by Danny Burzlaff, Attractions by UNIT9
Disney recently announced that it is dropping its dedicated metaverse division. This news highlights a key point that IP holders and entertainment creators seem to be missing.
The ‘metaverse’ as a buzzword arguably became a victim of overhype. But what’s really important are the technologies underpinning it – including AR, VR and gaming – and the way they can integrate our physical and virtual worlds more seamlessly than ever before. The promise here is that we can bring IP to life for fans in more magical ways than ever before. And that’s something that should still be vitally relevant for any entertainment venue.
But instead of knee-jerk reactions and one-off activations, what’s needed is a more considered, holistic approach to emerging technologies. Starting as early as the master planning phase, technologies, mediums and mechanics should be carefully curated to create the best possible experiences for fans at every step of their journey – ranging from consumptive to participatory, whether at a destination or at home.
Hybrid experiences
In 2023, offering hybrid experiences should be the default for future-facing parks and venues. AR can offer the perfect enhancement to a physical experience. It adds an interactive digital layer to aid discovery, inject some more fun and really bring IP to life.
PortAventura World x La Liga’s Beat Challenge [pictured, top] experience did exactly that. This gamified the in-park experience via an AR app. Visitors could unlock challenges and interact with their favourite footballers the more they explored. This rewards the curious and facilitates a deeper level of engagement.
It’s important to remember, mobile activations like this don’t have to be one-off. Once the digital infrastructure is in place, destinations can keep things fresh by updating content to keep fans coming back time and again to discover something new. What’s more, any 3D assets that have been made can also be utilised in other activations – from digital billboards to social filters.
It’s not uncommon to see immersive experiences that use emerging technologies popping up in the themed entertainment world. Ginza Sony Park’s Ghostbusters AR activation and the Mario Kart dark ride spring to mind. But it’s key to understand that the physical park is only one stop of the journey. For maximum impact, destinations should be considering how they can use tech both inside and outside of their venues.
Today’s guests also want to be able to interact with your IP from home. Think interactive virtual tours, or games they can play to prolong the fun post-visit. Plus, with world-scale AR allowing incredible experiences to be tied to any location, themed entertainment venues can now extend their augmented IP out of their parks and into the streets. This allows the magic to continue in local neighbourhoods.
Take the Gorillaz AR concerts in London and New York. These used Google’s ARCore Geospatial API to seamlessly drop the famous band into two of the busiest public squares in the world for the ultimate digital takeover. A similar approach could see fans’ favourite characters put on similar performances across the globe, or join them for AR meet and greets in special locations.
Emerging technologies help to connect guests with IP
Virtual worlds, which for many are synonymous with the metaverse, are still a key way to connect your audience with your IP. And now, advancements in game development tools are making this route even more effective.
The release of UEFN – Unreal Engine’s editor for the hugely popular game Fortnite – democratises game development. This allows anyone to build and publish experiences directly on the platform for the first time. Whilst previous third-party activations faced restrictions, IP holders and entertainment venues now have full creative control. So, they can build virtual environments that feel fully authentic to them, complete with bespoke architecture, branding and products.
They also benefit from Fortnite’s 350+ million strong user base.
Plus, the opportunity to reward interactions in the real world with digital collectables in virtual spaces like these means that parks and venues can now tap into fandom online as well as IRL.
Exploring new experience opportunities using the emerging technologies that underpin the metaverse is still undoubtedly important for attractions looking to connect with next-gen visitors. The most successful will connect the dots between all touchpoints to bring the IP experience full circle.
From AR and mobile experiences elevating in-park action to activating in local neighbourhoods and offering virtual experiences from home – by linking up the pre-, during and post-visit interactions and thinking about technology in a more holistic way, destinations will be able to create fully-connected IP experiences that fans can tune into any way they choose. This is the future of immersive entertainment.
Top image credit: UNIT9, PortAventura World and La Liga
