Chances are, if you’ve been in the vicinity of the gaming community over the past ten years, you’ve caught a whiff of what’s been going on. A lot. Online gaming isn’t just increasing in popularity. A lot of people are logging in every day to play, compete, spectate and just hang out in realms that look better than their own physical world. However, behind this increase lies a silent but potent engine, which is technology.
Connectivity, graphics, hardware and software advancements are also transforming the nature of online gaming. The world of online gaming has become rich, vast and a bit confusing. So, let’s cut to the chase, dive into this technology that is fueling this online revolution and find out why it continues to attract many gamers.
Why technology is fueling online gaming’s popularity
Accessibility wins
The easier it is, the more players will come. That’s simple math.
The availability of affordable smartphones, cloud-based gaming and an intuitive interface has tempted new users who would otherwise find the world of gaming intimidating. And with online games covering all kinds of genres, there is literally something for every type of player, from puzzle game enthusiasts to strategy game lovers.
Personalization and data-driven experience
The latest games offer a better understanding of players than in previous titles. Using analytics and machine learning, developers are able to provide players with recommendations, matchmaking and curated game feeds.
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Enabling the tech backbone powering online gaming
Hyperfast internet is the real MVP
Online gaming is all about connection speed. The transition from slow 56k dial-up speed to fibre and 5G has completely flipped a switch. Latencies decreased, download speeds increased, and now gunplay in competitive shooters, huge battle royals and enormous MMOs are no longer merely playable but also silky-smooth.
For gamers, this upgrade went beyond an upgrade; it was a game-changer. Wait times decreased. Server stability improved. Multiplayer gaming went from stressful to fun. And as 5G networks continue to roll out around the world, what we’re seeing now is a whole new class of mobile games that are leveraging that speed to give consumers a console experience from a device that fits in their pocket.
Cloud gaming is the console killer (well, maybe)
Cloud gaming represents a technology that has been most revolutionary in many years. The notion behind this technology is extremely simple compared to other innovations. The technology involves running game processing in a server that is miles away from your computer.
Services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce NOW and Amazon Luna are now offering access to high-end gaming without the need for a high-end computer. Sure, cloud gaming has a ways to go. It’s still very dependent on good internet access. But it’s no longer a test project. Now, it’s a way of playing for many gamers. And then for developers, cloud gaming provides access to a market that doesn’t want to spend $600 every few years to buy new hardware.
AI everywhere
“It’s not a robot of this planet” refers to a period in which artificial intelligence (AI) was being used in enemy robots that would walk into walls. This has long been in the past, as current AI encompasses all aspects of a game
Procedural generation means that your world can assemble itself, and upscaling with AI means you can make your graphics look better without over-taxing your GPU. Some game developers are even playing around with dynamic NPCs, which adapt their behaviour in a more natural way, rather than a choreographed script.
But what it means to be “most” in this way remains ambiguous. There are many questions being asked about all this, but it seems that such a world would be a lot like our own world, with “most” people being those members of society with whom we
Graphics and hardware are the glow-up we can’t ignore
Photorealism enters
The graphics in games are now so refined that you find yourself needing to squint your eyes to remember that what you are viewing isn’t a film. Ray tracing, which was but a theoretical notion in “futuristic” sci-fi movies, has now become a reality that adds realism with lighting and reflection in normal PCs. GPUs continue to advance with every new generation, and game developers are always eager to test their capabilities.
This visual leap has a lot to do with more than mere aesthetics. A major part of this involves immersion. A world that looks believable is a world that your brain can accept as being in a place you want to be.
Accessory evolution
Gaming accessories used to refer to a headset and perhaps a wired controller. Now it means ecosystems. There are also mechanical keyboards that can be customized with RGB, headphones that support 3D spatial sound simulation, mice that are designed for long gaming sessions, various accessories for gameplay and even vests that simulate in-game impacts.
The VR technology has also improved, with lighter designs. There are also advancements in motion tracking technology. Mobile gaming accessories are no exception. This explains why many people are now treating their gaming as a small hobby turned into a completely loaded experience.
