From the first gaming console in 1972 to the ability to pause your game on your TV at home and pick up right where you left off on a smartphone the size of your hand, to say that the gaming industry has advanced would be an understatement. From a single joystick controller to ones that you can fully customize and map according to your needs, and with top-tier games always in development with unbelievable graphics, gaming, especially online gaming, is one sector of entertainment that we predict won’t be slowing down any time soon at all. We expect more and more people to jump onto the bandwagon, given how easily accessible it is now to wind down and game.
From gaming hobbies turned into entire streaming careers, online gaming has opened up the door to a whole new world of opportunities, and we’ve only really scratched the surface. From revolutionizing how we relax to how we play poker online with our friends and even creating new friends from all over the world thanks to voice chat options in-game, online gaming will always continue to trend for one reason or another. To see the latest trends and predictions for the world of online gaming, keep reading below!
Streaming Continues to Grow
Game streaming has been something we’ve seen steadily growing over the years, with YouTubers such as PewDiePie, Markiplier and Jacksepticeye, to name a few, being some of the big names to really put game streaming in the spotlight. It’s a great way to step into the world of gaming if you’re not quite sure where to start yourself, and with so many streamers and niche game content being put out there, you can really take your time and browse to see which sorts of online gaming is interesting to you!
We expect to see this continuing to grow in the future, with platforms such as YouTube, Twitch and Patreon being the main sources where gamers can live stream their games or even upload let’s plays and walkthroughs of some of the most popular games at the moment for their audience to view. It’s also a great way to wind down after the end of a hectic day, even if you don’t have time to game yourself – think of it as a new, alternative form of watching television!
Pro Gaming and Esports
Another part of online gaming we expect to see continuing to grow is pro gaming and esports at a tournament level.
With more and more individuals showing a real skill for online games such as Fortnite, Valorant, PUBG, and League of Legends, just to name a few, more and more gaming companies are trying to accommodate fans and pro players alike by hosting esport tournaments in huge venues that you can tune into live from the comfort of your home, or viewable at the venues themselves to watch your favourite team live to try and win the title of champion. With an entire calendar of tournaments due to be hosted in Seoul, Copenhagen and more, it really is a big deal and will continue to find itself in the spotlight of mainstream gaming in the upcoming future as well!
Metaverse Gaming
This is perhaps one of the most recent technological advancements in the gaming industry, and we expect to see more of it being incorporated into the world of online gaming. With the term ‘Metaverse’ being something we hear more and more of, and with more countries investing in it, metaverse gaming is relatively new.
It’s still in the early development stages, but we expect to see the online social media integration with gaming being made sooner rather than later. Metaverse gaming is an unexpected yet impressive combination of AR gaming, the use of social media and online gaming that can be done via mobile – and those are just some of the integrated features we’re mentioning!
One of the key factors when it comes to metaverse gaming is just how accessible it is to everyone. Who doesn’t have an online presence these days? It’s as simple as taking an already existing feature and tying it with the world of online gaming.
AR and VR Technology
Aside from metaverse gaming, which can be seen as part of the world of AR/VR, the actual advancement that virtual reality is making is also something that we predict will be integrated into online gaming.
Thanks to the success of the Oculus Quest 2, the PSVR2 is looking promising as well, with PlayStation upgrading its old model to include features such as eye-tracking, 3D audio, and headset feedback. And with titles already out for release, such as Horizon: Call of the Mountain, who knows what other games will make their way to the augmented and virtual reality world?
Even companies such as Apple are in the development phase of their own VR headset. That’s one company that will try to integrate as many of its features and services as possible, considering the number of people in the world who own an iPhone. Online gaming is about to be taken to a whole new dimension.
