The virtual reality market is still somewhat of a hot topic. When Mark Zuckerberg came out to announce that his company, Facebook, was changing to Meta and that billions had been sunk into making their own Metaverse, some foresaw the catalyst for mass virtual and mixed reality adoption. Others scoffed at the idea of Facebook controlling this new immersive internet dystopia, hoping that the metaverse would be more than Meta.
While this next phase of the internet is very much on the way, the virtual reality market saw a contraction last year, with 2023 seeing the US market sink by some 40 per cent for VR headsets and AR glasses, per CNBC. However, it’s not like the technology is going away completely, nor does this decline signal a lack of opportunities for many industries to grow and enhance significantly through tech like VR and the upcoming digital landscape.
Virtual reality already being tapped by entertainment
Virtual reality and even mixed reality devices, like the exceedingly pricey Apple Vision Pro, offer a new way to experience digital entertainment, making watching a movie or a live concert all the more immersive. Pivoting to VR productions hasn’t been swift, but it’s clear to see where just about any format of entertainment could revel in a well-made VR application.
You could go to a virtual reality cinema and get that same big-screen feeling as though it’s covering the whole wall ahead of you for the next blockbuster. You could even stroll into a virtual casino filled with table games where the app to tap into real-time gaming already exists. BonusFinder Ireland has written about it here, but in short, VR could make playing online casino games even more interactive and engaging.
For music, anyone with a virtual ticket could make their way to the front row. This could be whether it’s live-streamed from one unit in front of the stage or taking place in a wholly virtual environment. In fact, Meta Quest will be hosting its own live concert for Imagine Dragons on its NextVR app for free on 15 June, and British startup Condense has been given $4.5 million from investors to bring live artists to virtual environments in 3D.
Where else could these new realities take the music industry?
Embracing virtual reality and the wider metaverse opens a whole slew of new ways for artists to engage with fans and sell their music and merchandise. Rather than streaming tracks, artists could stream experiences like being in a music video or having tracks be played in a designated digital room that reacts rhythmically to the beats of the music.
With virtual plots of land being sold already, musicians could sell albums as experience rooms to have in a virtual home that changes the environment with each track offering some personalization options. For the creation of music, the Apple Vision Pro looks set to feature an immersive 3D production suite. The upcoming RipX from Hit’n’Mix is said to be the first spatial 3D AI DAW, eradicating the need to house all of the equipment.
There is a future for virtual reality, and while it’s not here just yet, it looks to present new opportunities for music creatives and fans alike over the coming years.
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