Technology has revolutionized gaming over the past few decades. The sector has been transformed from something which people engaged in at home or in arcades to a social experience that lets people from around the world play together. The number of mobile gamers worldwide continues to increase as gaming becomes the preferred form of entertainment for many. Looking at the realism in today’s games, it’s hard to imagine they could evolve much more. However, there are a lot of changes in store for gaming in the coming years. Keep reading to learn about the biggest trends in gaming for this year and beyond.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming will continue to grow this year as console games fall out of favour with many. One of the best things about mobile gaming is that you can take it anywhere, so your favorite games are always available when you’re ready to play. In addition, given the rise of mobile gaming, there are now a plethora of games with multiple themes, which further enhances the user experience by allowing you to choose from a wide variety of games. Nowadays, there are fishing-themed slots with their aquatic symbols, puzzles to play with friends such as Words With Friends, and the famous Battle Royale games, such as PUBG or Fortnite.
Blockchain Gaming
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have already changed the financial world, and they’re on track to change the world of gaming as well. A few major game developers have explored the possibility of incorporating NFTs and cryptocurrencies into mainstream video games but, to date, there haven’t been any notable successes. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Games like Axy Infinity and Crypto Kitties have already proven there’s a large market for blockchain-based gaming. Blockchain is so attractive because it empowers players by giving them ownership of in-game assets such as weapons, skins, and characters. They can even sell their assets in digital marketplaces.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Today’s video games are pretty realistic, but virtual reality will infuse them with an even greater level of detail. VR has been around for a while, but it didn’t become accessible to the public until recently. As the price of VR headsets has dropped and more people have invested in them, game developers have taken notice, incorporating VR elements into today’s most popular games. Some of the most popular gaming franchises, including GTA, Minecraft, and Doom, will become fully playable in VR this year. VR headsets function as stand-alone devices and can also be used with game consoles and PCs, giving gamers a more immersive experience. Apple is expected to release its long-rumored VR headset soon, which some say may have the same impact as the iPhone had on mobile gaming.
Cross-Platform Gaming
If you own a gaming console, you’re limited to playing games within its ecosystem. For example, if you’re playing a game on a PlayStation 5 and your friend is playing the same game on their Xbox Series X, you can’t play together because the two systems can’t communicate with each other. Gamers have asked game developers and console manufacturers to change this for years to no avail. However, it appears they’re starting to listen, and 2022 may be the year when cross-platform play becomes a reality.
The Metaverse
Ever since Mark Zuckerberg announced he was rebranding Facebook as Meta, the metaverse has been one of the hottest conversations in tech. Companies like Microsoft and Apple are rushing to stake their claim in the virtual new world. Games such as Second Life gave us a glimpse of what the metaverse could hold almost twenty years ago. However, it finally appears that technology has caught up to the idea of the metaverse, making it more likely to become a reality in the short term. Of course, depending on who you speak to, they may tell you the metaverse is already here. After all, video games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox all incorporate elements of the metaverse already.
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