WWE knows its way around the virtual reality block. The WWE ThunderDome—introduced in August 2020 as a way to engage virtual fans in an arena-like experience—kept getting better and better. The first-of-its-kind large-scale interactive live platform, powered by proprietary technology from The Famous Group, allowed thousands of fans to see the show and interact live with WWE Superstars as if they were there in person. WWE kept the ThunderDome going through July 16, 2021, when it returned to live touring. It ended its reign with nearly one million registered fans from 226 countries and territories. The ThunderDome’s Virtual Seat, an immersive real-time, multi-user streaming platform, used real-time data compression technology to minimize the bandwidth required to send and receive 1,000 simultaneous two-way video streams, delivering an ultra-low latency user experience with unparalleled control, moderation, scalability and customization of content. While the VR/AR ThunderDome experience may have been retired, WWE took lessons from it to further leverage the tech. It’s entered into a partnership with Snap Inc.’s new global creative studio for branded augmented reality. Given its cutting-edge technology reputation, we’re on the edge of our seat to see where they take fans next.
