Propelled by the mainstreaming of the metaverse, in 2023, people will keep wanting to transcend their physical identities through avatars, often deliberately affording themselves anonymity and/or fictional backstories. While avatar-only platforms like Soul are amassing users in China, VTubers – ‘virtual YouTubers’ who talk to their fans as digital characters – are already storming western streaming charts.

Next year people will increasingly retreat from overflowing, algorithm-driven social media feeds into smaller, human-curated sanctuaries like Twitter Circle (where users share tweets with close friends). As cosier ‘digital campfires’ advance, new chat platforms like Geneva and proto-metaverse giants like Roblox are winning with passion communities and private spaces.

Another trend building momentum is leveraging games to create digital worlds where sustainability is a player priority. From bringing Gen Z-favouring resale giant Depop into cult title The Sims, to having virtual mountain bikers succeed in their game quests only by battling forest fires, pioneering brands will nudge proactive mindsets that favour collaboration over competition to help people and planet thrive.

In the aftermath of Covid-19 and with current economic pressures, people are experiencing unprecedented mental health crises globally (see Key Stats). In 2023, astute brands will support audiences via new types of content and programming modes. Media businesses like British broadcaster ITV and French music-streaming service Deezer are already mounting spin-off companies dedicated to guiding audiences’ self-care objectives.

Podcasting is booming (see Key Stats). Smart brands are already capitalising on an appetite that will continue beyond 2023 – from Spotify’s in-app creation tools for amateur podcasters, to discovery platform Moonbeam’s swipeable audio feed. The latter fills a key gap: discovering new podcasts is famously flawed, as promoting them is difficult when most online marketing is a visual affair.

The success of French photo-sharing app BeReal – where users post one daily image showing what they’re doing in real time – highlights the appetite for connection through online daily rituals, reviving ‘watercooler moments'. Anticipate success in 2023 from entertainment discovery platforms where people manage the content they consume by dipping into what their friends and family are into.

Working from home has reignited the appreciation for neighbourhood-based connections, which will continue to feed successful brand experiences in 2023. Leading concepts include TikTok’s Nearby Content Feed, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) augmented reality (AR) game driving footfall to real-life local businesses, and social media platform Snap’s AR playscapes with new creator tools.

Expect new interactive modes for digital broadcast entertainment events next year – particularly sports, but also other performance industries like theatre and music. US social viewing start-up Scener is already turning virtual watch parties from private events into star-studded fan summits, while Amazon plans to enhance NFL Thursday Night Football broadcasts with a selection of alternative live commentaries.

Mobile gaming, which already takes the lion’s share of industry revenue while reaching all age groups (including over-50s – see Key Stats), is now evolving from a solitary pastime into a major social gaming space. Mobile titles account for 60% of the most watched esports tournaments ever (Esports.net, 2022) – expect the sector to be major next year.