When it comes to adapting to the biggest technology trends, the gaming industry is always one of the first places that you will see them in action. This has been true of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, and the latest trend, the metaverse.
Video games and games have come a long way, from playing traditional games in our teens to today’s professional gamers exploring 3D worlds and making a living out of gaming. The infrastructure that helped make this happen is built on some of the most cutting-edge technology. Let’s dive into some of the most exciting and emerging technology trends that will surely impact the gaming world this year.
Cloud Gaming
Video gaming has come a long way. From sticking to the same console to having to upgrade to a new and improved one every five years or so, players have come to terms that this needs to be done in order to get the latest and greatest releases. However, just when players have started to get used to this fact, it might all be coming to an end with cloud gaming. Almost all big names in the video game industry such as Microsoft, Sony, Google, and Amazon are offering their games through a cloud-based subscription.
With cloud gaming, players will not have to constantly buy and upgrade their hardware since smart TVs and streaming devices will be enough. Everything will take place in the could data centre in the form of streaming video. With the introduction of super-fast networks like 5G, games will be even more accessible to most people. Say goodbye to dedicated gaming home systems and hello to a cloud-based future.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality kicked off with the gaming industry before it started to seep into other industries like medical and real estate. In the past five years, VR has grown significantly in the gaming world with a number of franchises offering headset technologies. VR and augmented reality which made its move with games like Pokémon Go, will be dominating the gaming industry this year. We are already seeing a rise in online casinos instead of traditional ones with some of the best casino bonus sites offering a live casino feature and live betting features to accommodate the needs of players.
The falling price of technological hardware will also make it accessible for VR to be more affordable. We’re also seeing that in the near future, cloud VR will become the IT thing which will also reduce the size of headsets.
NFTs and blockchain
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are still very controversial. However, they are becoming more and more popular as the months roll by. These games offer a way of letting players win, earn and trade unique in-game items. Although some players might view these tokens as a waste, a number of gaming companies are declaring that they are seeing a solid future for NFTs to rise in the gaming industry.
Another trend is the ‘play-to-earn’ games that reward players with cryptocurrencies that can be used for daily play. Players can make a decent income our of these games which is why they are growing in popularity.
The metaverse
While Facebook and Microsoft are heavily invested in the metaverse, a number of gamers are already experiencing the world of virtual universes when it comes to their entertainment. This year, the world of in-game worlds is about to explode with concerts happening in games like Fortnite and branded marketing ‘pop-up’ stores in universes. While many games will still resort to the traditional games, some are also interested in socialising, chatting with friends, and other forms of social interaction.
Which technology trend are you most interested in? We would love to get your feedback!
