Gaming is an industry that doesn’t sit still for long. It’s in a constant state of flux with new technology and concepts always coming into the picture and improving, or in some rare cases throwing a wrench into the works of the industry.
Naturally, all tech and concepts that don’t work out are left in the dust pretty quickly, but the ones that do work to improve a gamer’s experience of game worlds are integrated into “the new normal” for development and gameplay. Since the very first video game was invented and played back in 1958 (we know, it’s hard to believe, right?), the industry hasn’t once stopped evolving. As the old saying goes, it’s “adapt or die” if you want to stay relevant in the gaming world. Online multiplayer games, poker software, game engines, game concepts, characters, and storylines had all evolved so much that it’s not the same industry it was when it began. It’s not even the same industry it was a year ago!
To understand where the industry is going, it’s helpful to have a little context about where it came from. Let’s take a look at some past industry highlights that will inform the pointers we give you about how things have changed and how they’re likely to change in the future.
The Past
In the pre-crash era, when gaming became accessible to the public, cartridge consoles like Atari were the gold standard. Pong was the game that ensnared the imagination of the world and opened up people’s minds to what the industry could become in time. After the industry started to plateau, Space Invaders reinvigorated it in 1978. Arcade machines followed, and games like Donkey Kong and Pacman drove further growth and more public investment and access.
The industry exploded around 1985, but the explosion was too much to maintain. New competitors entered the race with subpar tech and game development skills, and these caused a massive industry downturn. The tech race began in earnest, with computers joining the industry and more classic consoles like Nintendo coming out.
The Present
When the year 2000 hit, computer technology had officially overtaken console technology as the favorite for gamers all over the world. Online gaming became the order of the day, and for most gamers, low-tech and now “retro” console games fell by the wayside. Massive multiplayer online games took over as the most popular games of the day. Gamer communities thrived online as LANs slowly died out, and online gatherings in chat rooms or apps became the new LAN. Games became faster as computer technology became faster. Better colors, smoother gameplay, and more enticing and intricate character designs became the norm. Xbox and Playstation were now the kings of the console world, and so they have remained. As we progressed through the mid and late 2000s, subscription services became more reliable and accessible.
Mobile tech has certainly caught up over the last decade. The mobile market can now say that it has cornered around 60% of the overall gaming market as tiny tech continues to evolve and improve.
Cloud-based gaming, as well as VR and AR, have gone from science fiction to reality over the last few years, though there is a lot of improvement to be made here before the tech becomes readily available for the majority of the gaming community.
The Future
The future of gaming has many facets. VR, AR, and cloud-based gaming remain at the forefront of the gaming tech evolution. The problem with cloud-based gaming is that many gamers don’t have access to fast enough internet to make good use of the tech. Fiber is becoming more and more available, so in a few years, we will be looking at a very different landscape. VR and AR technologies are currently only available to gamers with a chunk of change in their pockets, but as the tech is refined, it will become more accessible.
The Metaverse is another much-discussed aspect of the future of gaming, but if this ever happens, it will be a very slow, long-term change. Game streamers and sponsored content are becoming more and more common as we step further into the age of influencer marketing.
Wrap Up
As you can see just from the few points we’ve made here, the gaming industry has come a long, long way. The future of gaming is as immersive as possible, taking the gamer from this world and dropping them into a world of their choice for them to become a soldier, a demon hunter, a prince or princess, a witch, an animal, a business person or a pilot for as long as they like. Changes are coming thick and fast, and we can’t wait to see where they take us.
