2023 is definitively the first year where everything has returned to normal. It has also fueled something of an entertainment boom as new ideas and technology are changing the way we spend our time.
How our leisure time is invested has changed. Millions don’t even realize it, but this is a trend driven by technological innovation rather than the viewers themselves.If you’re wondering where the world of entertainment lies, or you’re looking for a trend to inspire you, here’s a selection of the best that online entertainment has to offer in 2023⎯so far.
The Coming of AI
Inventions like ChatGPT and Midjourney are easily the biggest online entertainment innovation in 2023. While not the obvious choice, AI has demonstrated its power to influence everything from video game development to writing the latest movie script.
Although we have yet to see AI truly make its mark, its democratization is what matters. It heralds the coming of a new age that will change everything, including online entertainment.
To say AI will influence every other development on this list is no exaggeration. Every industry is already considering how it might infuse AI into its activities to deliver groundbreaking entertainment experiences online.
High-end Online Casino Immersion
Online casinos benefited heavily from the pandemic. With more people stuck at home, online casinos were able to pull in record numbers of users. The average Canadian online casino saw tremendous growth while their land-based counterparts floundered.
But online casino operators realize they must innovate to keep those new users, which is why these casinos have worked on incorporating new technology to create even more immersive experiences.
From real-time social gaming to live dealers, the online casino experience is growing even closer to the land-based experience. It’s providing a new virtual reality that focuses on atmosphere and meeting the social needs of patrons as well as their gambling needs.
The Metaverse
The Metaverse could be one of the greatest innovations of the 21st century, and it has been making significant headway in 2023. Dubbed Internet 2.0, early metaverse projects based on the blockchain are providing expansive sandboxes in which people can socialize, play, and earn.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is one of the pioneers of this concept, having spent $39 billion on building it since 2019. Although a metaverse that takes over the world is still just a dream, smaller projects are entertaining smaller numbers of users who are willing to seek it out.
Virtual World
Augmented and virtual reality technologies have been viewed as the holy grail of gaming for years. Even though they are expected to be supplanted by the Metaverse eventually, they are the closest thing to total escapism that gamers have for now.
Virtual reality headsets enable gamers to immerse themselves in custom environments and live out their fantasies from the comfort of home. And the technology is making leaps and bounds. Moreover, gaming companies are increasingly embracing it as the future rather than just an added extra.
Immersive Streaming
Streaming platforms are the foundation of modern entertainment. Most people are subscribed to at least one TV or sports streaming service, and it would be safe to say that life would look very different without them.
You can watch everything from Oscar-winning films to indie animations. But if you have ever wondered if streaming could get any better, 2023 is the year when it will happen. The immersive streaming experience is designed to combine the concept of video game immersion with streaming.
For example, what if you could watch the Oscars and feel like you are sitting at the ceremony yourself? That’s precisely what immersive streaming is.
Virtual attendance is predicted to become the norm in the year ahead. What makes 2023 such a pivotal year is that we have finally received confirmation that this sci-fi concept is viable and in active development.
Event attendance is only just a small part of this, though. For example, what if you could watch a TV show and enter it? What if your actions could influence the outcome of the storyline, providing infinite outcomes? These are the possibilities we can now contemplate.
Conclusion
Online entertainment is moving at a rapid pace. The world is changing as we know it as technology drives the industry forward. With innovations like the Metaverse and AI, what was previously thought impossible, has become possible.
Naturally, the above list of changes will not reach their full potential in 2023. The important point is that they are now here and in active development. Already, we are seeing them in action.
So, what is the most exciting online entertainment innovation in your eyes?
