ILMxLAB

What ILMxLAB does

ILMxLAB is the immersive entertainment division of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the Lucasfilm visual effects company founded in 1975 and owned by The Walt Disney Company since 2012. Established around 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, ILMxLAB produces virtual reality, mixed reality, and large-format location-based entertainment built primarily around Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney/Lucasfilm intellectual property. The division serves both consumer audiences through VR and AR headsets (Meta Quest, PlayStation VR, Apple Vision Pro) and enterprise customers including premium venue operators (MSG Sphere, Downtown Disney) and music artists (ABBA, U2, Dead & Company).

The product portfolio spans consumer VR titles (Vader Immortal, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge), mixed-reality playsets (Star Wars: Beyond Victory for Meta Quest 3), spatial-computing experiences (What If…? An Immersive Story for Apple Vision Pro), and large-format venue productions (Postcard from Earth, U2:UV Achtung Baby Live, and Dead & Company's 30-show residency at MSG Sphere; ABBA Voyage at a 3,000-capacity London arena). Underlying proprietary technology includes the Big Sky camera system — a bespoke 316-megapixel, 3-inch x 3-inch HDR sensor capturing 18Kx18K images at up to 120 fps, developed specifically for MSG Sphere — markerless motion capture, real-time photoreal rendering, and 16Kx16K content pipelines capable of filling 580,000 square feet of LED surface. Production is supported by ILM's five global studios in San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Mumbai, and Sydney.

ILMxLAB operates four identifiable revenue streams: (1) one-time license sales of VR experiences through platform storefronts (Meta Quest Store, PlayStation Store, Apple App Store); (2) ticketed location-based entertainment at venues including Downtown Disney and MSG Sphere; (3) professional services / production contracts for live entertainment (U2, ABBA, Dead & Company); and (4) licensing and royalty arrangements leveraging Star Wars and Marvel IP. The division is a wholly-owned subsidiary within the Disney-Lucasfilm corporate structure, with no independent venture funding, no public listing, and no separately disclosed financial figures.

Name

ILMxLAB

Legal name

Industrial Light & Magic

Website

https://ilmxlab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ILMxLAB is Industrial Light & Magic's immersive entertainment division, producing VR, mixed reality, and large-scale venue experiences for Star Wars, Marvel, MSG Sphere, and music artists like ABBA and U2. A Lucasfilm/Disney subsidiary operating across five global ILM studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Entertainment Software

NAICS

Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

VR/AR/XR Game Studios (MPAFAAAE), XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF), Virtual Worlds & Social Sandbox Experiences (persistent social spaces) (MPAFAIAG), VR & Immersive Esports/LBE Venues (VR Arenas, Sim Racing Pods) (MPAFALAE)

Keywords

• Immersive entertainment
• Virtual reality experiences
• Mixed reality content
• Location-based entertainment
• Immersive live productions

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. VR Game Sales: Sale of virtual reality and mixed reality experiences through digital storefronts including Meta Quest Store and PlayStation Store. Products include Vader Immortal, Star Wars: Beyond Victory, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge, and What If…? immersive story.
2. Location-Based Entertainment: Ticketed immersive experiences at premium entertainment venues including Downtown Disney (Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, Avengers: Damage Control), MSG Sphere Las Vegas (Postcard from Earth, Dead & Company: Dead Forever), and ABBA Voyage arena in London.
3. Live Entertainment Production: Creation of immersive entertainment productions for artists and venues, such as U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at MSG Sphere and ABBA Voyage concert experience, leveraging ILM's real-time rendering and visual effects expertise.
4. Licensing and IP Utilization: Leveraging Disney and Lucasfilm intellectual property including Star Wars and Marvel franchises to create immersive experiences under licensing agreements.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ILMxLAB is the immersive entertainment division of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) that develops and produces virtual reality, mixed reality, and location-based entertainment experiences. The company creates consumer VR games for Meta Quest and PlayStation VR platforms, spatial computing experiences for Apple Vision Pro, untethered location-based VR attractions at venues like Downtown Disney, and large-scale immersive productions for premium venues such as MSG Sphere in Las Vegas and the ABBA Voyage arena in London. Offerings span licensed Star Wars and Marvel franchises as well as original immersive productions and live entertainment residencies for artists including U2 and Dead & Company.

