Why is an augmented reality (AR) so great for entertainment? It allows the audience to become active participants of the show instead of passive viewers.
Many believe that the fun experiences we enjoy today (movies, games, music) will become more realistic, more immersive, and more interactive than ever before. Augmented reality (AR) technology is one of the biggest culprits for the shift.
Augmented reality adds a new dimension to entertainment allowing the audience to become active participants of the show instead of passive viewers. AR brings interactivity and engagement in the show merging the real world with the virtual one.
The applications of AR in the entertainment industry are competing in ingenuity and creativity.
Creating otherworldly environments, involving the viewer into the plot, providing additional information on what is going on on the stage — these are just a few examples of what AR is capable of in making a show something to remember.
Let’s take a closer look at how AR is redefining the future of entertainment:
Augmented Reality in Games
The success of Pokémon GO encouraged game developers all over the globe, and dozens of AR games appeared. You have quests, such as Temple Treasure Hunt, shooters, such as Real Strike, and horror games, such as Zombie Go.
In most of the augmented reality games, the gameplay occurs in the real world with virtual objects and characters triggered by geolocation or special markers, like QR codes.
Air Hogs, a US-based producer of remote-control toys, released an augmented reality drone game – Air Hogs Connect.
The drone itself is the only physical object in the game. The whole gameplay unfolds in a virtual universe where you guide your drone to fulfil various missions.
The game kit includes a drone, a mat full of AR markers and an application to be run on a smartphone or tablet.
Augmented Reality in Music
AR enhanced music isn’t a brand new concept, over the past two years we’ve seen musicians using AR or VR as a marketing tool for their music. Bjork, Michael Jackson, 2 Chainz and various other musicians have all turned to immersive experiences as a way for them to offer fans something more than just music.
It’s become this tool for artists to actually reach out and interact with you.
Imagine if the entire audience could connect to AR technology for an entirely new concert experience via AR. Imagine seeing lyrics flying through the air or the feeling of being inside of your favourite music video while the artist is singing live.
Augmented Reality on TV
Have you ever watched The Ring? Now imagine the most memorable scene in which the girl crawls out of the well. How about crawling out of the TV and into your reality? This is precisely what could be accomplished through the use of AR technology.
The future of film and TV is more immersive and entertaining than ever before. Interactive TV could utilise AR to provide information on top of what the viewer is already seeing.
The scope is much broader than just enabling certain effects or the “wow” factor when the audience is watching a movie. Some even predict that TV could become an extension of the internet and the tons of video content people are already watching there.
The lines are becoming blurred and time will tell if one will be enhanced through the other or if the technology will eventually become extinct.