The innovation and evolution that we’ve seen from the realm of entertainment is truly incredible. Films and television are changing at a rapid pace. Video games now look better than ever. Even popular music is unrelenting in its pursuit of innovation. It is hard to not attribute these strides in the development of digital technology that makes entertainment a lot more available to the general public.
But a brand new era of entertainment has sprung up from the digital age. The availability of online entertainment has led to competition drastically increasing. With competition comes innovation. Creatives and artists are doing all that they can to stay ahead of the times and give the people what they want. We would like to explore how the new trends in digital entertainment that are shaping the industry.
Online Entertainment is on the Rise
The internet might be the best thing to happen to the realm of entertainment. It has made much of the products that we think of as “entertainment” a lot more available. We need look no further than gaming to confirm that. Free-to-play online games are now some of the most popular you can imagine. Mobile apps that you can download freely from the Google or Apple Stores are most people’s first introduction to gaming. What is more, a lot of these games are attracting older generations who you would never think would call themselves “gamers.”
Gaming’s influence can also be seen in the iGaming industry. The success of online casinos is undeniable. The industry was built on a foundation of online slot games that continue to fascinate and inspire to this day. But the market has progressed far beyond simple pokies. Gamblers can now enjoy live versions of all the classic gambling games; from blackjack to roulette and so much more. There are even original titles based on popular game shows that will make gamblers feel like they are contestants. But gaming is not the only sector to be influenced by the surge in online entertainment.
Streaming is Bolstering Film and Television
Streaming services are now the go-to example of how the internet can make media a lot more available. Netflix led the charge in the early years of the current century. They took a huge risk by going fully digital; and the risk soon paid off. It turned out that most people preferred to sit at home and watch the latest action film; or even revisit old favorites to visiting the cinema. The convenient nature of streaming services certainly played a role in the development of the technology today.
It is difficult to imagine the modern anime market without streaming. Crunchyroll gets a lot of criticism for their localization and dubbing. But the web page has made anime mainstream in a way that it has never been before. Shows like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer are now household names; with the former even competing in ratings with live action hits like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. Film and television are certainly benefiting from the new era of streaming. But the two would be around without such technology. The real miracle of the new era is the new digital markets that have opened up.
Online Entertainment is Growing
YouTube’s launching changed everything for a generation of young people looking to get into entertainment. It provided a source of free entertainment that can tackle multiple topics. YouTubers are often looked at on the same level as celebrities nowadays. Many of them have even pivoted into being proper Hollywood stars. Childish Gambino and Justin Bieber both began as YouTubers for example. Names like PewDiePie and Mr. Beast have shown up in big budget shows and film promos as well.
The rise of streaming gave way to a new era of gaming content. Professional players could now stream their gameplay online for a live audience. That is the concept that Twitch was built upon. But the video sharing platform has come a long way since those days. Today the website features content tackling all sorts of different topics. There are story time videos in which the content creator shares bizarre events about their lives. You could easily find discussions on politics and philosophy as well.
But Twitch mostly appeals to those who want long-form content that can play in the background while they work. Those looking for short clips need only visit Tik Tok. The phone app allows videos with a maximum length of three minutes. Quick and easily-digestible content that is fun and can help people waste some time while on a break from work.
New Tech for a New Age
The success of all these new markets is quite incredible. But what is truly fascinating is the new technology that we are seeing spring up at an increasing pace. A lot of the tech that has come about is some that can be used to bolster entertainment. The best example we could give is the rising interest in virtual and augmented reality. People have been dreaming about a fully simulated world since the dawn of time. But in the modern era that dream may just come true.
Virtual reality is changing a lot of different aspects of the market. The most notable effect it has is on the gaming industry. Virtual reality video games may have started out rough. But the release of Deadpool and the new James Bond game might just change that. These games look slick and gorgeous; and the controls make the player feel like they are truly living the life of a young special agent tasked to battle SPECTRE. Augmented reality is also being incorporated well; even in mobile games like Pokemon Go.
We would be remiss if we did not bring up the fact that many are opposed to virtual reality. They believe that the tech as it is now is just a gimmick and little more. Many gamers have been left disappointed by the latest developments in VR. They would prefer gaming studios to focus on improving gameplay and graphics for console and PC games; rather than for these experts to focus on a tech that is not yet perfected. But who knows what VR may look like in a decade or so.
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