The future of immersive experiences

What are immersive experiences?

According to the Immersive Experience Network 2024 report, audiences feel that immersive experiences mean “being a part of the show and not just a

spectator”. But what does this actually look like?

Here’s what immersive experiences could include: 

• Escape rooms 
• Immersive theatre 
• Soundscapes and sensory rooms 
• Virtual reality (VR)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Mixed reality (MR)
• 360-degree videos 
• Live-action roleplay (LAR)

These experiences utilise technology, creativity and design to create engaging environments and activities that provide audiences with a sense of immersion, where you feel like you’re truly part of the action, even though you’re in artificially formed conditions. 

The demand for immersive experiences

At Ilusion, we have witnessed a significant increase in the demand for immersive experiences. Originating from the theatre industry and pioneered by companies like PunchDrunk, immersion is now fully adopted into the mainstream.

Notably, we’re seeing that brand agencies are using the immersive experience concept to market their clients. From pop-up installations to elaborately themed events, the idea of immersive is being used to make consumers feel deeply and emotionally connected with a brand. 

With this in mind, immersion is clearly being used as a tool to drive consumer behaviour, benefiting brands through enhanced engagement, differentiation, increased chances of vitality, and trend-setting.   

Alongside this, the demand for immersive experiences is driven by audiences' desires to engage in unique activities that offer something different from traditional social events. Additionally, a crucial factor in immersive experiences is the ability to participate with friends. If an experience allows a group of friends to take part, individuals are more likely to keep returning.

Alongside being able to participate with friends, IEN reveals other important aspects of immersive experiences. Factors include:

• Themed environments 
• Strong storylines 
• Well-designed interactivity and gameplay 
• Problem-solving 
• Quality of performers 

Ultimately, creating a quality experience is about paying attention to the narrative and aesthetics of the environment, ensuring that users can feel fully transcended to a different world, which consumers are craving. 

The current role of technology in immersive experiences

The rise of VR and AR experiences has significantly impacted the industry. Immersive experience creators can now transport audiences to different worlds without the need for expensive sets and props. Additionally, this technology allows for personalising each audience member's experience, offering endless opportunities. 

However, as VR headsets become more accessible, experiences based solely on their novelty will become less appealing. Audiences will seek connections with more tangible, tactile experiences, increasing the importance of well-planned, high-quality environments that complement the technology.

The future of immersive experiences

With the demand for immersive experiences clear and showing no signs of slowing down, the opportunities for where immersive experience could go are endless. We believe that more sectors will start to adopt immersion, and evolving and emerging technology will be a key driver in the future of immersive across all industries. Advancements in immersive experience could include:

Artificial intelligence: It’s the tech trend that keeps on giving. For immersive experiences, artificial intelligence (AI) could transform how developers create the experiences alongside how it's delivered to audiences.   

AI could influence the stories and scenarios of immersion, making each user experience unique. This could be done in real-time, with AI reacting to user actions and preferences. Ultimately, AI has the possibility to enable highly personalised experiences that evolve in real-time based on audience data and behaviour. 

For developers, AI could suggest design elements, ensuring that they create the most innovative scenarios. The technology could also analyse user behaviour, helping developers continuously improve and refine user experience based on user feedback. 

Extended reality: This umbrella term refers to the combination of augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. These technologies extend reality by adding to or simulating the real world with digital materials. Recent advancements in hardware like headsets and glasses enable users to interact with virtual and physical environments. 

For immersive experiences, this type of technology could be game-changing. In augmented reality (AR), digital information and graphics are overlaid in the real world, enhancing real-time interaction with one's environment. This can be seen in applications like navigation aids, educational tools, and interactive gaming. Virtual reality (VR), on the other hand, immerses users in entirely digital environments, providing a fully interactive experience that can simulate real or imagined worlds. This is particularly impactful in gaming, training simulations, and virtual tours. Mixed reality (MR) blends AR and VR, allowing digital and real-world objects to interact. 

Diversity and inclusion: We believe that integrating diversity and inclusion into the design of immersive experiences is crucial to ensuring accessibility and engagement for everyone. As the possibilities and quality of immersive experiences evolve, it is essential to prioritise this factor.

Designers must embrace and recognise the various voices, cultures, and perspectives that make up our world. They should create an environment where everyone feels valued and can contribute meaningfully to the experience. 

Immersive across industries: Besides using immersion in gaming and theatre, we think immersion will be used increasingly across various industries, including education, healthcare, tourism, and retail.

 In education, immersive technologies can create interactive and engaging learning environments, allowing students to explore historical events, scientific concepts, and complex subjects in a more hands-on way. Healthcare can benefit from immersive simulations for medical training, offering realistic scenarios for practitioners to refine their skills without risk to patients. Tourism can use virtual reality to provide potential travellers with a taste of destinations, enhancing their decision-making process and overall experience. In retail, immersive experiences can offer virtual try-ons and personalised shopping environments, making purchasing more engaging and tailored to individual preferences.

Examples of immersive experiences

Green Planet: We were asked to assist with designing and constructing a job for the BBC called ‘Green Planet.’ This event opened around the same time as the TV show of the same title was released, with a primary focus on raising awareness around climate change and the challenges facing humanity around its climate. The event would incorporate AR technology and provide audiences an opportunity to explore the space through the lens of their phone, which would augment the reality they were seeing, along with narration by David Attenborough.

Bridge Command: More recently, we collaborated with the Parabolic Theatre to design the Bridge Command, a space-inspired experience combining immersive theatre and gaming, consisting of two fully operational spacecraft as the centrepiece. Every detail of this project is entirely authentic and immersive, making participants feel like they’re on a real spaceship, completing exhilarating ‘missions’. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you bring your immersive experience to life, please get in touch with our team today, and we’d be happy to chat!