Over the past few decades, advancements in technology have come on leaps and bounds. Technology is all but unrecognizable today compared to a hundred years ago, and each year the rate at which technology advances across our society increases exponentially. Today, gaming is one of the world’s largest entertainment industries and has even surpassed the movie industry. Out of a global population of over 7.7 billion people, nearly half are predicted to be gamers by 2024. But with the ever-growing revenue of the games industry combined with a stunning increase in demand from new and old gamers alike, what does the future of online gaming look like? To explore this, here is a selection of predictions based on current trends and potentially ground-breaking tech.
Implementation Of Advanced AI
It’s fair to say that the advent of artificial intelligence is already upon us, with AI tech being implemented across many different industries already. Of course, we’re some ways off from AI being truly intelligent where it can be comparable to the AI we see in science fiction, but there are a number of companies around the globe that are focused on advancing AI to a point where it is capable of advanced thought and learning. We have crude versions of AI that are driven by code and programming software, such as the characters we see in video games. Once we have created a level of AI that can practically think and learn for itself, the possibilities are endless for the future of gaming. We may even see artificial intelligence creating their own games much faster than humans can. Of course, understanding what artificial intelligence is may also lead you to question the ethics behind this sort of technology within society, and it’s worth keeping these things in mind when discussing this topic.
Cloud Computing Tech
One of the biggest drawbacks throughout the history of online gaming has been data transfer speeds. Games have often advanced well beyond network technology, and these lower transfer speeds result in lag and slow downloads. The development of better-quality connectivity has resulted in the additional development of things like cloud computing, in which data can be stored online and accessed remotely from anywhere you have a connection. This has also led to us having the ability to stream games directly to a device without having to download and install them first. While you will require a good connection with strong download and upload speeds, seamless streaming of games may be a common occurrence in the near future compared to more traditional methods. This streaming technology also means that players won’t need to have high-end technology to play certain games, as the game itself is being run elsewhere, and you are simply controlling the technology from a distance with the visual and audio data being streamed to you.
Online Gambling
This may surprise some, and it might be entirely obvious to others, but online gambling is one of the most popular entertainment industries in the world. The global market for online gambling was valued at over $57 billion last year, and it continues to grow. Gambling with real money in an online casino is incredibly popular due to the players’ potential to win a substantial amount of money from the comfort of their own homes. Of course, it’s always worth remembering that you should treat gambling with respect and not gamble on anything you can’t afford to lose, and it can be somewhat harder to police yourself when playing from home.
Better Recognition For E-Sports
The concept of e-sports has been around since the creation of competitive games. While e-sports is a relatively new concept in society, people have spectated others playing competitive video games for decades now. This proves that people have always enjoyed watching others play games, enjoying watching the competitiveness and how events unfold without being directly involved. This has, over time, led to the creation of legitimate, organised e-sports events in which teams or individuals face off against each other on specific competitive games such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and even Fortnite. While many give e-sports the credibility, it deserves today, especially once they see how high the stakes can be in major tournaments, some still scoff at the idea of people taking part in these competitions, claiming that it isn’t a proper sport or isn’t enjoyable. But the numbers don’t lie, as millions around the world tune into e-sport showcases regularly, and prize funds continue to rise higher. We will likely see even more recognition for these competitions in the years to come.
Further Graphical Advancements
Often when gamers think about the future of gaming, we generally consider how the games themselves look rather than how they play. Of course, gameplay changes and improves with better technology, but the most obvious change we see over the years is the graphical capabilities of newer titles, especially when they’re played on the next generation of consoles or with the aid of better computer components. The software and hardware advancements that are being made every year are getting so good that graphics can be almost impossible to distinguish from reality. With companies like Unity and Epic Games creating stunningly powerful game engines for developers to work with, these graphics are only going to continue to improve.
VR Advancements
A relatively new way for consumers to enjoy video games is in virtual reality. This is where a headset is worn, and a 3D representation of a digital world is displayed through lenses inside the headset. The headset is designed to register head movements using cameras in the device that detect the orientation of the headset. Some more advanced devices can even use cameras to detect things like hand and foot movements, displaying a digital rendition of them in the game world. The development of the Metaverse by the company Meta, formally Facebook, also suggests that virtual reality is going to become even more accessible and widely used for both social and gaming purposes. We may also end up seeing more haptic technology advancements, which are linked to a VR headset and worn on different parts of the body to simulate the feeling of touch, such as allowing you to feel yourself picking up an object or bumping into a wall.