What Will The Future of Gaming Look Like?

If there is one industry that has been consistently pushing boundaries in technology and entertainment, it has to be the video game industry. Did you know that the revenue for the global gaming industry was $183.9 billion in 2023? This is more than two times the entire global revenue of the cinema industry in the same year which was $70.6 billion. The future of video games is definitely shining bright.

Video games have evolved from just entertainment purposes to mainstream businesses. Highly successful TV shows, movies, etc have been made based on video games. So the next obvious question is, what is the future of the video games industry? The purpose of any video game is to offer an immersive playing experience to the user therefore, enhancing this aspect with innovative technology will be the primary goal for video game developers. But is that the only goal? Of course not, there are more factors that are explained in this article, let’s get started.

Learning The Rich History

Games have been an integral part of human lives since ancient times. From ancient board games to modern sophisticated video games, the evolution has taken its course and continues even further. Some of the most common business models we are familiar with such as freemium models, live streaming subscriptions, in-game purchasing, and advertising were started in the video gaming industry. Like the movie industry, the growing demand for immersive gaming experiences has led to significant technological advancements in the graphics processing, networking, and communication sectors.

Factors determining the future of video games

Artificial Intelligence

Let’s start with one of the most important factors of the future of gaming, Artificial intelligence. This has been used in the gaming industry for decades. The NPC characters we all interact with while playing games are all made with AI, so how does this revolutionary technology help in the future of video games

In earlier games, the AI was pretty much simple and basic, however, video game makers have taken a more sophisticated approach to NPCs by programming with behavior trees, which makes them human-like and allows them to perform more complex decision-making. The introduction of AI tools has helped a lot for the future of game development companies. Some of the top AI gaming tools include the following:

• Scenario
• Ludo.AI
• Rosebud AI
• Promethean AI
• Leonardo.AI

Even though AI is still in the developing stage, the changes it has introduced have been transforming the future of AI in gaming to the level we know today. 

Blockchain Technology

If you thought blockchain was only for cryptocurrencies, it’s time to rethink. Blockchain technology has created positive impacts and has resulted in providing immersive gaming experiences. Several play-to-earn games allow players to earn exclusive in-game tangible resources by spending enough time in the game. 

This type of business model leverages blockchain technology to create decentralized assets and secure systems for asset ownership and transactions made inside the game. Some of the other advantages of blockchain in gaming include decentralized asset exchanges, fast and secure payments, and more. In the future, we can expect to see game development services powered by blockchain technology becoming more popular.

Augmented & Virtual Reality

Video games are meant to stimulate our senses and offer immersion. Technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) enhance the gaming experience to higher levels. When it comes to AR gaming, Pokemon Go pops up in our minds. A highly popular mobile game based on AR is an effective blend of digital characters superimposed on real locations. This showed the world possibilities never explored before.

Like augmented reality, virtual reality has been gaining traction in the video game industry and is often considered to play a key role in the future of gaming. The idea of offering three-dimensional simulation access via headsets was exciting on paper but was slow to execute in reality. Although the initial VR headsets were known for their expensive cost, bulky design, and lower category of VR games, things are changing for the better and are going to be much more common in the future

Cloud Gaming

Another interesting concept that has the potential to enhance the future of gaming is cloud gaming. This is essentially playing video games by accessing and streaming them directly from compatible devices such as smartphones, consoles, or PCs. This works the same way as streaming movies, and TV shows on YouTube, Netflix, etc. The biggest advantage of this approach is minimal hardware as the games are stored on data servers and all the users need is a stable internet connection and a device to access it.

Users don’t have to shell out huge amounts of money on hardware and they can access the games from anywhere as long there is internet. Most MNCs namely Sony, Amazon, Microsoft, etc have launched their cloud gaming subscription platforms. Even though there are drawbacks in terms of bandwidth, cost, etc, the concept is more likely to be adopted by many, thereby revolutionizing the future of video games.

The Metaverse

If you are unfamiliar with the metaverse, just think of it as an online virtual world where people can log in, socialize, and live a parallel life they wish for. Watching the 2018 sci-fi movie, Ready Player One will give an futuristic idea about the concept. For those asking what is the future of video gaming, Metaverse is the next stage of immersive entertainment.

This virtual world combines the best of both virtual and augmented reality and will have its functioning economy mostly based on cryptocurrencies. Even though there are online video game platforms such as Second Life, Roblox, etc that emulates a virtual world, this will more likely evolve to new standards in the future and create a revolution across various industries.

What is the future of the video games industry?

The video game industry, by no doubt, continues to push the boundaries of gaming and technology. Things such as AR, VR, and AI which were buzzwords in the past have taken centre stage in providing innovative and immersive gaming experiences. As the demand for engagement increases, it paves the way for introducing cutting-edge hardware, software, and networking technologies that will offer limitless entertainment possibilities and positively affect the future of game development.

Video games have evolved from leisure activities to multi-billion dollar entertainment properties. They will continue to evolve further and introduce even better technologies that will shape the world for the better. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.