The Blade Runner 2049 offsite at SDCC 2017 was one of the coolest activations I’ve ever experienced. Right from the start, you knew this was a full production. The setup began with a gallery filled with concept art and visuals from the film, setting the mood perfectly for the futuristic world you were about to step into.
Then came the VR sequence. Sitting in motion‑capable chairs with a headset on, we soared over a digital Los Angeles in a Spinner, chasing replicants and really feeling the tension and scale of the city. It was thrilling and surreal. It was the kind of immersive tech experience that makes you forget the world outside.
But what truly blew me away was what came next. After the VR, the curtains opened, and you stepped out into a neon-lit, Blade Runner 2049–style street environment, and it was incredible. The attention to detail was next-level: props, costumes, a Spinner vehicle, even actors in character roaming the streets, interacting with visitors. It even “rained” inside the experience! It felt like you’d actually landed in the film’s dystopian LA, and every corner was a photo-op waiting to happen. There were even little touches like themed noodle stands (we slurped the noodles!) and a bar area with specialty drinks, which made wandering the set feel like a complete, lived-in city. The offsite was like a mini-vacation into the world of Blade Runner 2049.
