A decade ago, the concept of video game concerts would have seemed totally alien, even bizarre. Today, video game concerts are very real and have been subject to much media attention for their uniqueness and relevance to our ever-more digital lives.
Are video game concerts still popular? They certainly made headlines when they first appeared on our screens, but do they still attract big crowds and generate the same levels of buzz and excitement? Find out below.
The First Video Game Concert
The very first video game concert was held inside the world of Fortnite. Fortnite, a multiplayer combat and creative game, has been an absolute sensation since its release in 2017. It’s one of the world’s most popular games, with an incredible 400 million registered players.
The game’s popularity, particularly among younger demographics, was largely the reason why it was chosen as the host of the world’s first-ever video game concert. In 2019, DJ and producer Marshmello took to the (virtual) stage inside Fortnite, playing his trademark electronic dance music, to a crowd of over 10 million fans, represented by their in-game characters.
This was a truly unique event that was, at the time, ground-breaking. It demonstrated the potential of in-game concerts and musicians and promoters around the world were quick to get involved.
Events Since Then
Since the Marshmello Fortnite event, we’ve seen a number of similar concerts held in console, desktop and mobile games.
Fortnite itself played host to further events, including concerts featuring global stars such as Ariana Grande and Travis Scott. These two events proved even more popular than the Marshmello concert, attracting crowds of 27 million and 12.3 million respectively.
Fortnite isn’t the only game to host concerts. Roblox has also held its own events, which have featured stars such as Lil Nas X and Royal Blood. Minecraft has got in on the action too, with events starring Citizen, IDLES, and Fever 333.
What Does the Future Hold for Video Game Concerts?
Marshemello’s Fortnite performance made headline news across the world, with some predicting it could spell the end of the live music industry as we know it. That turned out to be something of a pessimistic viewpoint, as in-game concerts have yet to replace the real thing.
However, that’s not to say these events aren’t still popular. Video game concerts still pull in millions of fans and continue to attract global stars eager to explore and establish themselves in this new digital frontier.
As virtual reality improves and gains more ground in the realm of music technology, we can expect to see even more of these video game concerts. Rather than watching the artists through a screen, users will be able to don VR headsets and step into these virtual worlds, attending concerts as if they were the real thing.
This will represent a significant step forward for in-game concerts and will certainly see them become even more popular.
Conclusion
The excitement around video game concerts has died down somewhat, but they are still popular events that attract crowds in the millions, far bigger audiences than traditional events.