The rise of virtual events: Navigating the digital entertainment scene

The ways in which individuals communicate and socialise have evolved rapidly in recent years, largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the heart of these tectonic, era-defining shifts is technology.

These patterns are especially true in the entertainment industry, which has long been reliant on systems concerned with ticket sales and live shows. Modern technologies have facilitated new ways of experiencing and engaging with entertainment, and this trend seems set to continue–with or without a pandemic.

Applications of new digital entertainment

Various forms of entertainment have moved to occupy the virtual ether over the past few years, essentially digitising experiences for fans and reaching massive audiences all around the world.

Concerts

Online concerts have been at the centre of the movement for quite some time and have proven particularly successful. Music enjoys a global reach, and with virtual music concerts, it is now possible for fans all over the world to enjoy their favourite artists from the comfort of their homes.

Theatre

Theatre has also lent itself well to virtualisation. Organisations such as the National Theatre Company have managed to bring theatre performances to the masses, whether that’s by streaming them to people’s homes or to cinemas where they can be enjoyed in a virtual-communal hybrid space. Success has been had streaming performances of everything from Broadway spectaculars to classical Shakespeare.

Art

Perhaps less obviously, art exhibitions have found a home in the virtual world, with the National Gallery hosting and providing numerous digital tours of their physical exhibitions for those unable to attend in person.

Gaming

Another domain that has enjoyed success is online gaming. Players enjoy the social, interactive and immersive elements of gaming in a virtual environment, and the virtual world is adept at accommodating those who enjoy games.

Gatherings

Other social events such as summits, tours, meetups and webinars have also benefited, with chat functions and social media integration allowing attendees to communicate and collaborate from anywhere in the world.

The many benefits of virtual events

The advantages of virtual events for both attendees and event organisers are varied and substantial, extending far beyond simply bypassing the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organisers appreciate the fact that they can sell more tickets to an event which might otherwise have been limited to a particular number of admissions or seats sold. Also, because adverts reach greater numbers of attendees, organisers can sell tickets at a lower price.

People with limited mobility due to physical impairments or social anxiety are now able to experience an event from a similar perspective to those who are more physically able.

The social element has been found to work well alongside social media, with attendees still able to meet up before a show, discuss it afterwards, or even have a private or public chat alongside the main event. It also enables organisers to more easily gather feedback on the experience, stay in touch with fans, and resolve any technical complaints.

Reaching new audiences can be challenging for event organisers, but with the ease of virtual events, it is possible to encourage people to try something new or to reach an audience whose home country may not usually attract big touring acts in the flesh.

Attendees are unrestricted on dress codes. They can opt to dress up or simply enjoy a show in their pyjamas.

Integration with calendars has also proven to be a helpful function, enabling attendees to be sure they won’t miss a show or receive a notification letting them know when it is about to begin.

By recording events for later viewing, individuals can enjoy them at a time that better suits them and, whilst this means forgoing the live experience, this flexibility appeals to many people with busy modern lives.

The challenges

Virtual events, however, are not without their unique selection of limitations, restrictions and drawbacks.

The dependency on technology restricts the attendance of virtual events to those who own compatible devices and who have access to a suitably fast internet connection, meaning that fans with less money may be excluded.

Security concerns are a discussion point amongst organisers and performers, because making a performance virtual may make it vulnerable to piracy and illegal sharing.

International time zones can complicate matters for those who want to watch from abroad, and it is likely that, for some attendees, a live event will occur at an inconvenient time.

It is possible that virtual events may not achieve the same level of audience engagement, competing with numerous other distractions rather than being the sole focus of the attendee.

The future of virtual events

Whilst it seems likely that virtual events will become an increasingly popular way of delivering entertainment, the virtual event industry has a number of hurdles to overcome, and it is unlikely to replace live events altogether any time in the near future.

In a trend that has already begun, existing live event technologies will merge with emerging ones to create a more seamless and controlled experience. Augmented reality and virtual reality are both likely to play key roles here, enabling a greater level of immersion and a more engaging experience compared to simply watching the event passively on a screen.

Whilst nothing is certain, individuals can be reasonably confident that, in their post-pandemic world, virtual events aren’t going anywhere.

The editorial unit