IMAX wants you to 'walk into a movie' with this 5K-res VR headset

BERLIN -- StarVR, the ambitious high-res VR headset, is a prototype no more.

In a partnership between Starbreeze and Acer, the latter PC maker announced at tech show IFA 2016 that the VR headset would start shipping immediately.

While not quite as well known as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or even the Samsung Gear VR, the StarVR headset is notable for its 5K resolution and ultra-wide field of view (FOV).

The headset has a 210-degree FOV compared with the Rift's 110 degrees, which means viewers will feel even more immersed in the virtual world when wearing the StarVR.

"Since announcing the StarVR headset in 2015, we’re finally at a place where we can see the pieces of our vision coming together," Starbreeze CEO Bo Andersson Klint said in a press release. "From day one we’ve been convinced that we can deliver premium experiences with premium hardware. The search for great partners sharing the same vision was long, but we’re happy to be able to lay down these two fundamental parts in Starbreeze VR-ecosystem together with Acer and IMAX."

But don't get too excited just yet. Neither company has announced pricing for the StarVR headset, probably because it's not targeting consumers.

The StarVR headset is designed for professionals and "location-based entertainment markets".

After the announcement, Acer brought on stage Robert D. Lister, IMAX's chief business development officer, to talk about how the partnership would augment IMAX movie experiences.

The plan is for moviegoers to be able to "step into the movie" using StarVR headsets in an adjacent room. He suggested the total IMAX movie plus VR experience might cost more than $25.

IMAX plans to start offering VR "centers" in cities by the end of the year, the first of which will open in Los Angeles.