The experiences of going to a theater performance and digital entertainment might feel quite different from one another but online worlds have started to become more theatrical over time. The main objectives of theater performances is to engage with the audience, take them on an emotional journey and provide an experience that they remember long after they leave the venue.
As digital entertainment has evolved with more capabilities, many of the enhancements have been focused around the same objectives that have attracted people to performing arts theaters and movie theaters for many years. Capturing the attention of the audience and maintaining that attention for a long period is the main goal across both forms of entertainment and digital developers use theatrical elements to achieve this.
These are some of the ways that the online world incorporates theatrical features:
Performative Streamers
Some of the most successful streamers enhance their content through being performative and providing the audience with a show. Many streamers use humor, some like to shock the audience and they narrate throughout their stream, creating a storyline. Streamers with fun personalities are able to build up large numbers of viewers, captivating them with constant commentary.
Online Games Use Strong Storylines
Popular video games often use immersive storylines that build a stronger connection with characters. Games like The Last of Us replicate the storyline of the drama series, with developers knowing that the storyline has been successful at captivating an audience.
Using emotional storytelling draws a player deeper into the game and increases emotional investment in the game. Players take on roles, in a similar way to an actor in a movie or stage performance, making decisions that shape the outcome.
Online casino games have also incorporated theatrical elements, such as having a live dealer playing their role in card games and making the experience feel more like stepping into a real casino. VR technology has also helped casino game developers to bring players into a 3D world, where they are able to walk around the casino and interact with people and place chips on tables.
Lots of the most popular casino games are developed around storylines, which you can see in the game choices here on Tikal Casino. Themed slots have mini storylines like adventure or mythology and progression systems also use storytelling to represent unlocking new stages or bonuses.
Cinematic Game Design
Online games also take design inspiration from the movie industry, using sounds and lighting to evoke psychological reactions. Game design has become so sophisticated that players feel like they are playing within movie scenes, with directed camera angles and seamless transitions between the story and gameplay. Playing video games can feel like a cinematic experience rather than feeling detached from what is happening on the screen.
The setting design often uses locations that are commonly used in movies, with realistic, high-quality sounds and graphics that create an immersive world.
Social Media Content is More Performative
Over the last decade, social media has become increasingly popular, with TikTok having emerged as the platform with the highest average engagement rate. Videos with high viewing figures often have a character performing within a storyline, with advanced video editing tools, filters and sounds used to create high-quality content with theatrical elements.
Content design has moved away from static graphics and now content is meticulously planned, often scripted and using clear story arcs like a before and after or problem solving storylines. Content creators think more about the visuals and how they can gain the attention of the audience with location choices and through their own performance.
Content creators analyze what type of content has been most successful before when they consider creating new content, using audience feedback to ensure that the content is audience-focused. In a way, this is similar to rehearsing for live shows, working out where things can be improved and then adjusting content along the way.
Algorithms Push Emotive Content
Social media algorithms push content to users based on what type of emotional experiences they have enjoyed before. If users like to watch content that involves shock or a specific style of storyline, they will receive more of this content through the algorithm. Content that is more dramatic will often receive the most interaction, so these types of content styles are prioritized through the algorithms.
The online world has become increasingly theatrical, taking the audience on emotional journeys through more immersive storylines and authentic characters. From streaming and social media video content creation to enhanced set design in live dealer card games, theatrical elements have delivered many enhancements to online worlds.
