Video Games, Technology, and Sport: The Future Is Interactive, Immersive, and Adaptive

Abstract

While traditional sport spectator numbers decline, the number of viewers in interactive media such as streaming platforms, video games, and esports continue to increase. In response, Pirker offers a characterization of the new generation of consumers and the technologies opening up new avenues for engaging and immersive experiences. She demonstrates that with the help of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI), among other technologies, traditional sports can follow successful strategies from interactive media. But the influence is not one-sided. Pirker also offers a picture of the two-way relationship between sports and videogames and how both industries might develop as technologies improve.