Entertainment has always been central to the human experience. Since ancient Greece, dances and theatrical performances have been woven into the cultural fabric of society. Going further back, board games were all the rage in ancient Mesopotamia.
Over time, cinema gradually took over from theatres, while video games became a cultural phenomenon spanning generations. Recent technological advancements brought about a more significant transformation in entertainment consumption, widening the gap between traditional media and trendy tech-driven hobbies.
So, let’s explore how virtual the future of entertainment really might be.
The rapidly changing landscape of entertainment
For centuries, theatrical plays, concerts, and sports remained the primary forms of entertainment for both aristocrats and commoners. The 20th century saw a major shift in this dynamic, with new art forms like photography and cinema gaining widespread popularity. A century later, emerging technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality are transforming entertainment at an even quicker pace, with many tech visionaries fervently believing in their potential.
Virtual worlds like Sensorium have electrified tech circles by incorporating photorealistic graphics into digital environments that feel strikingly real. This immersive platform has also harnessed artificial intelligence to create virtual entities with distinct memories and personalities, similar to the new AI golden rush shaking the gaming industry, ever-so-eager to drive interactivity in the medium.
Other technological innovations like Meta’s Horizon Worlds were hastily labelled as unpopular flops. However, Mark Zuckerberg’s passion project is still alive and kicking. Last year, its virtual music festival hosted as prominent names in its lineup as K-pop superstars Blackpink and Jungkook. The South Korean music industry had long gone digital by then, introducing the first-ever K-pop bands powered by AI, blurring the boundaries between real and virtual entertainment ever further in the process.
Video games: an entertainment powerhouse on the rise
The notion of gamification is being thrown around a lot in marketing spaces. But there is no denying that the bonds are growing stronger between the gaming industry and every other sector wishing to improve its user experience – often digitally. Whether it be adding gaming mechanics to training programmes or gamifying the content of a retail app, video games are an increasingly unavoidable tool to engage one’s audience.
Even pop icons like Ariana Grande incorporated interactive features and minigames into their virtual performances. Livestreamed events on platforms like Roblox and Minecraft successfully captured the energy of live concerts in a digital space.
A-listers like the Weeknd also collaborated with virtual platforms to roll out unique in-game skins – and even a music video exclusive to Fortnite players. Meanwhile, the biggest releases in gaming are making more waves than the most anticipated films, with computing technologies pioneered by gaming studios revolutionising the movie industry.
A tailored and flexible approach to entertainment
Video games have already supplanted many traditional forms of entertainment, and the appeal of these digital hobbies primarily lies in their flexibility. Unlike most media, virtual entertainment is seldom bound by fixed broadcast schedules. All virtual concerts can be replayed at will, while video games come with an endless string of virtual commentaries and live streams that can be watched at any time.
These virtual interactions foster a sense of community that transcends the physical limitations of each of their viewers, making entertainment and the online discourse surrounding it more accessible to a wider range of audiences on a global scale. Although it may sound counter-intuitive, this social element is a decisive contributing factor to the rise of virtual entertainment. During the height of lockdowns, social games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons offered comfort to players strictly confined to their homes. Likewise, gaming is gaining traction among expats looking to bond with their loved ones remotely.
Many studios got the memo and implemented stronger multiplayer features. Even the iGaming sector heard the message, with platforms like Vegasslotsonline UK offering live casino content to players round-the-clock. From blackjack to poker, users can log in to face real competition under the watchful eye of a real-life croupier. Casino operators simultaneously developed mobile-friendly machine slots and tabletop games encouraging virtual play. With generous bonuses and reward schemes, to boot, digital platforms quickly started taking over their land-based counterparts.
Final Words
Is the future of entertainment entirely digital? Probably not. However, virtual technologies have already become mainstream enough. In Portugal, VR tours and experiences are popping up everywhere from Porto to Lisbon and Lagos. And the golden age of virtual entertainment is ahead of us, still.
