Virtual Reality and Gaming Could Be the Future of Events

Coronavirus is having an unprecedented impact on the events scene. Whilst the situation is grave for many, it also offers opportunities as people become liberated from the constraints of physical experiences. Brands, celebrities, and agencies are awakening to the possibilities of technology and imagining and innovating to evolve and re-define events for the new reality we find ourselves in.

HTC was one of the first companies to react to the situation and hosted the Vive Ecosystem Conference in virtual reality. It was the first time an official physical industry event was fully replaced by VR. Whilst it makes sense for a company that operates in the immersive industry to use the medium, other companies can also benefit from the advantages virtual reality offers.

One of the biggest benefits of the medium is its ability to make people feel like they are in the same space together, without the need for travel—a clear win for the environment and better use of time and budgets. These virtual environments can be designed for optimal comfort, productivity, and creativity.

Other benefits include the possible removal of attendance limits on keynote talks, the option to replay sessions that may have been missed, and the removal of all distractions. With the coronavirus situation changing daily, it is definitely a medium that can help connect people in a meaningful way, without risk. 

Events in VR are nothing new. Back in November 2018, High Fidelity, the real-time social VR platform founded by Second Life creator, Philip Rosedale, hosted the world’s first virtual reality festival called FUTVRE LANDS. Available on all High Fidelity platforms, up to 500 people could experience interactive games, giveaways, and one of the first live music shows in VR. 

More recently, Reggie Watts kicked off a series of free live shows called Reinterpreted Reality in AltspaceVR. For eight consecutive weeks, starting 2nd May, Reggie will be appearing as a full avatar, rather than a live stream, which gives participants a more interactive experience than passive live streaming options like Instagram Live, YouTube, and Twitch. AltspaceVR is a free app that supports a wide range of VR headsets including Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift/Rift S, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Go, Samsung Gear VR, and Valve Index. There’s also a 2D mode to watch events on your PC monitor.

Another platform that is offering virtual reality performances is Wave. This entertainment technology company is the creator of the world's first multi-channel virtual entertainment platform for live concerts. Wave puts artists in its software as digital avatars so fans can interact with them and one another throughout the stream. Wave streams its shows through Facebook and YouTube, but also through its own app on Steam and Oculus, for those who want to try a virtual-reality experience. 

The platform has just launched One Wave, a live stream virtual concert series featuring avatar performances by John Legend, Tinashe, Galantis, and Lindsey Stirling. “We are now living in a digital avatar culture. Through our proprietary technology and core gaming capabilities, Wave can go beyond the traditional live-streaming concerts and create artist avatars, virtual environments, and interactive experiences that truly immerse audiences at the nexus of gaming and entertainment,” said Wave CEO Adam Arrigo.

Epic Games recently hosted a Travis Scott concert in Fornite. The show, called Astronomical, garnered more than 27.7 million views across the five events that ran until 27th April and achieved 12.3 million concurrent viewers. 

A skyscraper-sized Scott teleported as he performed his most popular songs, as well as debuting a new song “The Scotts” with Kid Cudi. The track racked up 7.45 million plays in its first 24 hours on Spotify and reviewers have called the virtual concert “stunning” and “spectacular”. After the success of Astronomical, labels, and managers the world over will be reaching out to Epic Games for the next opportunity. 

However, this wasn’t the first in-game show - DJ Marshmello performed in February 2019 to over 10 million - and it won’t be the last. Fornite’s new experimental mode called Party Royale is designed for chilling, rather than fighting, and has a main stage venue. This is leading many to speculate that smaller music and film events could be hosted here, rather than the main Fornite island where Travis Scott and DJ Marshmello played. 

New media has the power to supersede what can be achieved in the real world. When you don’t need to worry about the technical, logistical, safety, and security elements of IRL events, more attention can be paid to the actual performance and making that as stand out as possible for those viewing or even interacting with it.