The Great Sensory Rebalancing

Morpheus:“You have been living in a dream world Neo”‍

‍Neo: "This...this isn't real?"

‍‍Morpheus: "What is real? How do you define 'real'? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain."

‍Unlike in the Matrix where Neo is forced to choose between the red and the blue pill, people today seem to want more of both the dream world (digital experiences) and the real world. However, this week we wanted to call attention to a trend that we have seen emerging over the past five years: people are increasingly wanting entertainment that does not remove them entirely from their reality. ‍

The modern human experience has become increasingly defined by our relationship with screens, where the majority of our waking hours are spent consuming digital content, removing two of our core five senses (sight and hearing) from focusing on our present reality. In many ways, our digital self and our entertainment avenues of choice are very real to us; however, it is not a true replacement for our physical world. There exists a spectrum of off-screen entertainment options, ranging from audio-only experiences like podcasts and audiobooks that liberate our eyes while still engaging our auditory senses, to fully immersive activities like board games and theme parks that allow us to keep all five senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - grounded in the present moment.

This sensory rebalancing represents more than a mere trend; it reflects a fundamental human need for authentic experiences in an increasingly digitized and removed world. While podcasts and audiobooks offer a middle ground by freeing us from visual screens, activities like board games, theme parks, and live concerts offer fully engaged experiences for the senses. Asdigital consumption intensifies, people are consciously counterbalancing this time with activities more tethered to their physical reality to support their digital life, not replace it. For every hour we spend in the digital world we will see a more conscious decision from those users to engage in non-immersive activities.

‍Audio Is the Digital Native’s Comfort Blanket

Source: Podcast Statistics

The podcasting industry’s meteoric rise over the past 17 years is the tip of the spear for a hybrid digital entertainment option that allows people to stay moderately present in the physical world. In the United States, monthly podcast consumption has risen from just 9% in 2008 to an astonishing 55% in 2025 - over half of the country listens to podcasts every month. This represents approximately 158 million Americans who now regularly consume podcasts. The growth trajectory becomes even more compelling when examining weekly consumption patterns, which have surged from 7% in 2013 to 40% in 2025, representing about 115 million Americans who listen to podcasts weekly.

Source: Harmony Hit

Over 53% of Americans say they want to use their phones less, which is up from 40% in 2023. An astonishing correlation is that the vast majority of those who want to use their phones less are the same people who listen to podcasts avidly. Spotify did a poll of their podcast listeners to understand the uptick and 33% cited a core reason being they value the screenless nature of content delivery. The demographic data reveals particularly strong adoption among younger audiences, with 66% of Americans aged 12-34 consuming podcasts monthly, while even older demographics are rapidly embracing the medium, with 38% of those over 55 now listening regularly. This cross-generational appeal suggests that podcasting fulfills a fundamental human need for narrative, education, and connection that transcends age barriers.Board Games: The Tactile RenaissanceThe board game industry represents the most dramatic example of consumers seeking entertainment fully tethered to reality. The global board games market has experienced incredible growth, valued at $14.4 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $32 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.58%. This growth trajectory demonstrates that even in our hyper-digital age, there remains a strong consumer appetite for entertainment that requires physical presence, tactical thinking, and face-to-face social interaction.

Source: Forbes Insight

North America leads the board game renaissance, commanding 42% of the global market share, reflecting particularly strong adoption in developed markets where screen fatigue is most suffered. The COVID-19 pandemic paradoxically accelerated board game adoption as families sought entertainment options during lockdowns, with e-commerce channels experiencing significant growth even as traditional retail channels faced temporary closures. Modern board games increasingly emphasize strategic thinking, cooperation, and immersive storytelling that requires players to be fully present and engaged with both the game materials and their fellow players. People seem to be remembering or learning for the first time the value of in person entertainment.

‍Live Experiences: Concerts and Theme Parks Lead the Immersive Revival

‍The live entertainment sector provides compelling evidence of humanity's hunger for multi-sensory, reality-grounded experiences. Concert attendance has surged dramatically, with Live Nation reporting that 151 million people attended their shows in 2024, representing a 50% increase compared to 2019 attendance figures. This growth occurred despite significant increases in ticket prices, with the average concert ticket costing $135.92 in 2024, up from $25.81 in 1996 (USA Today). The willingness of consumers to pay premium prices for live music experiences underscores the irreplaceable value of shared, sensory-rich entertainment that cannot be replicated through digital channels.

Theme parks have experienced similarly impressive growth, with global attendance reaching 410.6 million visitors in 2023, marking a 19% increase from 2022's 334 million visitors. The Asia-Pacific region led with 165 million visitors (40.2% of global attendance), while North America contributed 161 million visitors (39.2%). Disney's dominance in this space reveals the economic power of physically immersive entertainment: the company's 12 parks attracted 140 million visitors, representing 34% of global theme park attendance. The Magic Kingdom alone drew 17.7 million visitors, while Disneyland Paris attracted 10.4 million, demonstrating the consistent global appetite for carefully crafted, multi-sensory entertainment experiences.

Source: Sherwood News

Disney's financial performance further illuminates the strategic importance of physical, experiential entertainment. The company's Parks and Experiences segment generated $34.2 billion in revenue in 2024, representing a 4.9% increase from the previous year and constituting a substantial portion of Disney's total revenue of $91.4 billion. Over the past decade, Disney's parks revenue has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, even as the company has simultaneously invested heavily in streaming and digital content platforms. This dual strategy suggests that rather than cannibalizing each other, digital and physical entertainment experiences serve complementary roles in consumer entertainment.

‍Rising Tide Lifts Both Screenless and Screen Entertainment

‍Humans possess an incessant need for entertainment, and when not working, we instinctively seek play and engagement. As digital native generations continue to mature, they increasingly recognize the value and importance of entertainment experiences that tether them more closely to their actual reality. This is not a rejection of digital entertainment but rather a conscious pursuit of sensory connection and authentic human connection that screens cannot fully provide.

The growth rates across off-screen entertainment categories tell a compelling story: podcasting growing from single-digit penetration to majority adoption in just over a decade, board games doubling in market size within eight years, and live entertainment commanding premium pricing while achieving record attendance. These trends suggest that presence and reality-grounded experiences are powerful countervailing forces to our screen-dominated culture.

‍Takeaway: Screenless entertainment categories are not competing with digital content for a fixed entertainment budget, but rather expanding the total entertainment market as consumers seek variety and balance in their leisure activities. The remarkable growth in Disney's parks revenue alongside the company's streaming investments exemplifies this complementary relationship. As we oscillate between digital convenience and physical presence, the evidence suggests that off-screen entertainment is not just surviving but thriving, growing faster than many digital alternatives as consumers see their way back to a healthy mix of both virtual and reality-based experiences. As our digital capabilities continue to expand infinitely, the finite nature of physical experience becomes increasingly precious and sought-after, ensuring continued robust growth for entertainment that keeps us grounded in reality.