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What Will Be The Future Of (Post-Pandemic) Entertainment?

 What Will Be The Future Of (Post-Pandemic) Entertainment?

The entertainment industry was turned on its head during the pandemic, leading to a need for quick innovations. In this newsletter we share notable and creative examples of how the entertainment industry is evolving to meet the needs of consumers. Trends include Web AR, Virtual Reality concerts and sporting events, and personal digital experiences fans.

 VR Live Entertainment


Photo via oculus.com

2022 is the year of immersive at-home virtual concerts. The NextVR app is now offering virtual reality access to sports, music, and entertainment events. While you’ll need a Quest VR device to gain access, the initial investment could have a big payoff for those who love live concerts. For example, NextVR is providing FREE access to an upcoming Imagine Dragons concert set in LA on June 15th.

Virtual Environments


 

 Photo via nlc.org

The big players in the media industry are focusing an on creating virtual environments. Within these environments is where entertainment will likely live in the next 10 years, according to this article from Entertainment Weekly. The same article also mentions that video game companies will be a big part of Hollywood in the near future because they have the technology and money and we are seeing a rapid spread of users in the virtual reality space.

When we talk about virtual environments, we’re talking about the metaverse. A metaverse can be described as any digital reality where people can work and play together. Want to take a deep-dive into today’s metaverse trends? Check out one of our recent newsletters here.
 

What is Web AR?

Photo via Rock Paper Reality

If you’re not yet using Web AR (web-based augmented reality), it’s worth at least learning about it. Unlike virtual reality, Web AR lives right in your internet browser. So you don’t need to download an app or have a special headset to use it. Anyone with a phone, tablet, or computer can access a huge range of interactive features that will boost user engagement. WebAR technology can be shared straight from a QR code on printed material or a link on a website.

Many businesses have already started or are considering implementing more Web AR because it’s been proven to make messaging 80% stickier. Analytics-wise, it presents the ability to track engagement in the same way you would a website.

Several platforms can be used for creating Web AR content. If you are interested in exploring this technology for your business, you can find a list of top 10 web AR platforms and tools here.

The possibilities with Web AR are endless! From bringing games into the real world to getting precise directions. Watch this video from Google showcasing these real-world applications.

Venture Studio Partner Spotlight – 

Ursa Live


Our venture studio partner Ursa Live is a shining example of an entertainment solution that was birthed from the pandemic. Designed as a two-way interactive live streaming platform for Rising Artists, Ursa’s goal is to connect artists with their fans through live events that bring excitement back to online events with face-to-face interactions and real time engagement.  

 

 
After getting to a working proof of concept in 2021, they have hosted over 80 artist events to refine the experience, seeing strong MoM growth in revenue per event and fan engagement. From the concept phase of the product we’ve worked with Ursa Live to improve the experience based on fan and artist feedback to include more interactive elements while lowering the technical threshold for attending and hosting. With its upcoming platform launch, Ursa intends to bring a completely self-serve product to market that will continue to evolve with new features such as web3 elements to deepen connections between artists and their fans.

Check out Ursa Live’s upcoming FREE events here.