Virtual Reality (VR) Storytelling: Emerging Trends and Challenges
Visualize standing in an ancient marketplace as your favorite folklore character. Or perhaps piloting an airbus through choppy weather from the comfort of your gaming room. Maybe, you’re not just an audience anymore to a TV show anymore. You can make choices and those will play an integral part in the main character’s and the plot’s outcome.
Yup, what would once be described as science fiction or sorcery by our ancestors (depends how far back you go), it is the future of storytelling. Interactive storytelling in VR is revolutionizing the way immersive narratives are being developed and it’s all down to the remarkable power of virtual reality (VR).
As Dubai’s no.1 digital transformation and marketing agency, Digital Gravity offers next-gen digital marketing solutions, powered by innovative technology like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). We are trendsetters when it comes to VR Virtual Reality Development. And we know the challenges and opportunities in VR storytelling first-hand.
With the help of our next-gen tech experts, we’ve curated this blog to explain to you how the power of VR storytelling experiences are reshaping our entertainment industry.
How is VR Storytelling Reshaping the Entertainment Industry?
The beauty of VR storytelling is all about immersion and interactivity. Unlike traditional media where the audience is a mere spectator, VR empowers the audience to influence and leave their impact on the storylines. That’s how VR storytelling has completely evolved the entertainment industry. How can we forget the trendsetting episode of the hit Netflix TV series Black Mirror? In one of its greatest ever episodes, Bandersnatch, the audience got to interact like never before. The audience were able to navigate with the main character, influence his choices and had a lasting impact on the plot and ending of the episode.
Here are some key features with which the VR storytelling has reshaped the entertainment industry.
1- Immersive Engagement
Virtual reality (VR) basically puts the viewers right in the middle of the story. They are not just an audience, they’re part of the storytelling now. The audience has a role to play in creating a narrative. This is unprecedented, because it has never happened before. The audience now gets to experience events themselves. The audience is basically placed inside a virtual environment where they explore their new surroundings freely, from a first-person perspective.
This allows them to interact with objects, be part of the decision-making and influence the narrative themselves. Also, to have an exhilarating experience, creating new memories and heightened engagement.
For example, put on Google’s Daydream View VR headset, and you’re immediately placed inside a haunted house, and being chased around by a ghost. Or, if you’re a sports fan, you can be on a tennis court, playing alongside any of your favorite players. Both are completely different environments but VR allows the audience to be part of the VR interactive storytelling. This takes the interactivity to a whole new level with players enjoying the immersive experience. This realism in the virtual world is what VR storytelling is all about.
2- Innovation in Narrative Development
Storytelling with VR has gotten so much more interesting for gaming production houses as they can now use more innovative ways of storytelling techniques. The use of spatial audio, non-linear narratives as well as environmental cues have evolved the narrative development from camera cuts, lighting and sounds. The storytelling has a much more organic feel to it now. But particularly, the use of environmental storytelling allows the audience to explore their surroundings and be one with the narrative.
The best example to cite here would be ‘Goliath: Playing With Reality’ where the audience experiences schizophrenia and psychosis of a Twitch streamer. This is a remarkably immersive story where the audience gets to experience the narrative via the environment itself. How? Through the use of spatial audio cues, interactive objects and visual details deeply embedded in the environment. Now THAT’s one of the best trendsetting VR storytelling examples.
3- Emotional Connect
There’s science behind it. By engaging several senses and putting the audience in the main character’s shoes, VR storytelling develops an emotional connection with the protagonist. The VR evokes many different kinds of emotional responses and helps build a strong connection with the narrative. By experiencing empathy, the audience feels like everything is at stake and engages more in the storytelling and narrative bit.
For example, 2020’s Medal of Honor: Above & Beyond allows the users to step into the boots of an agent of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Users get to experience fighting through the most historic events of World War II (WW2). It develops a deep emotional connection between the users and the character they’re playing as.
