The move of aspects of our day-to-day lives online has been perceived by many as a means of reducing face-to-face interaction. Traditional perceptions suggest that interacting through a screen can’t recreate real human contact, but is that viewpoint fair?
As digital entertainment continues to evolve, much of the new technology being implemented is in fact helping to create a more human experience that promotes socializing, meeting new people and expressing an opinion.
In this article, we will examine three of the sectors that are leading this change and putting live video at the forefront, and understand how these evolutions are helping to promote healthier habits in the digital marketplace.
Game streaming
Traditional console gaming is one of the digital entertainment sectors often unfairly tagged as being unhealthy and unproductive, but the reality in the modern age couldn’t be more different. The rise of esports has proven that gaming can actually be an extremely lucrative career path, with some of the world’s top players earning eye-watering amounts from competitions and sponsorship deals.
But the sector is also utilizing live video to connect gamers with one another in a very human way. Platforms like YouTube and Twitch provide a platform for aficionados of the hobby to broadcast their passion and share it with others, promoting interaction and engagement.
This is helping to build new relationships between players who wouldn’t otherwise have crossed paths, and providing a pathway to interaction for many who may otherwise find face-to-face conversation with new people a never-racking experience.
Streaming has also becoming a lucrative hobby for a lucky few, with the highest earner on this list pulling in more than $1m: https://www.gq.com.au/entertainment/tech/these-are-the-10-highestearning-twitch-streamers-in-the-world-for-2020/
Online casino
Live video has also played a key role in the recent evolution of the online casino sector, both as a means of connecting players to a croupier or dealer, or with one another, and helping to create a more authentic and sociable experience for everybody involved.
Similarly to console gaming, players from around the world can connect to one another and interact in real time through video, while live croupiers at the blackjack table or roulette wheel deliver real human interaction as part of the gaming experience.
Live video is just one of many new innovations helping to catalyze the growth of the sector. Others in the industry are making it easier for players to deposit and withdraw money, with this list of providers in New Zealand offering instant bank transfers: https://www.bonus.net.nz/online-casinos/real-money/instant-banking
Innovations like this are all part of the sector’s drive to make the platforms more people-friendly.
The Zoom generation
One of tech’s big success stories of the last year, Zoom has become a major part of many people’s social lives in recent months. The platform is simple in terms of its function, and serves as a diverse and adaptable platform for human interaction.
Multiple people can chat ‘conference style’ and enjoy games like charades together without leaving their own homes. Other brands, such as Facebook, have identified the potential and recently launched their own device, Portal, which delivers high-quality streaming between households.
So competitive is this marketplace that laptop manufacturers are racing to deliver devices with the best webcams, where previously this wasn’t a major consideration for the majority of consumers: https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/electronics/best-laptops-with-webcam-1081680/
It’s reasonable to say that live video will never properly replace real human contact, but it has succeeded in changing the face of digital entertainment, and helped turn an industry with a reputation for promoting isolation into one of the world’s most sociable sectors.
