In the past few years, big global events have changed the events business. Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, it was more important than ever to watch events from home. Artists have changed their styles quickly to be able to do virtual acts, and people all over the world have taken to virtual entertainment in ways that have never been seen before.
We have also seen social technology change at the speed of light. There are now more people who watch esports than “real life” sports. For example, over 4 million people watched the League of Legends finals last year. Humans are hardwired to smartphones and live in a digital world. As a whole, we are hungry to become more dependent on technology.
Here enters—the metaverse development service. The metaverse is an exciting idea because it could give people what they’ve always wanted: truly unique live entertainment. Still in its early stages, the metaverse has a lot of room for new ideas and creativity. Live entertainment is changing, and the future of events as we know them is changing with it.
What exactly is the metaverse?
In simple terms, the metaverse is the internet in three dimensions. It is a way to interact with a computer in a simulated space that looks like real life or makes up worlds beyond it. You can be humanly present in the metaverse in ways that you can’t do with screens or video calls. At its core, being “on” the internet is not the same as being “in” it.
The term “metaverse” was first used in a novel by Neil Stevenson in the 1980s. People thought it belonged to Facebook because its “Meta” company changed its name in 2021. He wrote about a virtual world where people could get away from a totalitarian world. In the 1990s, Sega made the first VR arcade game, which led to the term becoming common.
In 1998, the first NFL game with yellow card markers was shown on SportsVision, and the idea of putting graphics over video quickly spread to other channels. The first VR headset was made in 2010, and then Ray-“smart” Ban’s glasses and Ikea’s virtual design app sparked people’s interest in what virtual reality could become.
Metaverse entertainment is getting a lot of attention because big music stars like Travis Scott and Snoop Dogg have sold out their virtual reality concerts. Even though Travis Scott’s 2021 Fortnite gig was only 10 minutes long, which is a lot shorter than a normal concert, a whopping 12 million avatars showed up to see it.
What’s good about it?
The metaverse has a lot to offer in terms of live entertainment. There is room to grow current event formats, like hybrids where some of the experience takes place in the real world and the rest in the virtual world. Since digital technology is changing quickly, there are a lot of new ways to use VR at live events, such as using augmented reality entertainment in new ways.
The creative appeal is strong for both guests and event companies. It is possible to make avatars of ourselves in the metaverse. In virtual reality, guests can be anyone they want to be, from how they look to what they wear. The metaverse is an open space where people can let go of any lack of confidence or limits they have in real life.
Some companies have already started new campaigns using the power of the metaverse. This year, Chipotle, an American chain, put out a limited-time game on Roblox that let people earn “burrito bucks” that could be used to get free food in real Chipotle restaurants. This kind of hybrid event is likely to be a big part of future events.
3 ways that the Metaverse is changing the music business
1.Artists Are Establishing Direct Connections with Their Fans
All of the panelists agreed that one of the most significant trends regarding music and the metaverse is that artists are pioneering this new frontier for the industry and creating new revenue streams directly from their fans.
2.As the gaming and music industries collaborate, business models are evolving.
Virtual musical worlds and performances add a layer of complexity to the music industry, especially in terms of licensing and music rights. Moody explained that, from a music rights standpoint, live streaming a performance is relatively straightforward, whereas incorporating music into games and other digital platforms is more complicated.
3.Fans Participate in the Creative Process
As artists are able to connect more directly with their fans and redefine what is possible in the metaverse, a new trend is the participation of fans in the actual creation of music or videos. Electronic musician Deadmau5 has previously utilized the gaming community on Core to crowdsource a virtual world for a new music video.
What types of live entertainment would be suitable for the metaverse?
Here is where the excitement begins. The versatility of the developing metaverse is the source of its brilliance. As entertainment specialists, we provide exceptional entertainment and one-of-a-kind acts to awe and inspire event attendees around the world. From here, it is only a matter of determining how to apply everything we have learned to the burgeoning field of virtual entertainment.
Here is a list of some of the live entertainment possibilities:
Festivals
Large-scale social gatherings comparable to Burning Man and Glastonbury can be recreated virtually in the metaverse with live or pre-recorded DJ sets performed by avatars. It might also be possible to employ cutting-edge entertainment acts and motion technology to create real-time show performances; performers could dance live in the metaverse using motion sensors attached to their bodies.
Art Installations
In the metaverse, visitors can wander the halls of virtual galleries. It is possible to view and purchase non-fungible token (NFT) versions of works of art, or to link to a “real” online store. From sculpture and portraiture to independent film and contemporary circus, the possibilities are diverse and exciting. You can even hire a holographic assistant to help you create artistic masterpieces!
Group Sports
There are an infinite number of possibilities for classic team building and socialization games, such as “capture the flag.” In much the same way as they do in the real world, escape rooms are expertly crafted for the metaverse function superbly. With interactive exhibits and custom app games that feature augmented reality characters and entertainment acts, digital animation can offer guests the opportunity to experience out-of-this-world event experiences.
Fashion Shows
From gravity-free runways to immersive mall shows in which avatar guests can try on clothing for themselves, fashion shows are inherently creative events with metaverse-colored potential. This type of event could benefit greatly from interactive entertainment acts combined with motion sensor technology and live motion recording, or a pre-recorded production could be imported for avatar guests to view on video mapping screens and projection technology.
Does the metaverse have any bad sides?
From the point of view of the events industry, time and money make it harder to quickly use the metaverse’s potential. Creating a virtual space costs money and takes a lot of time. It needs a lot of programming that depends on technical coding and a lot of digital skills to make sure the experience is good.
There are also laws that experience platforms make that apply to people who attend metaverse events. Roblox makes it hard to sell “real” things in the metaverse. This is true for most platforms that protect and secure data. You can buy virtual items, but you can’t buy physical branded items to get in the “real” world.
Punit