The Challenges & Opportunities in VR storytelling in the Entertainment Industry
The advent of virtual reality VR storytelling experiences has brought about massive opportunities as well as challenges in the entertainment industry. Let’s dive in and try to understand them in detail.
Opportunities for the Entertainment Industry
Staying ahead of the curve is key for not just the leading names, but also the up-and-coming new entrants in the entertainment industry. With virtual reality (VR) dominating the entertainment industry of late, here are some great opportunities that VR storytelling equips the entertainment industry with.
1- Audience Interactivity
That’s the best one. By putting on those VR headsets, the audience becomes a part of the cinematic VR storytelling experience. Once the audience is inside a whole new world, they interact with their new surroundings, interact with objects and explore the new terrain.
For example, historic documentaries told in VR allows the viewers to walk through the ancient cities, battlefields and famous historical events. This allows immersive engagement at a whole new level.
2- Affecting the Narrative
VR also allows the audience to make their own choices as players or users which has a direct impact on the narrative. By allowing the audience to have a direct influence on the outcome of the character arc or the story’s outcome, this leads to a highly personalized and engaging experience.
3- Setting New Creative Benchmarks
VR is pushing the envelope as far as the entertainment industry is concerned. The introduction of VR in storytelling and developing creative narratives has blurred the lines between the real and the virtual worlds.
With game developers now experimenting with new forms of creative expression and audience participation, VR storytelling experiences are breaking creative barriers.
4- Innovative Content Creation
VR’s power of creative possibilities and technological flair has empowered creators to experiment with non-linear storytelling, environmental cues as well as creating multi-sensory experiences.
Video production companies like SawHorse Productions are spearheading the innovative new techniques with which storytelling and narrative development are being developed. These techniques mix traditional and digital storytelling for renowned brands and entertainment properties.
Challenges for the Entertainment Industry
Narrating a top-quality story is hard enough on ANY medium. But telling a good story in the realm of virtual reality (VR) takes the difficulty level to a whole new level. Let’s explore some of the biggest drawbacks the entertainment industry faces as far as VR storytelling is concerned.
1- Technological Limitations
Developing VR interactive storytelling is no joke. It doesn’t come cheap as well. Creating high-quality virtual environments with immersive gameplay and surroundings with interactive elements requires advanced hardware systems. And they don’t come easy. They’re expensive and are not easily accessible.
2- Narrative Complexity
Now, it’s crucial to understand one thing…traditional filmmaking techniques don’t translate directly to VR. So content developers must exercise new ways to guide the attention of the users and without compromising on the clarity of the narrative and the quality of the gameplay. If the audience can’t control where they look and if there are lagging issues, they won’t have any interest any more.
3- Production Costs
Again, developing VR content is a demanding and expensive task. And creating immersive storytelling with VR can part developers with a lot of money. Developing high-quality VR content is a resource-intensive journey, requiring specialized skills in not just technology, but storytelling as well. This deters many content developers from venturing into (what could be) choppy waters.
4- User-friendly & Accessibility
If you’re an avid VR user, you’ll understand and endorse this point. But if you’re not, then know this: VR can cause discomfort. If the content developers don’t ensure top quality VR design, then cyber-sickness is a real possibility and deter users from engaging. All the leading game developers make sure ergonomic and comfortable experiences are great as they’re crucial for user retention.
Expanding Entertainment Possibilities
The impact of storytelling in VR has gone well beyond mere games and filmmaking, as live events and immersive shows are now redefining the horizons of the entertainment industry. Games like Half-Life: Alyx is the perfect example to quote here as it highlights the stellar integration of VR in a game.
The game showcases a highly advanced gameplay combined with a rich narrative depth with a Travis Scott ‘Astronomical’ virtual concert! It allowed fans from every corner of the world to participate in the concert with a front row seat, first-person perspective to enjoy their favorite artist’s LIVE performance!
Following the same model, museums and even theme parks are now adopting virtual reality (VR) to develop an immersive and interactive approach for educational purposes.
