Don’t Mention The “M” Word
This week, Disney announced what it regards as the future of entertainment, and it didn’t even mention the word “Metaverse”.
Already several major companies have filed for trademarks signalling their future plans for the metaverse and its related verticals like NFTs and gaming, these include Atari’s and Ford’s moves into the Metaverse, which the Metaverse Insider covered last week.
Company CEO Bob Chapek discussed how Disney will use technology to enhance storytelling for the next 100 years. This comes after the company, famous for animated classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Lion King, filed a metaverse-themed technology patent for “Virtual World Simulator” — technology that leverages smartphone cameras and AR to assist interactive theme-park tours — earlier this year, a clear indicator it had an interest in the Metaverse and Web3.
Disney had completed the groundwork for this back in 2021, with the appointment of Technology Executive Mike White to supervise the newly created Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experiences unit.
Speaking at the company’s D23 Expo fan convention with Reuters in Anaheim, California, Chapek refused to explicitly mention the “M” word, referring to the company’s foray into the industry as the “next-generation storytelling”.
Personalized Experiences
Chapek discussed how the Burbank, California-based company plans to use data obtained from Metaverse visits whilst leveraging consumer streaming habits (including content from Marvel and Lucasfilm studios), to create personalized experiences.
Chapek told Reuters in an interview:
“The question is, how is our next-gen storytelling leveraging what we know about a guest uniquely in this Disney lifestyle, then serving up unique experiences.”
The American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate recently launched an 8-minute film that premiered on Disney+ this week. “This could be a real big catalyst for what’s going to show up there and, you know, five to 10 years,” said Chapek.
To learn more about Metaverse Virtual Worlds, check out this post.
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