards in major film festivals. From mk2 birth to nowadays, innovation and creation has always been part of their DNA. mk2 VR is a logical move for such an innovative and experimented company. In the coming month mk2 develop actual knowledge to the VR world by opening, venues, investing in content production and distribution, and a communication agency dedicated to VR.  For more information, visit www.mk2vr.com/en/. 

About mk2 Bibliothèque
mk2 Bibliothèque, which was designed by architect, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, opened in February 2003 and features 12,000 sq. meters of space, 20 movie screens including 4 rooms within the famous Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), 3,000 seats and an attractive and unique “Love Seat” concept created by Martin Szekely. 

About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a leading European bank with international exposure. It is present in 75 countries with more than 189,000 employees, 146,000 of whom are in Europe. The Group holds key positions in the three main domains of its activity: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services – with networks of retail banks and financial services, all of which are grouped together in Retail Banking & Services – and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which focuses on Corporate and Institutional clients. The Group provides solutions to all its clients (individuals, associations, entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses, corporations, and institutions) to assist them in making their projects a reality via services like financing, investment, savings, and protection. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy, and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the top provider of personal loans. BNP Paribas is also developing its integrated model of retail banking in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, in Turkey, as well as in Eastern Europe, and has a large network of banks in the Western states of the USA. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas benefits from leadership in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas, and a solid and fast-growing presence in Pacific Asia. www.group.bnpparibas/

Media Contact Info:

Glenn Mandel
The LaunchPad Agency
760-798-1563
glenn@launchpadagency.com
www.launchpadagency.com