Trends That will Define the Future of Videogames
The gaming industry is still one of the most innovative and forward thinking sectors in the world and every year we bear witness to the next big thing. The evolution of the videogame can be traced back to humble Pong-based beginnings as the Magnavox Odyssey began entering our homes, and since then we’ve been treated to some truly astounding games that have defined entire generations. Now here we are more than 40 years later, and we’re once more discussing and debating the future of the industry and just what that may mean for excited gamers everywhere.
THE GROWTH OF E-SPORTS
As technology continues to evolve and proliferate in ways we could not have previously imagined, it’s important to consider just how big the market for watching live-gaming has become. Thanks to plethora of game-based streaming services such as Twitch, both players and spectators have been able to come together to play, stream and view live action in a large-scale shared gaming experience. Esport events that pit together the world’s finest players in huge contests already draw large online audiences worldwide and the live events themselves are often held in sell-out arenas.
Now, with traditional broadcasters and big sponsors already keeping a close eye on the growing modern sport evolution, it may not be long before we see pay-per-view esport events arriving on our TV screens, and possibly even getting their very own dedicated cable channel.
OLD AGE GAMERS
The mobile gaming market has also enjoyed major success over the past few years and this is chiefly due to favourite games and apps being made available to download more conveniently than ever before. Not only that but many of these games are offered for free, with companies pinning their revenue hopes on in-game purchases to help enhance the gameplay experience. It’s this convenience and attractive pricing scheme that has led to a wider range of players turning their attention to online gaming, and it has also seen huge numbers of ‘virgin gamers’ take their first step. More and more players over the age of 50 have started to enjoy generational gaming, playing games on their mobile-based devices and recent research has suggested that the older generation can even benefit from gaming which can help stave off symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia.
AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY
As developers continue to blur the lines between playing and socializing, evidenced none more so than the rise to prominence of many bingo games, the industry is set to become more immersive than ever before. Next year is set to see a number of high profile virtual reality products finally hit the market which will be very closely followed by the release of Microsoft’s eagerly-anticipated new piece of augmented reality tech, the Hololens. There are still plenty of tweaks to be made to the technology, and learning curves to overcome but these new 360 degree gaming environments are certainly an exciting prospect for the future of gaming.
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