Assessing the role(s) of human touch in immersive entertainment

Physical touch plays an important role in various forms of immersive entertainment, influencing emotional engagement, presence, and narrative immersion. In this narrative historical review, we explore the significance of direct interpersonal (social) touch in entertainment contexts. This includes theme parks, immersive theater, participatory performance art, and digitally mediated touch (e.g., haptic feedback in virtual reality [VR], gaming, and film). By analyzing examples such as Disneyland character interactions, Sleep No More, and audience participation in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, we examine how physical touch enhances immersion by helping to break the fourth wall and by fostering audience agency. Additionally, we compare direct human touch with digitally mediated touch (e.g., haptic feedback in VR) and discuss their respective advantages and limitations. While digital touch offers flexibility and scalability, it often lacks the warmth (both literally and metaphorically), texture, and emotional nuance of actual human interaction and can struggle to reproduce the social meaning and attribution that shape affective touch. The review also highlights a number of the key challenges and boundary conditions in implementing physical touch in the context of entertainment, such as cultural variations in norms and comfort around interpersonal touch, privacy/consent concerns, hygiene concerns, and technical constraints. Future research directions include the integration of physical touch with emerging technologies, personalization of touch-based experiences, and the role of multisensory interactions in enhancing immersive storytelling. Understanding the mechanisms and impact of physical touch in entertainment can inform the design of future multisensory experiences, increasing audience engagement and emotional connectivity while minimizing harm and exclusion.