entertainment, Arts & Technology
Staff Editors
Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment ...

In Part 1, our research team examined the history immersive entertainment industry in the United States, and current challenges facing immersive experience creators. Part II dives into the results of our online survey and findings based on interviews with industry experts. To gain insights into the audience perspective, an online survey was launched on January 17, 2026, examining overall engagement with immersive entertainment. The survey revealed a thematic overlap between immersive audiences and traditional entertainment preferences. Ultimately, a “one-model-fits-all” approach to immersive entertainment would be limiting, and our research supports the need for a fourth model called the Immersive Plaza.

Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 2
Arts & Culture, Audience Engagement
Rebecca Hodge
Serving Fans with IP-Based Theatre Spectacles

There has been a growing trend of large, spectacular straight play productions based on popular intellectual property. IP-based theatre is a way for corporations to super-serve fans in a way that keeps them coming back to the original material.  IP-based theatre productions, like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and The Hunger Games: On Stage, use spectacle to encourage fans to buy tickets.

Serving Fans with IP-Based Theatre Spectacles
entertainment, Arts & Technology
Staff Editors
Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment ...

The immersive entertainment industry is rapidly expanding, with a projected market growth from $133.6 billion in 2024 to $473.9 billion by 2030. Through research conducted on behalf of Gensler,  the largest global design and architecture firm, this study investigates the problems persisting in the immersive entertainment industry, namely the lack of consensus regarding model distinctions, undefined success metrics, and unclear pathways for scaling projects.

Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 1
Artificial Intelligence, News & Announcements
Julia Srnec
Byte-Sized Culture: A.I. Evolutions for Artists ...

In this month’s Byte-Sized Culture, lead researcher Julia Srnec examines artificial intelligence (A.I.), and how it is gaining traction in the arts. Legislation, funding for arts and technology research, and ethical museum-centric practices pave a future for how artists and organizations will navigate these significant changes to the industry.

Byte-Sized Culture: A.I. Evolutions for Artists and Audiences
Arts & Culture, Audience Engagement, Emerging Technology, entertainment, Multi-Media
Cosmo Wang
World-Building's Power Through Narrative ...

In an earlier article, we explored how live music concerts are evolving beyond mere performances into expansive, immersive storyworlds, using Silence Wang’s One Hundred Thousand Volts tour and its fictional setting of “Romance City” as a pioneering case study. By adapting world-building frameworks traditionally found in film, literature, and gaming—specifically the core principles of invention, completeness, and consistency—Wang transformed his stage into a dynamic socio-ecological system where the audience's emotional participation actively powered the narrative environment. Building upon this foundation of visual and spatial storytelling, this article will delve into the auditory and transmedia expansions of Romance City, examining the strategic role of sound and musical arrangement, the development of one of the world's first XR interactive concert films, and the unique integration of a "Concert Artbook" to deepen audience immersion and IP expansion.

World-Building's Power Through Narrative Dimensions and Audience Immersion: Silence Wang's "One Hundred Thousand Volts"

entertainment industry

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Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 2

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Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 2

In Part 1, our research team examined the history immersive entertainment industry in the United States, and current challenges facing immersive experience creators. Part II dives into the results of our online survey and findings based on interviews with industry experts. To gain insights into the audience perspective, an online survey was launched on January 17, 2026, examining overall engagement with immersive entertainment. The survey revealed a thematic overlap between immersive audiences and traditional entertainment preferences. Ultimately, a “one-model-fits-all” approach to immersive entertainment would be limiting, and our research supports the need for a fourth model called the Immersive Plaza.

,

Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 1

,
Venue As A Story: Location-Based Entertainment Models, Part 1

The immersive entertainment industry is rapidly expanding, with a projected market growth from $133.6 billion in 2024 to $473.9 billion by 2030. Through research conducted on behalf of Gensler,  the largest global design and architecture firm, this study investigates the problems persisting in the immersive entertainment industry, namely the lack of consensus regarding model distinctions, undefined success metrics, and unclear pathways for scaling projects.

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How Can Animated Storytelling be Enhanced by Immersive Technology

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How Can Animated Storytelling be Enhanced by Immersive Technology

Immersive technology is not new in the slightest, with immersive tricks like ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ and projectors being used for decades. Nor is animation new, with animated shorts dating back to the early 1900s. Animation is a constantly evolving medium that lends well to immersive and Extended Reality (XR), and has been combined with XR to create well-known products, such as Pokémon Go. By combining two growing fields with a strong IP as the baseline, there are exponential growth opportunities for both fields. However, the combination of immersive technology and narrative-led animation continues to fall short of its potential in the entertainment market. Most combinations of animation and immersive technology often end up as avatar creators, video games, or VR experiences. The goal of this research project is to find an approach to combining animation and immersive technology that is marketable, accessible, and creates immersive storytelling.

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Part II - The Role of AI in Evolving Game Ecosystems and Player Dynamics

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Part II - The Role of AI in Evolving Game Ecosystems and Player Dynamics

This study advances Part II by translating Scopely’s strategy into an execution plan across three tracks - NPC innovation, intelligent monetization, and ethical LiveOps - supported by new evidence from a 1,159-response consumer survey, nine expert interviews (developers, influencers, and experiential professionals), and secondary industry research. Part I established the market context for AI’s disruptive potential and identified three priorities: live operations evolution, commerce optimization, and advanced player analytics. The goal of this phase is to pinpoint the highest-leverage AI applications that deepen gameplay engagement, convert payment resistance through demonstrated value, and safeguard community trust. Accordingly, Part II outlines actionable playbooks (context-aware NPCs and adaptive narratives), platform tactics (purchase-aligned mobile personalization and cross-play integration), and operational models (behavior-based matchmaking and transparency protocols) designed to drive scalable, technology-led growth while preserving the integrity of shared human play.

Part II: Live Service Games - Consumer Engagement and Retention

Part II: Live Service Games - Consumer Engagement and Retention

With this increased competition form live service gaming, consumer expectations continue to shift and grow. In Part II of this capstone research by Heinz College Master of Entertainment Industry Management students, the team has employed data-gathering methods such as interviews, a survey, and social listening to better understand factors influencing player engagement and retention. 

Part I: Best Practices for Live Service Game Campaigns

Part I: Best Practices for Live Service Game Campaigns

Live service games, or LSGs, are one of the largest drivers in gaming revenue. However, as the market continues to saturate, game developers are finding it difficult to sustain players. In part one of this capstone study by Heinz College Master of Entertainment Management students, learn more about the background of these games and what has made them so  successful. 

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9 Ways Blockchain is Changing the Film Industry

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9 Ways Blockchain is Changing the Film Industry

Blockchain is being embraced by many in the entertainment industry. It is known for enabling content creators to cut out the middle man, reduce copyright infringements, enhance royalty payments, and more. This article dives into 9 ways blockchain is changing the film industry.