Interactive Media and Entertainment

Interactive media and entertainment saw rapid changes in the late 20th and into the 21st century. Massive releases of extremely high-tech interactive media titles (for simplicity called next-gen games) recruited and satisfied hundreds of millions of gamers in the 1980’s and 90’s of the 20th century. The game industry spread even further, surpassing popularity of the Hollywood film industry. The first half of the 21st century was a battlefield of virtual avatars and integrated augmented reality simulation systems, putting gamers into immersive virtual worlds with almost infinite possibilities.

Apart from the rise and spread of digital and virtual gaming, classical forms of entertainment still held the top spot: clubs, bars, casinos as well as sports. With the arrival of cyber implants, traditional sports offered great new possibilities for professional athletes, allowing them the ability to jump higher, run faster, visualize infrared light/heat waves, etc. Additional news and technologies were still in development. Sports leagues soon had to separate matches into non-augmented and augmented. While the latter offered a completely new experience for both the player and the viewer, the former traditional type benefited on more natural and skill based forms of sport. Both types of sporting events attracted similar ratings and fan base numbers, even though the boom of brand new cyber technologies was still in its infancy.

Many new technologies followed; however, those existing remained and were also supported – There were still radio channels like back in the first half of the 20th century, although these broadcasts were unilaterally available as streamed podcasts over the internet. There were also both traditional 2D and newer 3D TV channels, although full 360° virtual reality holographic vision and sensation soon became possible. People were still going to pubs, nightclubs and enjoying brothels, although many attractive forms of virtual leisure entertainment and activities eventually became possible with the emergence of advanced virtual and cyber space hardware and software.

The pubs, casinos and space bars were simply part of the daily lifestyle. Of course, it was always possible to meet almost anyone in any of the virtual networks over great distances as well! However, especially due to the desire to remain secure and anonymous to the on-line community, people kept their social instincts and met others on a personal basis for a beer or live concert somehow attracted human spirit.