The changes brought by 2020 have changed the way we live to a great extent, and undoubtedly, they have influenced the way we have fun. The entertainment industry, such as films, TV, art, gaming, live music, and concerts – all will have to adapt to the new conditions. As the demand for cultural content is not going to stop (movies, music, television, etc.), it is more probable that there is going to be an evolution in the way it is consumed by people.
As the pandemic is improving, many restaurants and coffee shops as well as companies in the hospitality industry are now operating like normal. However, everything will still not be the same as before as there are still precautionary measures in place
The era of “staycation”
The entertainment industry experienced for the first time the sudden impact of a deadly virus (Covid-19) that came to change everything we knew so far. The digital and virtual world slowly became a commonplace, where people were trying to convey the virtual world in a tangible way. In these unprecedented times, the concept of “staycation” appeared. Interactive virtual reality events, virtual concerts, live music events, interactive movies, and product packages shipped home came to alleviate the chaos that occurred, if not replace the traditional ways of entertainment. Therefore, staycation can be experienced from simply incorporating virtual ways of entertainment in one’s place without the hustle of travelling/ leaving the house.
The rise of gaming
Gaming is not just a sport. For a large community it is a whole culture that has come to stay. By merging digital and physical worlds gaming became a permanent solution for a large amount of the population, to fill their leisure time. It has reached the level of capability that takes players to different places, like in the case of golf launch monitors. The rise of gaming, which became more accessible to many people, with many gaming companies offering shales to their products, is here to stay. As it will probably be a long time before mass public events start again, in 2021 we will see many innovations in terms of merging digital and physical worlds.
Greater creative control
In recent months, creators have been finding direct and new ways of communication with their fans, with the help of social media and through various streaming platforms. The most probable prediction is that when live events return, artists will want to maintain much of this sense of creative control. With the help of TikTok, artists are able to broadcast their content, showing the process of making/ creating art, doing giveaways and engaging with their audience, free and spontaneously.
Smaller events
The trend that is going to persist is smaller events in smaller and “private” spaces in which far fewer people will participate than before. As of today, only a few festivals and concerts are allowed to host more than 3,000 people. The future of live performances is unknown, but it is certain that people would be more inclined to attend concerts and live shows from the comfort of their home, rather than travelling/ spending unnecessary costs for events that provide broadcasting. Nonetheless, the pandemic is changing the way we interact with cultural products and many cultural events are now taking exclusively digital form. The public now spends much more hours in front of screens consuming content, which means a lot more opportunities for advertisers and new ventures that want to be known to the public.