With the coronavirus pandemic and quarantines implemented around the globe, entertainment companies are constantly finding ways to reach audiences that are stuck within their homes. Working hard to bridge the gap between its products and consumers, Sony has given a sneak peek at a new PlayStation VR experience that they are currently developing for the music and concert scene.
Recently revealed during its showcase in CES 2021, Sony has disclosed that it has partnered with Epic Records artist Madison Beer to implement a new, and extremely immersive, virtual-reality tech. One that could possibly bring more than just the best VR games, but also the world's top musical artists, into the comforts of a person's living room. This is in the hope of recreating the experience of being in an actual live concert.
In the one-minute video preview, Beer's virtual likeness is seen singing and dancing to her song "Boyshit," complete with all the blinding lighting and visual effects a live performance has to offer. As she performs in the faithfully replicated Sony Music Hall, the camera zooms in out and out, revealing a large virtual crowd of fans. With such realistic movements and expressions, it makes it hard to believe that all this has been rendered for viewing with the PlayStation VR.
Sony has also shared videos to show the the behind-the-scenes making of the performance. To bring Beer's virtual avatar to life and flawlessly animate her actions, the best in motion-capture technology was used. And to make her performance as realistic as possible, the team pushed the SFX envelope to the max, making it possible to implement fire and rain effects that are not usually feasible in live converts.
The Madison Beer Immersive Reality Concert Experience release date is slated for Winter 2021 on the PlayStation VR, Oculus VR, and also in 2D. With most of the world still still homebound, the immersive VR concert experience is quite the gamechanger and is likely the next best step in bringing back live musical performances.
Source: Square.Sony.com