Interactive Video Is Becoming the Next Frontier of Gaming
The gaming industry has entered another period of rapid transformation. For years, innovation focused on better graphics, larger worlds and faster hardware. Today, the conversation has shifted toward something entirely different: How do you give power to the gamer?
On this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, hosts Toni Callahan and Sarah Ramoz explore with Caroline Strzalka, co-founder Overplay, how it is revolutionizing interactive entertainment and gaming by allowing creators to transform ordinary videos into playable games—without writing code.
From Watching Content to Playing Content
At this point in time, streaming video dominates entertainment. People spend hours every day watching sports, creator content, tutorials and social media videos. Using Overplay’s platform, creators can add interactive elements like taps, swipes and gestures directly onto existing video. Instead of passively watching content, audiences actively participate. The result is an entirely new category of interactive media – creator/influencer ownership.
AI That Amplifies Human Creativity
Despite strong reactions to generative AI from the gaming community, AI has always been a part of gaming in some way. Caroline Strzalka explains how Overplay leverages applied AI and potential expansion to other types of AI in the future. Yet, she emphasizes the importance of leveraging AI to empower creators – not replace them. Overplay is all about incorporating the human element. You can literally turn yourself into a video game character.
FIFA World Cup Shows What’s Possible
One of Overplay’s most exciting implementations is with the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fans from all over the global can download the FIFA World Cup app and play highlights from their favorite games. They can even interact with historical World Cup games from the past. Overplay’s technology creates deeper fan engagement while opening entirely new monetization opportunities for sports organizations, media companies and more.
Interactive Advertising Is Ready for Reinvention
Advertising is also evolving. Instead of traditional banner ads or video commercials, brands can create experiences where consumers actually interact with products. So shoppers can play branded mini-games, interact with products, and get rewarded for their engagement. This creates measurable engagement while making advertising significantly more memorable.
Owning Your Audience Matters
Another major theme from the conversation was the importance of brands owning their own digital experiences. Rather than sending audiences to third-party platforms, organizations can embed interactive gaming directly into their own websites, apps and digital ecosystems. It’s a strategy increasingly embraced across sports, entertainment, education and media.
Key Takeaways
This episode highlights several trends every gaming and technology leader should watch:
- Applied AI is becoming as important as Generative AI.
- Interactive video is emerging as a new entertainment category.
- User-generated gaming could reshape content creation.
- Brands increasingly want to own customer engagement.
- Human creativity remains the foundation of meaningful experiences.
As gaming, AI and creator tools continue to converge, platforms like Overplay demonstrate how innovation doesn’t always mean replacing people—it often means giving them entirely new ways to create.