Creators and experts gather to redefine the forms and boundaries of immersive art, documentary and game design as the DOK Exchange XR Conference in 2025 explores how immersive practices are reshaping cultural narratives and power structures. By spotlighting experimental XR storytelling and hybrid media, the conference examines the political, ethical, and aesthetic stakes of creating experiences that transcend traditional formats, turning its attention to XR’s transformation from a headset-based medium to a hybrid storytelling ecosystem.

XR creators will present their projects selected for the showcase—resonating with themes like politics of memory, ethical design, and digital literacy—to a professional audience and a panel of six experts spanning research, funding, production, distribution, art, and technology. The format is a dynamic collective brainstorming session, inviting deep insight and the creativity of experts as they reflect on projects, exchange perspectives, and co-develop valuable solutions. Emphasizing openness, equality, and inclusivity, this approach supports the projects’ development and builds meaningful connections within the XR community.

The aim of the Prototyping Zone is to bridge creators with the XR community of experts, future audiences, and distributors. It enables the testing of interactive elements and narrative solutions, as well as onboarding and offboarding experiences in spatial conditions, refining XR projects before their finalisation. This process ultimately contributes to reducing production and distribution costs in later stages of development. The presentation of works during this phase offers a deeper understanding of user experience design, fostering productive discussions and gathering extensive feedback.