Next Gen XR Rising: Rethinking Immersion for the Next Generation

A few weeks back, our Founder and Artistic Director, Oliver Scott, joined an international panel of innovators and thought leaders for DOK Industry Podcast – Next Gen XR Rising: What the Industry Needs to Catch Up On, hosted by DOK Leipzig.

The episode brought together leading voices from across the XR landscape; curators, artists, technologists, and cultural producers, to explore one vital question:
What kind of immersive worlds are we creating for the next generation, and how can we ensure they’re meaningful, ethical, and empowering?

Putting Young People at the Centre of Immersive Design

In the conversation, Oliver discussed EmbodyXR, our groundbreaking immersive game designed to help young people manage anxiety through movement, dance, and digital storytelling. Developed in collaboration with Warwick Medical School and the University for the Creative Arts, the project challenges how technology can help young people better navigate their mental health through XR and movement.

“We’re building EmbodyXR with young people, not just for them,” Oliver shared.
“Their lived experience, language, and feedback shape how the game evolves - it’s about giving them ownership of how wellbeing is represented and felt within digital worlds.”

EmbodyXR is one of the few XR projects currently exploring the intersection of mental health, creativity, and embodied experience. Its development reflects Mercurial Dance’s ongoing commitment to responsible innovation, ensuring that immersive technology supports imagination, resilience, and emotional literacy in young audiences.

A Global Dialogue on Ethics, Design, and Imagination

Moderated by Weronika Lewandowska (DOK Exchange XR Curator & Coordinator), the discussion also featured Dana Melaver (DOK Neuland), Prodromos Tsiavos (Onassis Group), Fanni Fazakas (Missing 10 Hours), and Anne Fehres (Revival Roadshow). Together, they reflected on how creators and institutions can better navigate the rapidly evolving XR landscape, balancing innovation with ethics, and a shared belief: that XR’s future depends on empathy, agency, and critical thinking. Whether through games, installations, or virtual worlds, creators now carry the responsibility of shaping how young audiences understand and interact with technology itself.

The Future of Embodied Storytelling

For Mercurial Dance, these questions sit at the core of everything we do.
Our work with EmbodyXR (from VR to mobile) continues to push the boundaries of embodied storytelling, merging art, science, and technology to reimagine how movement can support mental wellbeing.

🎧 Listen to the full episode:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castbox

🔗 Learn more about EmbodyXR: www.mercurialdance.co.uk/embodyxr