TV Viewing: Super Bowl Meets HoloLens

TV viewing is overdue for a real change

The TV viewing experience does not change drastically for years. Bigger screens, better resolution, smarter interfaces. But the core behavior stays familiar.

That is why sophisticated headsets like Microsoft HoloLens feel like a genuine breakpoint.

They do not just improve the screen. They change the environment around it.

Microsoft and the NFL re-imagine the Super Bowl

In a recently released video, Microsoft and the NFL re-imagine how a Super Bowl game could be watched with multiple friends and family members.

The scenario pushes beyond passive viewing. It turns the living room into an interactive layer, where the game experience becomes more immersive, more social, and more spatial.

This is the kind of concept that makes the future of TV feel tangible.

In mass-market entertainment, the constraint is not what immersive concepts can show, but when consumer hardware becomes affordable, comfortable, and mainstream.

Immersive viewing is real. Consumer timing is not

The video shows how immersive TV watching can get. But Microsoft is not fast-tracking HoloLens for consumer consumption.

For now, only developers can order HoloLens, shipping this year.

No one knows when consumers get access, or when scenarios like this become a reality.

That uncertainty is part of the story. The vision is clear. The rollout timeline is not.


A few fast answers before you act

Is this still “TV” or something else?

It starts as TV content, but behaves more like a shared, spatial experience than a single screen.

What is the core shift headsets enable?

They move content off the rectangle and into the room, so viewing becomes environmental and interactive.

What is the biggest constraint right now?

Availability and consumer readiness. Until mainstream hardware adoption happens, this remains concept-led.

What should experience designers take from this?

Design for co-viewing and spatial context. Multiple people, multiple viewpoints, and shared interaction become first-class requirements.

Alma: A Christmas Short

A Christmas-time discovery worth a watch

I have just come across a great animation called Alma. If you are looking for something different to watch this Christmas, it is available to stream online now.

How it works: hook, mood, and momentum

The mechanism is simple but effective. It opens with a strong visual premise, then builds tension through atmosphere and pacing. You do not need backstory or context. The film earns attention through mood and narrative pull.

In European digital media consumption, short films travel when they deliver a clear tonal promise early and then keep the viewer moving forward with compact storytelling.

Why it lands: it rewards full attention

Great animation works when every frame is doing a job. The viewer keeps watching because the world feels intentional, and the payoff feels earned rather than stretched. It is the opposite of filler content. It respects the audience’s time.

The intent: shareable craft, not a forced message

This kind of piece spreads because people want to pass on “a good find”. The social value is taste. Sharing says, “this is worth your time”. That is a different energy than sharing an ad or a campaign claim.

What to steal if you are curating or commissioning short-form stories

  • Start with a clear tonal promise. The audience should know what kind of experience they are entering within seconds.
  • Let atmosphere carry meaning. Strong visual language can replace exposition.
  • Keep the arc tight. Every beat should move the viewer forward.
  • Make it easy to recommend. A simple title and a simple “you should watch this” premise helps sharing.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Alma” in this post?

It is an animated short film presented as a great online watch, framed as a Christmas-time discovery.

What is the core mechanism that makes short films like this work?

A clear tonal promise early, then momentum through atmosphere and pacing. The piece earns attention through mood and narrative pull.

Why do animated shorts spread well online?

They can deliver a complete, rewarding story quickly, and strong visual craft gives people a simple reason to recommend it.

What kind of “share value” does this create?

Taste-signalling. Sharing says “this is worth your time”, which is a different motivation than sharing an ad claim or deal.

What is the most transferable takeaway?

If you curate or commission shorts, prioritise a fast hook, a tight arc, and an experience people can recommend in one sentence.