The digital entertainment sector is constantly evolving due to technological advancements, but over the last couple of years, it may seem like the situation is out of control. With online content available to almost anyone, it becomes difficult to create something new that’s worth spending time on. It is hard to surprise anyone these days, considering that any movie, game, music, or book can be downloaded from the internet. Even gambling is now accessed through sites like Kokobet casino, so that players can start playing immediately and save time. There are not that many exclusives from PlayStation and Xbox these days as they all try their best to release games not only on consoles, but on PC as well. A trend toward simplification and accessibility is noticeable, made possible by AI, wireless VR headsets, and cryptocurrency.
Getting Personal with Digital Entertainment
The goal of modern digital entertainment companies is not just technology, but the ability to make people wonder what is about to happen next. Personalization helps achieve this. AI can analyze what people want to see in video games, pokies and generate content based on that. When it is combined with other technologies introduced lately, the result is shockingly good.
Key Innovations Redefining Digital Entertainment
AI is gradually becoming an unnoticeable part of how we entertain ourselves. There is nothing strange about services like Netflix or Spotify being able to understand what you want to watch or listen to by analyzing your habits. But AI’s capabilities do not end there. It can write scripts, create visual effects, and even fake actors’ voices. It can be seen in the Secret Invasion, a Marvel TV show. Creators have used AI to create intro sequences for each episode. Just imagine how much time and money this little detail saved. It is all impressive, but sometimes a little scary: it feels as if technology is beginning to replace some of our creative work.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
The emergence of Oculus, which began producing virtual reality headsets, initially attracted a geeky audience. This was primarily due to the need to constantly connect the device to a PC to enjoy content. The emergence of games like Half-Life: Alyx and new headsets with built-in processors has made VR much more accessible than it was in the early 2010s.
The second most influential technology is AR. This trend is noticed on TikTok and Snapchat the most, as people play games directly within the messaging app. The «phygital» trend is emerging, the merging of physical and digital spaces for concerts and live events.
No Less Important Technologies
If we consider the technologies that have the greatest impact on the creation of modern digital entertainment, they include:
- Blockchain and NFTs in media. This is no longer 2021, when everyone was trying to create their own images that could be linked to the blockchain and sold as unique products. Now, this has shifted to a different realm – video games and casinos. Full-fledged gaming projects are being created where you can earn cryptocurrency or unique items. These items can be sold at any time, motivating people to access popular online entertainment daily.
- Generative AI in content creation. If we consider the main areas of artificial intelligence that hold the greatest potential, then they are undoubtedly Sora and Runway. These generative models create not text, but full-fledged videos that are difficult to distinguish from stills from real films. Some are already saying that in the future, people will stop making movies in the traditional sense and will use this kind of AI. This will significantly reduce budgets while maintaining audience engagement.
- 5G and cloud gaming. Looking at sales of Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 consoles, it’s clear that they’re being purchased at significantly lower rates than they were just ten years ago. It’s simple: cloud services have made gaming more accessible, as you can now simply turn on your TV, phone, or tablet, open an app, and start playing online. The image will be processed on the servers of platforms like Nvidia GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and the player, in turn, will experience live gameplay.
It is safe to say that now all that remains is to wait for entertainment to become fully personalized.
