The history of gaming is as fascinating as it is complex. With many different gaming platforms and genres, the gaming industry is ever-evolving, with new trends and ideas on the horizon. It’s no coincidence that some of the most popular modern games owe much to their predecessors. Titles like Street Fighter and Mario Bros managed to influence several generations of video games. The gaming industry’s past has defined its presence and is sure to do so in the future. Below are a few ways the gaming industry has developed in the past few years.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality gaming is all about immersing the player in a virtual environment. Although it is still a relatively new technology, developers have been enthusiastic about creating games tailored for the VR experience. Some popular VR titles include Beat Saber, Hit Man 3, Half-Life: Alyx, and more.
VR games aren’t strictly action-adventure games. As more novice gamers enter the scene, developers have begun experimenting with different gaming formats. More games are starting to have open-ended goals, where points and trophies become secondary. Many titles are based around experience, such as learning new dance moves, unraveling a story through interactive fiction, or relaxing in dreamscapes.
To accommodate the high demand, more companies are creating comfortable and affordable VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStationVR.
PC Gaming
Computer gaming started in the 1950s when scientists tried to learn more about computing power. Games like Spacewar, Tic-tac-toe and Pong paved the way for a world of gaming genres. Over the next few decades, computer games quickly became a multi-million dollar industry.
Since then, computer gaming has evolved a great deal thanks to the internet. With the advancement of technology, developers can whip up all sorts of games in a much shorter amount of time. The iGaming industry, for example, is known for its various titles. Among the most popular, gamers prefer online slots for their themes, challenges, and specific mechanics.
The internet has also made GaaS (gaming as a service or streaming) possible. As computer games become more accessible, more people are starting to play. In 2022, the number of gamers is expected to reach nearly 3 billion worldwide, and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping any time soon.
Cross-Play
Cross-play, also known as cross-platform technology, has allowed gamers with different devices to play with each other. That may sound like a small feat, but before cross-play, gamers had to wait a long time for a match to populate.
Cross-play has made all the difference in MMORPGs like Fortnite, which requires many players to populate a match. Like PC games, high-speed internet and GaaS were paramount to making cross-play possible.
Despite its massive impact, cross-play still has a few bugs. Gamers often debate the privileges some players have over others, specifically PC vs console gamers. Console gamers claim that PC gamers have certain advantages since a mouse and keyboard are more exact than a controller.
In any case, cross-play, like most experimental technology, is sure to be ironed out soon. More developers are starting to design their games considering the advantages each device has and incorporating fair mechanics in the game.
Conclusion
Video games have come a long way since their inception over fifty years ago. Thanks to the internet, gaming development has accelerated to create fascinating discoveries such as VR, online gaming and cross-platform technology.
