Top Media and Entertainment Industry Technology Trends to Watch Out for in 2024 – 2025

The media and entertainment industry is all set to showcase notable changes driven by revolutionary technologies and dynamic customer preferences. As we close out 2024 and enter the new year, several trends will envelope this buzzing sector and set the tone for its future.

These scenarios won’t only change the way people consume media but will shed light on the increased importance of interactivity, personalization, and innovation within the media and entertainment world. Without further ado, with the help of our guest expert Evelyn Balyton let’s take a peek at the technology trends in media and entertainment that’ll dominate this industry in 2024 and 2025.

Top Technology Trends That Will Drive Change in the Media and Entertainment Industry

Technology is a driving force that’s turning the media and entertainment sphere on its head. From content production to final consumption, technological developments are taking things to the next level. Between 2024 and 2025, growth in the usage of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) will continue. These technology trends won’t just elevate user experience, but will see new variations of storytelling, engagement, and distribution within the media and entertainment scene come to the fore.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality as Major Trends in the Media and Entertainment Industry

Augmented reality and virtual reality have gained steady traction since their respective launches. And guess what? Their usage will become more pronounced in the media industry in the coming years. These technological add-ons allow users to get immersive experiences that surpass the obtainable on traditional media and entertainment systems. 

Currently, AR and VR entertainment instruments are making their way into diverse segments, ranging from entertainment and education to gaming. Regarding the latter set, you can get a hold of the best AR and VR-enabled betting sites at mightytips.ph. Not only will you get a generic list of these platforms, you’ll get a hold of detailed reviews of each. That way, you can set sail at a wagering site that whets your gambling appetite. 

Unlike the era where these digital technologies broke into the media business and were expensive, augmented and virtual reality add-ons are becoming increasingly cheaper in today’s world. AR and VR products seeing wider adoption is great news for the media world. Why? The industry will get more opportunities to create new engaging content and distribute them to audiences worldwide. 

DID YOU KNOW: The first VR headset was called the Telesphere Mask by its inventor — Morton Heilig. This product was patented in the 1960’s.

The Rise of Interactive and Immersive Experiences

In today’s world, consumers are looking for something more than just viewing images or videos on a screen. They need something deeper that resonates with them. With this in view, the media and entertainment industry aren’t resting on their laurels and are making concerted efforts to create content that’s more engaging and interactive.

This commitment has led to the trend that hovers around interactive storytelling, allowing audiences to tweak the events of a show or game for a certain outcome. Additionally, some artists are establishing connections with their fanbase with 360° videos and virtual concerts. The Netflix show tagged Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, is evidence that interactive shows will become a fan’s favorite. 

Here’s a starling review of this film:

“Bandersnatch feels like something completely new. It was an awesome experience. You are the factor that can alter a character’s story for better or worse. Even the supporting characters are influenced by the decisions you make. There’s a different end for everyone depending on your choices. Netflix says that there are 5 “main endings” with multiple variants of each. When you watch it again after watching, it makes you feel like you’re watching a different movie. Netflix has found a way to make it a deeply personal experience. You feel responsible for the character’s choices. It’s really fun to have the options in the hands of the audience. And for a first attempt, Netflix succeeds. You should watch it. – I saw people who couldn’t get the message the movie wanted to give. I recommend that they watch carefully. 9/10.”

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Model and Live Streaming

With companies looking for creative ways to interact with their audiences, the direct-to-consumer method has risen as an alternative that holds much promise. This is one of the latest digital media trends that cuts out intermediaries such as theatres and cable providers. As such, creators can distribute their entertainment content directly to fans and retain intellectual property of their content. 

Live streaming is a critical part of the D2C model, as it offers live entertainment that’ll pique the interests of viewers in varying ways. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a live sporting event, a Q&A session with your favorite actor, or a concert. With live events streaming at the thick of things, content creators can connect to their audiences on a deeper level.

Bundled Streaming Services and the Culture of Influence 

There are numerous streaming platforms you can access in today’s world. What’s more frustrating is that certain shows, podcasts, and songs are exclusive to some of these services. As such, you’d need to subscribe to more than one streaming service. These include platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Apple Music, and so on. Well, this endeavor can become draining real quick. Thankfully, there’s a solution that’s becoming more and more popular after the pandemic  — bundled streaming services.

Bundled streaming services give viewers a taste of the offerings of multiple streaming platforms in one subscription. Besides the convenience this route offers, they also align with the evolving culture of influence, where creators and influencers steer viewers towards certain media releases. 

For example, an influencer could recommend some shows and films via their social media posts, thereby shaping the viewing habits of their audience. Bundling services is vital to this trend, giving consumers the luxury of discovering and viewing content without hassles.

Micro-Content

The digital landscape today is fast-paced and microcontent is becoming the norm in this industry. Micro-content, as its naming suggests, refers to short-form content that is easily digestible and available on revered social media platforms. They range from Instagram Stories to TikTok Videos and WhatsApp Status Updates. Content featured on these platforms allow content creators establish relationships with their followers swiftly. 

Micro entertainment content becoming high-pitched gives a glimpse of the current digital landscape, where short attention spans have driven the quest for concise and engaging content. With more and more social media platforms becoming optimized for mobile devices, demand for micro-content is bound to skyrocket.

DID YOU KNOW: Several computer scientists and psychologists have been studying attention spans for an estimated 20 years. During this timeline, they discovered that the average time someone focuses on something dropped from two and half minutes to just 45 seconds. Little wonder micro-content ranges from 30 seconds to a minute!

Cloud Gaming and Blockchain Technology 

Goodbye to expensive gaming consoles and PCs. Now, players can stream their favorite high-quality FPS and MOBA games directly from the cloud. This is one of the entertainment industry trends expected to take off as 2024 ends and in 2025, the gaming industry will be accessible by more and more people. Services leading the cloud gaming charge currently are NVIDIA GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Here are the thoughts of a Quora user on cloud gaming and entertainment:

“I am a regular PC gamer who plays FPS games most of the time. Cloud gaming is a good alternative for people who cannot own a good gaming pc as the requirements for cloud is a laptop or a computer with a decent specs like i3 and 6 to 8gb ram. But the user needs a very good internet connection for playing with decent graphics and good connectivity. As of now there are latency issues but after a few years cloud will become mainstream.”

Cloud gaming is undoubtedly one of the major media consumption trends. That said, blockchain technology is leaving its mark in the entertainment and media industry. With its advent, players within the sector can cement ownership on content (to prevent piracy) and distribute their art directly to consumers without intermediaries. 

Cloud gaming and blockchain technology showcase the notable changes in how media is viewed and monetized.

Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Automation

Data is king and its usefulness is becoming glaring in the media and entertainment sector with each passing day. By analyzing user behavior,  media professionals and companies can accurately gauge content that make their clientele tick. This leads to personalized experiences that’ll see consumers coming back for more. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a vital role in making these possible. For context, AI pulls its weight by automating services such as content recommendations, video content editing, and powering customer service bots. With AI, content creation and distribution becomes efficient and won’t require substantial financial commitments.