It’s thought that the video game industry will reach a total value of $196 billion in 2022, peaking at $316 billion by 2026. It’s not hard to see why either – whatever type of game you’re into and however long you’ve got to spare, there’s an online game out there. Plus, technological advancements and new developments mean that the gaming industry is just getting started. Here, we round up some of the biggest trends to expect this year.
VR
Virtual reality offers a gaming experience like no other so it’s no surprise that it’s growing in popularity. Using VR headsets and controls allows gamers a more immersive first-person playing experience and https://www.ediiie.com/ says that the market will grow to $11 million within the next four years. Augmented reality is also tipped to be big, which uses digital images and sounds to replicate a real-life environment and make the gaming experience even more accessible and engaging.
More competitions
eSports is one of the most popular competitive gaming types around and it’s not expected to slow down. In fact, multiplayer mobile competitions are believed to be growing in prominence for a few different reasons. Not only can players enjoy these games wherever and whenever they want but multiplayer formats offer an extra level of engagement and social interaction. It helps to create a community of like-minded individuals too.
Bot interest
For years, gaming enthusiasts, including those at https://win.gg have argued against the use of bots in games – saying that it prevents proper gameplay and negatively affects the overall experience. However, we’re actually seeing more positive bot opinions filtering through the web with some gamers now arguing that it can enhance gameplay and allow individuals to play against someone even better than a pro. Of course, this is still a hotly debated topic but, with new technology and various feature improvements, it could be that the bots in-game actually improve themselves and the overall game.
Blockchain gaming
Cryptocurrency in gaming is another popular trend that we can expect to see more of over the next few years, according to https://currency.com/. What’s more, it’s not just beneficial when it comes to allowing gamers more ways of cashing in their wins. Blockchain is also being used to prevent scammers and hackers from intersecting online transactions. This comes at an ideal time too as it’s thought that gamers will spend nearly $170 million on in-game purchases by next year. Not only will blockchain make the online gaming community financially safer, but it’s opening up new opportunities for control for those players in the Play2Earn sphere.
Cloud gaming
It’s thought that expensive hardware could be replaced with cloud-based software and streaming facilities. As well as reducing the costs associated with playing the latest games, it will also mean that gamers can play and access gaming content remotely. What’s more, with faster internet access and 5G becoming the new norm, streaming games on the go could become our preferred choice.
While we don’t know for sure what the future is going to bring for the online gaming world, we can expect new titles, more advanced features and a better overall experience as gaming developers and the internet itself matures.