Sony Corporation of America announced several new technological innovations at this year’s CES consumer technology show in Las Vegas but also revealed some exciting ventures for the music industry.
Sony Music is part of Sony’s presence at the event, having revealed three new metaverse-focused projects that aim to generate the “next generation of immersive musical experience” for popular games like Fortnite and Roblox. Described as new opportunities for artists to expand their engagement with fans, the initiative led by the Sony Immersive Music Studios team aims to utilize game engine creation and virtual production technologies to bridge gaming with the realm of music.
Among these projects is “Journey Through Jericho,” a Fortnite Island inspired by the music video for the song “Jericho” from Columbia Records artist Iniko. Leveraging Sony’s virtual production capabilities and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) from Epic Games/Unreal Engine, the game transports players into the digital backdrop of the music video.
Additionally, Sony introduces “Nitewave,” a music-themed island in Fortnite where players compete in a ‘capture the flag’ game to control the soundtrack of songs from Sony Music artists. Created by Sony Immersive Music Studios using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), the project aims to offer an engaging gaming experience.
Noteworthy is Sony’s foray into Roblox with the project ‘AVNU: Where Music Meets,’ described as “a music destination for Roblox centered around music-related gameplay, challenges, and virtual goods collecting.” Featuring music from Sony Music talent, including Arista Records artist Paul Russell, this venture further expands Sony’s presence in the gaming and virtual experience realms. The platform also hosts special promotions and pop-up shops for specific artists, including Russell and more.
These projects follow the success of Sony Immersive Music Studios’ inaugural project presented in CES 2021 –– which featured a groundbreaking virtual performance featuring Madison Beer, an artist signed to Epic Records, which marked the introduction of songs from Beer’s debut album, Life Support. Guided by digital entertainment veteran Brad Spahr, recognized by Sony as an “award-winning developer of next-generation experiences at the intersection of music, immersive reality, and gaming,” the division has continued its innovative journey over the years, pushing the intersection of where music meets technology and gaming.
Sony’s recent immersive music activations, including collaborations with Travis Scott on Fortnite and Lil Nas X on Roblox, underscore the company’s ongoing efforts to push boundaries within the immersive space.