In 2020, WWE began having Virtual Meet & Greets, where members of the WWE Universe could meet their favorite WWE Superstars from the comfort of their own home, with no travel costs or geographical limitations, and only requiring the purchase of a ticket. After the one-on-one private video chat, the conversation and video could be downloaded via a link.
In January 2025, WWE announced a multi-year partnership with global technology company Cosm to begin bringing WWE Premium Live Events to fans in Shared Reality at Cosm's experiential venues. This meant fans at Cosm locations could feel like they're ringside at major events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and Elimination Chamber, even if the event is taking place thousands of miles away. Cosm's technology utilizes large-scale 87-foot-diameter 12K+ LED domes that surround the audience, creating a sense of being transported to another location.
It offers a new level of immersion, allowing fans to feel more connected to the action and the atmosphere of the event. For fans who can't travel to attend PLEs in person, this offers a unique opportunity to experience the excitement of a live event in a shared setting. This builds on the increasing use of technology to enhance the wrestling viewing experience, as I discussed in my previous posts about the AI-powered wrestling fan experience and how technology is rebooting live wrestling. While those posts focused on different aspects of technology, the Cosm and WWE partnership takes the concept of immersive fan experiences to a whole new level, giving fans access to premium events that they might not otherwise be able to attend. The shared environment creates a sense of community and mutual excitement, the enthusiasm of the crowd, and being in a venue with people who love the entertainment value of professional wrestling as much as they do. Plus, the enhanced viewing angles and immersive visuals can provide a more engaging and dynamic experience than even being at the event in person. In addition, along with revolutionizing how fans experience wrestling and pushing the boundaries of sports entertainment through state-of-the-art technology, it's also a new revenue stream.
There are fans in the tech-wrestling crossover space who have created online virtual wrestling promotions that use a video game engine to simulate professional wrestling matches and storylines. The most popular ones on YouTube are the Virtual Wrestling Network, Xtreme Virtual Pro Wrestling, and Virtual Wrestling United.
Fans can participate in interactive storylines and role-playing scenarios within the wrestling metaverse. This is currently most prevalent in wrestling-themed RPGs like The Wrestling Game and community-led e-feds (electronic federations) like Regents Pro Wrestling and French Virtual Wrestling.
Virtual events and experiences are poised to become a staple of the wrestling metaverse. By embracing these technologies, wrestling promotions (as well as fans) can create new and exciting opportunities for fan engagement, and expand their reach. As the metaverse continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative and immersive virtual experiences emerge, shaping the future of wrestling entertainment.
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