To promote ‘The Force Awakens,’ the Star Wars app embraces virtual reality

It’s time to put your face into a galaxy far, far away.

Disney is amping up its marketing for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which debuts worldwide December 18, and the company is using virtual reality to hype up the movie. The official Star Wars app on iOS and Android just got an update that opens up a new feature called “Jakku Spy.” This is another example of how Hollywood is turning to emerging technologies to market their products. Studios like Lionsgate are fully embracing virtual reality as a way of getting people excited about their films. And recent horror release Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension had VR kiosks set up in AMC theaters to give people a chance to simulate a haunting.