Videogames have come a long way since the days of Atari and Super Nintendo.
The trajectory of technology is intertwined with gaming more so than most other industries. And as tech leaps and bounds into the future, so does the way we play our favorite games.
From the early days of 3D modeling that brought us Doom — the catalyst of modern first-person shooters — and the ancient modem transfer system, which grew the roots of online multiplayer.
We now gear up to embrace a brand new era of digital gaming, one that ushers in the latest generation of consoles — and builds upon the sturdy foundations of pick up and play mobile games, in our own little internet bubble.
Be it carefully constructed role-play adventures or the casual experience of online casinos. Nowadays, gaming has an infinite reach with countless avenues to explore.
Read on as we learn how online gaming is changing across various platforms and what you can expect to come in the near future.
Streaming enhances the quality of mobile gaming
Despite boasting 2.4 billion global players, mobile gaming has been pigeonholed for casual players, because of its limited hardware. And even now the most powerful smartphones cannot handle the strain of running a major video game.
But this all changes with the prospect of video game streaming services, where the only thing holding mobile gamers back is a high-speed internet connection (something many people around the world have readily available).
Our first glimpse of the future has come in the form of Google Stadia — a streaming service that allows games to run at 4K, 60FPS across a multitude of devices over cloud storage.
Although it’s had a shaky start to life (with a limited game pool and a few missing features), the mere existence of Stadia has opened the door to the future of gaming. Soon we could see the negation of hardware as the cloud takes over our living rooms.
Online casinos are becoming more popular than the real thing
Online casinos have grown into their own in the last few years, thanks to a string of technological advancements, combined with the looming threat of a global pandemic.
But this digital alternative has been threatening to replace the legacy of brick and mortar gambling for a long time. In part because they offer a convenient casino experience from the comfort of your home.
These platforms offer more live games than the real thing, up to the point there is a new online casino for every player type just to meet consumer demand (this new casinos list will give you a good idea of the scale). From 3D roulette to live poker tournaments, the digital world is rapidly encroaching on — and enhancing upon — its real-life counterpart.
This upward trend in online gambling shows that our gaming experiences run in tandem with technological innovation. And although physical casinos are in decline, it’s clear that we’re magnetized towards applications that make the games we enjoy far more convenient.
Consuming online gaming content will hit the mainstream
People enjoy watching content just as much as playing the games. Why? Because online gaming is more than the games we play, it’s the community that gets built off the back of it.
Watching video games is skyrocketing in popularity (among a few other reasons) as it allows people to feel part of something bigger than themselves, while also providing an opportunity to relax.
The motivations are much like the reason many of us binge-watch our favorite Netflix shows — or follow a particular sports team. The only difference is being part of a community they can openly engage with on a regular basis, through playing the game alongside a YouTuber and communicating with a wider audience in a live Twitch chat.
In fact, gaming now accounts for two of the top five most subscribed channels on YouTube — a trajectory set to grow as we see more investment in esports and content creators.
Formerly monopolized by Twitch and YouTube, esports and other related gaming content are gaining investment from social media giants like Facebook. So, we can expect this medium to transform into a mainstream source of entertainment in the coming years.
The gaming industry is in constant flux, always looking for the next big step, and finding new ways to enhance our experiences.
But where can they take videogames after this? Only the future holds the answer. But it’s certainly a prospect to get excited about.
(Cover Image Source: Pixabay)
