One of the quickest growing areas of the entertainment industry is video games, its growth has been almost unprecedented, and it is now a global industry. In fact, in the next few years, its worth is predicted to hit around a quarter of a trillion. This makes sense as more and more forms of entertainment move into the online space, including streaming content or scrolling through social media. Gaming online continues to go from strength to strength; however, today's consumers are more easily bored than ever before, and they constantly look for new things to capture their interest. This is why online gaming has to continue to evolve, the question being: where is it going to go next? Keep reading for some of the likely predictions.
Artificial Intelligence and its Growing Role in Online Gaming
Until the last few decades, artificial intelligence was simply a concept, a plot point to be used in sci-fi flicks. Today, whether you are aware of it or not, AI is an integral part of life. It first emerged in gaming through NPCs (non-playable characters), and artificial intelligence is what allowed the characters to seemingly react in real-time to the events of the game. That being said, their responses are still relatively limited because if they were given too much free rein, the game would likely go awry – think Ryan Reynolds's character in the movie Free Guy.
When it comes to looking into the role AI will have in the future, it seems to be getting a larger role in game development. It is already used in the construction of the online games like asset generation, which then allows the game designers to focus on other aspects of the game. Artificial intelligence will eventually be used to create entire levels and take on a more significant role in game development. However, there will still likely be the need for human oversight.
The Changing Landscape of Online Gambling
Online gambling is an incredibly popular hobby, and as such, the increasing demand has led to several innovations in the industry which are necessary to ensure that the hobby can keep the interest of the audience. Firstly, a lot of online casinos have decided to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment; while that is obviously an example of the casinos embracing modern technology, it does have its downsides too. For example, the worth of cryptocurrencies is unstable. They fluctuate, which can have an effect on your winnings.
Next, mobile gambling is also coming on in leaps and bounds. Traditionally, online casinos could only be accessed via a desktop or a laptop because the sites themselves were not mobile optimised. However, this is changing; a lot of online casinos also have their own apps, which can be downloaded onto a smartphone too. Also, a lot of online casinos are also implementing the use of live dealers to provide a more authentic casino experience while you get to stay in the comfort of your own home. Finally, you can also find entire sites like Online Casinos dedicated to reviewing the sites to help customers to get the most out of their money
The Increased Reach of Virtual Reality
The concept of virtual reality has been getting tantalising closer for years before its first emerged in the gaming industry. That being said, while elements of VR are starting to be utilised in online games, it has yet to fully realise its potential. There are lots of different Gaming companies falling over themselves and each other to deliver the immersive experience that players are looking for. The first iterations of the VR headset were a little lacklustre, and as such, they were underwhelming for a lot of people.
The intention now is to refine the design until they are able to make the headsets more user-friendly, comfortable and accessible to the masses. A lot of companies are working hard to be the first ones to deliver the hyper-realistic experience that players are clamouring for. The aim is to seamlessly blend the player's real-life surroundings with virtual reality. Up until now, VR has been a solo experience, but if a business can manage to create a program that blends physical reality with virtual reality, more people would be able to come together to play.
Augmented Reality and Gameplay
Continuing on from virtual reality, within the same realm is augmented reality. Augmented reality instead takes the player's field of view and transforms it by overlaying it with graphics. Pokémon Go is a great example of this. Instead of a headset, a mobile device is often used, which makes the games far easier to develop. This is why in the short term, AR advancements seem to be far more accessible than VR because the game developers and designers do not have to erase reality to create their own or develop a seamless blend of the two; they only have to create a program that compliments the world around them. The only downside is that while these games get you out of the house, they can be hard to play because you need a network therefore if you run out of data or lose signal, then you can't continue playing.
The Rise of Cloud Gaming
In the next few years, cloud gaming is set to rise in popularity. It has already been generating a lot of interest both in the gaming industry and the playing community. There have even been those that have stated that it could have a revolutionary effect on gaming. Players will now be able to play the games remotely using a cloud. A lot of big companies are funnelling funds into the development of a cloud-based gaming platform. It will likely make gaming more accessible and inexpensive for gamers – after all, it only requires an internet connection.
The Bottom Line
The above is a list of the trends that you can expect to see in the next few years coming from the gaming industry. The gaming industry is huge, it is a global entity, and it continues to expand. The future of gaming relies entirely on the players and their preferences. Therefore, businesses continue to prioritise gameplay and user experience.