The gaming industry is constantly changing. Within the last decade alone, we’ve seen virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology go from being an afterthought in games to becoming the foundation for many titles. Change happens so quickly in this industry it’s hard for even the most dedicated gamers to keep up. There always seems to be some new technology on the horizon that promises to change gaming as we know it, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what or how until we have access to it ourselves. One thing is certain: online and multiplayer games will most likely continue to lead the way in innovation over the next decade. In this article, we look at the trends that will shape the next decade of gaming.
Mobile Gaming
If you’re like the average person, you take your smartphone with you everywhere. While these mobile devices were originally designed with communication in mind, they’ve quickly become much more than that. Today, they are entertainment hubs, making it possible for us to stream our favorite movies and TV shows in the palm of our hand. Gaming has also become a big deal on mobile devices, with developers designing titles tailored specifically to smartphones.
Over the past several years, casino gaming has moved online, with fans of this genre increasingly turning to mobile devices to play their favorite titles. Just like in a brick-and-mortar establishment, online platforms like PokerStars Casino offer a variety of games, including slots, blackjack, and roulette. Playing these games on a mobile device gives gamers the freedom to play on their schedule, wherever they’d like.
It’s not just casino games that are making a splash in the mobile gaming world; hybrid-casual games are a trend that will likely continue into the next decade. Hybrid-casual games combine the depth of complex titles with the simplicity and accessibility of hyper-casual games. Their playability is high, and they use innovative strategies like in-app purchases and live events to generate revenue. This trend emphasizes social interaction and will likely expand the potential audience for mobile games.
Cloud Gaming
When we turn on the news or check social media, science and technology are often among the top trends. If you go a little beyond the headlines, you might see some talk about cloud gaming. This new technology hasn’t reached its full potential, but it has a lot of promise. Cloud gaming makes it possible for people to play AAA games on any device they’d like instead of investing in expensive gaming hardware. It works because it allows players to stream games directly from powerful data center servers to their devices. In contrast, traditional gaming involves running games locally on your own hardware.
With cloud gaming, your device doesn’t have to do any of the heaving lifting, like processing graphics and game logic, because remote servers handle all of that. You do need to have a high-speed internet connection for cloud gaming to work well, which is why 5G is so exciting to the gaming community. Over the next decade, cloud gaming will likely make inroads into the traditional gaming sphere, with more and more gamers opting to stream games rather than purchase gaming PCs or consoles.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
VR and AR have become the latest technologies to take over gaming. As the price of these headsets goes down, more and more consumers are investing in this technology, and developers are designing games created especially for these devices. Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro have shown us what the future might hold for VR and AR technologies, which have gone from being a niche market to a mainstream part of the gaming world.
What makes VR so special for gamers is its ability to create a fully immersive experience where gamers can interact with 3D environments that are engaging and lifelike. In contrast, AR integrates digital elements into the real world, improving the standard gaming experience. The next decade promises to bring more VR and AR innovations that blend the physical and digital worlds.