A new age of technology-driven immersive experiences is ready to be unlocked

The way we interact with physical spaces is changing. 

The rise of location-based immersive experiences - those that combine technology, storytelling and real-time content to connect audiences more deeply with a specific environment - has been ongoing for some time, but we’re at a hugely exciting point in its development where cutting-edge innovation is allowing themed entertainment, stadiums, cultural institutions and public spaces to do more, show more and mean more than ever before.

In the bustling Experience Economy, younger generations are prioritising these meaningful moments over material goods, digital-native Gen Alpha are rising in influence, and people are increasing the amount they’re willing to pay to unlock the most memorable and impactful experiences. With the location-based experience market projected to be worth $47.2 billion by 2033, it’s an undeniably lucrative opportunity for brands, IPs, venues and other operators to consider when it comes to engaging with their audience.

At Disguise, we’ve spent the past 20 years powering next-generation visual experiences as they emerge across live events and production, from record-breaking global shows through to pioneering, technologically-advanced activations across a range of entertainment sectors. We’re no strangers to the fact that audiences are constantly seeking the new. They want bigger, bolder experiences: more interactivity, more personalisation, more shareability. And we believe today’s location-based experiences have the potential to meet all these demands, drive higher footfall for venues and strengthen fan engagement thanks to the latest advancements in technology.

Delivering a story that forges an emotional connection with visitors is vital. Immersive experiences provide the perfect canvas to not only tell a story, but to show it, allowing narratives to surround audiences as a living, breathing extension of their imagination. From bringing fictional worlds to life at theme parks, resorts and shopping malls, to providing multisensory education at museums, venues and even wellness centres, all-encompassing storytelling is a pre-requisite for any effective location-based experience. We’ve seen this executed beautifully by a number of Disguise-powered projects, from The Hidden Forest at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, to BLINK Cincinnati’s city-wide digital art festival and Lightroom’s immersive exhibitions. Cutting-edge innovations around projection mapping - allowing real-time content to be projected onto complex and dynamic surfaces - are equipping creators with even more tools to bring these intricate stories to life, whilst AI-driven content workflows are facilitating non-linear narratives to add to the immersion.

Injecting moments of interactivity is also key. We’ve entered an era where interactivity isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s become an expectation amongst audiences - and with technologies constantly developing, we’re now able to elevate passive visitors into fully active participants. From the integration of augmented reality blurring the line between the digital and physical ever further, as with SoFi Stadium’s Snapchat activation, to advancements in real-time content workflows facilitating touch- and audio-reactive visuals, there have never been more ways for audiences to become a part of the experience, whether its influencing content as it unfolds around them, competing against fellow fans, or unlocking highly personalised versions of the same shared experience.

Having powerful, reliable and future-proof technology at the heart of all of this is paramount. We’ve enjoyed an amazing vantage point at Disguise, seeing first hand how the rapid and incredible development of these new experiences has spread across a range of sectors thanks to the groundbreaking projects we have collaborated on with our customers over the years. This convergence of technology, married with great storytelling, powerful IP and groundbreaking content, is a potent mix that is driving real innovation and delivering ever more impactful experiences for audiences. We couldn’t be more excited to see what the visionary leaders, creatives and technologists using our platform will deliver next.

As part of our commitment to enable the sector to fulfil this potential, we’ve developed a new content series - The Future of Immersive Experiences - that brings together all the most important trends, tools and technologies driving location-based experience forwards. Our aim is to empower themed entertainment venues, cultural institutions and public spaces to envisage what’s possible - and more importantly, understand how to achieve it. 

Our first chapter, The Power Of Immersive Storytelling, will be released next week - sign up to our mailing list to be amongst the first to discover the latest advancements shaping this space.