Immersion or immersive experiences have been utilized for centuries; in the middle ages, stained glass was used in churches to create a sense of being in another world inside the buildings using colored light. It was done to give the visitors a sense of contact with the divine, with visual stories depicted in the glasswork, as believers gazed up towards the heavens.
Now we see things such as Haunted House, as mentioned on Haunting, which is just one example of several immersive, walkthrough experiences which people can currently enjoy with lights, sound, and film. People also take to the arts and theater to forget the humdrum of every day and be transported to somewhere new. In immersive theater, the audience isn’t passive, they’re involved in the action, and that interaction has seen interest grow. We’ve previously highlighted how the number of companies involved in the immersive experience in L.A. grew from single to almost triple digits in 2018, and as a consequence, the volume of shows increased too, with over 120 recorded around the time. As an example, ‘Into The Mist’ has brought interactive time-traveling theater to the home via the computer.
It all shows that people utilize these events to lose themselves no matter the subject or industry; as highlighted, these experiences continue to develop in new ways, utilizing modern technologies. So, we’ve gone from the simple light beams of the Middle Ages to tech-filled productions, but where could the immersive experience go next?
Is virtual entertainment the new reality?
Virtual reality is often used to enhance immersion in museums, and the tech allows visitors to ‘walk’ through their halls and make their exhibits interactive while the user is within the comfort of their home. Should other industries bring it to add immersion to their offerings too?. The online casino industry is one that could well see immersive experiences revolutionize their offerings. A quick glance at online slots provider Coral reveals titles perfect for an immersive experience, such as Gonzo’s Quest and Lady Merlin Lightning Chase. These are titles with strong themes and imagery that could be expanded by using V.R. technology. Elsewhere in the online casino industry, there are game shows and live casino experiences which already offer a slightly immersive experience – could they be next to go fully immersive? With the cancellation of live concerts in the light of the pandemic over the last few years, we have seen so many acts take to live stream. These live shows from inside the star’s homes simply on our flat screens aren’t the same, as highlighted by a music industry expert on Dot LA, Stephen Prendergast admitted, “To make it work we need people coming up with ideas and tech to make it more compelling.” V.R. could just be the vehicle to make that happen.
Active augmented theater
Augmented reality could take the immersive theater experience to the next level; imagine heading to the theatre to start the performance. Before that you could be tasked, along with other audience members, to collect vital clues out and about in the local area, with key points of interest being unlocked remotely via an app. Once gathered, could the clues find the culprit of the crime or unlock a new story arc? There are so many options here that could affect the narrative as the app owners could change the locations required for the audience to visit, which would gamify the experience. Although it gives little agency to the audience, it could bring a new more tech-savvy clientele to the performance.
