Los Angeles-based tech company Stage, Inc is debuting the public beta of ‘Stageverse’, a live events Metaverse platform for virtual reality (VR) headsets and mobile devices.
To celebrate the launch, Stageverse is offering new users a limited time, free interactive concert experience from Grammy-winning rock band Muse.
The UK trio will debut the ‘Muse: Enter The Simulation’ immersive experience on the Stageverse platform, where fans can relive a July 2019 concert at Wanda Stadium, Madrid filmed specifically for VR.
Stageverse is enhancing the performance with VR effects to provide a fun and improved immersive experience. Additionally, fans can watch the 360 degree immersive video from 16 viewpoints.
Matt Bellamy, Muse Frontman and Co-Founder, said in a press release seen by XR Today,
“We can’t wait for our fans to be able to truly immerse themselves in our Simulation Theory world and take full advantage of everything that the Stageverse experience will offer”
The experience will present Muse fans and new users with a unique VR-enhanced event, where attendees can dress up for the event with virtual outfits provided by luxury fashion house Balmain Paris.
The opportunities don’t stop at live performances as Stage Inc is set to expand into eCommerce to create a virtual space for brands, communities, and creators and provide an eCommerce ecosystem for NFT artists and brands to sell virtual assets.
Tim Ricker, Stageverse Co-Founder and CEO, said,
“By rolling out our NFT economy and marketplace next, we will unlock community capitalism to the fullest extent”
The Metaverse, Virtual Events and ABBA
The news comes as interest in virtual concerts and festivals has peaked in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite the pandemic’s decline, research and development (R&D) into the Metaverse continues, presenting new opportunities for artists, promoters and enterprises.
For example, Swedish pop icons ABBA recently released Voyage, a comeback tour and album where the legends are set to take the virtual stage for the first time.
ABBA: Voyage proved successful as the single ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’ reached number 8 in the charts—the band’s first top 10 single in almost 40 years.
The news comes after Australian Music Festival ‘Splendour in the Grass’ converted its annual event into an immersive experience known as ‘Splendour XR‘ earlier this year.