Product overview

ILMxLAB is the immersive entertainment division of Industrial Light & Magic, offering a portfolio of virtual reality, mixed reality, and location-based entertainment experiences. The portfolio includes VR titles for Meta Quest and PlayStation VR platforms (Vader Immortal, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge), mixed reality experiences (Star Wars: Beyond Victory for Meta Quest 3), Apple Vision Pro immersive stories (What If…?), and large-scale venue productions for MSG Sphere (Postcard from Earth, U2:UV, Dead Forever). The offerings span consumer VR headsets, specialized venue installations at locations like Downtown Disney, and groundbreaking cinematic productions. Key collaborations include Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Disney+, and innovative technology partners for real-time character control and photoreal rendering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR series released for PlayStation VR and Meta Quest, featuring a three-part storyline set in the Star Wars universe where players descend into Darth Vader's fortress.
• Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge
• Star Wars: Beyond Victory
• What If...?: An Immersive Story

Products and services

• Star Wars: Beyond Victory A mixed reality playset for Meta Quest 3 & 3S featuring an original Star Wars story that blends the thrilling world of podracing, a stellar cast, powerful narrative, and mixed-reality gameplay where users step into an interactive adventure. Targeted at consumer VR headset owners.
• Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series A thrilling three-part VR series for PlayStation VR and Meta Quest where users step into a galaxy far, far away and experience descending into Darth Vader's mysterious fortress alongside new allies and encountering fearsome enemies including the Sith Lord himself. Targeted at consumer VR headset owners.
• Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge A VR adventure game for PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest where users play as a droid repair technician who crash lands on Batuu following an attack by the Guavian Death Gang and gets swept up in a grand adventure. Targeted at consumer VR headset owners.
• What If…? – An Immersive Story A reality-bending interactive story for Apple Vision Pro from Marvel Studios, ILM, and Disney+ where users step into the Multiverse and harness the power of the Infinity Stones. Available as a free download on the App Store. Targeted at Apple Vision Pro spatial computing users.
• Postcard from Earth The first immersive production made for MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, directed and produced by Darren Aronofsky. Captured using a bespoke 'Big Sky' camera system capable of 18Kx18K resolution at 120 frames per second. Delivered as a premium immersive experience for ticketed audiences at MSG Sphere.
• U2:UV Achtung Baby Live An immersive live performance at MSG Sphere where ILM created fully CG photoreal environments at 16Kx16K resolution to fill Sphere's 580,000 square feet of LEDs, with multiple loopable segments at varying lengths sequenced at random to suit U2's desired performance. Targeted at MSG Sphere audiences.
• ABBA Voyage A revolutionary concert at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London where ABBA—Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid—perform digitally as a live 10-piece band in a purpose-built 3,000-capacity arena. Targeted at ticketed concert audiences in London.
• Dead & Company: Dead Forever Dead & Company's 30-show residency at MSG Sphere that combined their songbook with cutting-edge technology to celebrate the Grateful Dead's unparalleled legacy through immersive visual effects. Targeted at MSG Sphere audiences.
• CARNE y ARENA Academy Award-winning conceptual virtual reality installation by director Alejandro G. Iñárritu exploring the human condition of immigrants and refugees, described as 'Virtually present, Physically invisible.' Targeted at audiences at special venue installations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Immersive experiences available on major VR platforms including Meta Quest and PlayStation VR
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• Marvel StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ILMxLAB collaborates with Marvel Studios on immersive experiences including What If…? – An Immersive Story for Apple Vision Pro, featuring the Infinity Stones and multiverse narrative from Marvel Studios.
• Disney's StudioLabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration between Marvel Studios, Disney's StudioLab, and ILM to bring the Real-Time Rocket experience to D23 Expo, featuring real-time interaction with Rocket Raccoon using markerless motion capture.
• Dead & CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202430-show residency at MSG Sphere celebrating Grateful Dead legacy with immersive visual effects combining the band's songbook with cutting-edge venue technology.
• ApplecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Partnership for What If…? – An Immersive Story, a spatial computing experience exclusive to Apple Vision Pro featuring Marvel Studios content.
• MSG SphereflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023ILM created Postcard from Earth, the first immersive production for MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, utilizing the Big Sky camera system. Also produced U2:UV Achtung Baby Live and Dead & Company: Dead Forever.
• U2flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Created immersive live performance at MSG Sphere with 16Kx16K resolution content across 580,000 square feet of LEDs, featuring randomized loopable segments timed to the band's performance.
• ABBAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Created the ABBA Voyage concert experience featuring virtual ABBA avatars performing with a live band in a purpose-built 3,000-capacity arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.
• Meta (Oculus)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Platform partnership for VR experiences including Vader Immortal series and Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge, distributed through Meta Quest storefront.
• Sony PlayStationcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Platform partnership for VR experiences including Vader Immortal and Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge for PlayStation VR and PSVR2 platforms.
• Downtown DisneycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Location-based VR experiences including Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire and Avengers: Damage Control available at Downtown Disney and Disney Springs venues.
• Legendary EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Co-production partner on CARNE y ARENA VR installation that won an Academy Award.
• Alejandro G. IñárrituflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Academy Award-winning director collaborated on CARNE y ARENA virtual reality installation exploring the human condition of immigrants and refugees.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meow Wolf: Meow Wolf operates large-scale, narrative-driven immersive art installations as a destination experience, comparable to ILMxLAB's location-based entertainment strategy and its use of immersive venues for ticketed consumer experiences.
• Felix & Paul Studios: Felix & Paul Studios produces cinematic VR and immersive documentary content for headsets and installations, sharing ILMxLAB's focus on high-fidelity immersive narrative experiences for major XR platforms.
• The VOID (now partially recreated): The VOID pioneered untethered location-based VR experiences built around major IP (Star Wars, Marvel, Ghostbusters), making it the closest historical direct peer to ILMxLAB's Secrets of the Empire and Avengers: Damage Control offerings.
• Magnopus: Magnopus builds immersive experiences, real-time production tools, and mixed-reality content for entertainment and enterprise — comparable to ILMxLAB's real-time rendering and large-format immersive production work, including venue and headset content.
• Baobab Studios: Baobab Studios creates animated VR and interactive storytelling content for consumer headsets, comparable to ILMxLAB's narrative-driven VR titles such as Vader Immortal and Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge in product category and distribution model.
• Sandbox VR: Sandbox VR operates premium location-based immersive entertainment venues with proprietary motion capture technology, comparable to ILMxLAB's venue-based VR business in distribution model and customer profile.
• Dreamscape Immersive: Dreamscape operates location-based VR experiences combining Hollywood-caliber storytelling with untethered multi-sensory VR, directly comparable to ILMxLAB's Downtown Disney and venue-based productions in business model, category, and customer experience.

Broad incumbents

• Cosm (immersive venue operator): Cosm operates large-format immersive sports and entertainment venues (the former LiveXLive/SharedVR Spaces), an emerging competitor and partner for premium immersive content delivery comparable to MSG Sphere venues used by ILMxLAB.

Others

• Niantic (8th Wall / AR platform): Niantic operates an AR platform and ecosystem for spatial/mixed-reality content, adjacent to ILMxLAB's mixed-reality development and relevant as a competitor in the broader XR content and platform market.

Emerging players

• Wevr: Wevr produces and distributes VR and immersive films and experiences across major headsets, with overlapping content distribution and production capability relative to ILMxLAB's consumer VR title business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ILMxLAB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ilmxlab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ILMxLAB