METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSITIONING BETWEEN A 2D VIDEO AND 3D ENVIRONMENT

A system includes one or more hardware processors, a display device, a memory storing 2-dimensional (2D) content and 3-dimensional (3D) content associated with a content item, and a playback engine. The playback engine is configured to receive the 2D content, the 2D content including one or more reference identifiers (IDs), display the 2D content on the display device for a user and, during display of the 2D content, receive an indication of a transition event. The playback engine is also configured to determine a transition reference identifier (ID) from the one or more reference IDs, identify the 3D content based on the transition reference ID, render a 3D environment based on the 3D content, and transition the display device from the displaying the 2D content to the 3D environment.