Gaming is always changing. The industry’s roots took hold in the 1970s and it has been in a constant state of evolution ever since.
Technology has played an important part in increasing the value of the gaming industry by billions of dollars and moving games from arcades into player’s homes.
Online gaming is the last seismic change in the industry. Players from all around the world can now enjoy the top titles together. But what is next in the world of gaming and is another evolution imminent?
1. The Rise of Cloud Gaming
Cloud gaming is bang on trend in the gaming world. Google Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming are at the apex of this technology, letting players stream games without needing first-rate gaming hardware to go with it.
High-speed internet and the adoption of the cloud are proving to be crucial to its rise. Cloud gaming is making the industry more accessible than ever. You don’t need to sink a small fortune into next-generation consoles or computers more powerful than the ones used at NASA just to enjoy a game. All you need to do is stream the game from the cloud to be able to play it on a huge range of devices, including smartphones and smart TVs.
It’s not just players who are going to feel the benefits of cloud gaming. Developers have had to completely change how games are monetised for players to stream them rather than download or buy physical copies of games. Streaming subscriptions for gaming could become the norm as it now is for film and television. With reduced costs related to distributing games and with hardware limitations a thing of the past, developers could become more experimental and push the boundaries of what’s possible in a game.
2. Virtual and Augmented Reality
If it’s immersion you’re after, then you’re really hoping to see more virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the gaming world.
Virtual reality takes you into other worlds where you’re completely surrounded by your new environment. VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift have stormed the market and game makers have been fighting to keep up with the demand to launch interesting new titles. VR is by no means perfect, and gameplay is limited, but as technology keeps developing, it won’t be surprising if it is the next big breakthrough in gaming.
Augmented reality works a little differently from VR. Instead of taking you to a virtual world, AR brings elements of that world into your home. The biggest AR game so far is Pokémon Go where players catch them all by walking around real locations. The Pokémon appear on their screen as if they are part of the player’s real world. This hugely popular game pioneered what AR can do and if developers get it right, it won’t be long before they have another smash hit on their hands.
3. Mobile Gaming and Online Casinos
Mobile gaming is massive. If you think high-quality gaming is only for consoles or PCs these days, then you couldn’t be more wrong. There are absolutely loads of titles on offer with something for everyone. If you combine those choices with the convenience of gaming on your phone, then you’ll begin to understand why mobile gaming is massive.
Thanks to this boom in mobile gaming, the online casino sector has exploded as well. Many players are now logging onto these platforms for a night of entertainment at home. This sector has literally thousands of platforms to choose from, which is why a lot of people look for some help when trying to find the right casino.
One option that is proving very attractive to players is the rise of no deposit casinos where you can play without spending a penny. These platforms will offer new players a bonus — normally in the form of free spins — which lets you try before you buy. This gives you a chance to try out a game, or even a few, to find one that’s right for you without risking your own funds.
4. Cross-platform Play
Cross-platform play might sound complicated but it’s not. In the past, if you were a PC gamer you could only play with other players on PC. If you managed to snare a PlayStation 5 while your friends were all on Xbox Series X, there was no way to play with them.
Many games now offer cross-platform play on all devices, so if you’re on console you can play with someone who’s gaming on their PC or smartphone. This provides more opportunities for players than ever before as they can now play online with anyone, not just those who bought the same console as them. This is massively increasing the social aspect of gaming, which is what many players enjoy the most.
5. The Integration of AI
It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, as artificial intelligence (AI) is coming. From the health sector to education to the world of finance, AI is being used to make life easier and look for solutions where previously there were none.
The gaming world can reap the rewards of AI if it is used sensibly. AI could harness its power to personalise the gaming experience, learning how players play and what they like to play to increase their enjoyment. It could also involve the inclusion of much more intelligent NPCs in many games, further adding to the narrative of the game and providing an extra level of engagement. Most importantly, AI could react to a player’s skill level and adapt the difficulty of the game to match. No more will you get frustrated at not being able to complete a level or get bored by storming through a game with little to stop you, but it’s not just players who could benefit.
AI can help developers optimise game design, automate testing, and predict player behaviour. All this could lead to a more efficient process to produce games with fewer bugs and ensure a better gaming experience for players.
While all these trends have their part to play in the years to come in the world of gaming, it’s AI that stands out as being the one that can and likely will make the biggest difference to games and how we all enjoy them.
