The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has invested £500,000 into Condense, a UK-based virtual events startup. This investment means a leap into the virtual sphere for the BBC, promising highly interactive, engaging events for their audience.
Condense offers 3D video livestreams within virtual spaces, a service now available to the BBC’s viewers. They even arranged the first-ever live virtual concert for the broadcaster, featuring Sam Tompkins.
One of the key features of Condense’s services is the New Music Portal, which is a virtual platform for live concerts. This platform allows artists to record live from the BBC’s Maida Vale studios and broadcast into virtual venues. Simply using a web browser, audiences can interact in real time with both each other and the performance.
The New Music Portal designed by Condense significantly alters the way we engage with live music. It combines technology and artistry, allowing artists to directly connect with their fans, despite geographical boundaries.
Audiences within these digital spaces can navigate the environment and interact with others as avatars.
BBC’s leap into virtual concert broadcasting
The real-time interaction with both performers and fellow spectators offers an enhanced level of engagement. The use of avatars and virtual spaces offers audiences an immersive live music experience from any angle.
BBC and Condense plan to run regular virtual concerts via BBC Radio 1’s New Music Show. They also intend to create immersive interactive experiences similar to Fortnite and Roblox. This financial investment signifies the broadcaster’s intention to captivate younger audiences and shape the future of virtual user interfaces.
Nick Fellingham, the CEO of Condense, hints at future collaborations with Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro. He foresees live-streamed 3D video having a significant impact on spatial computing. The future is thus promising for Condense, as they plan to pioneer new arenas of creativity and audience participation in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.
