The online gaming industry has been experiencing exponential growth since the last decade. This will continue come 2021 and beyond.
The US video game sector reached a staggering $119 billion in March 2019. These statistics skyrocketed during the heat of the pandemic as online gaming became a source of entertainment for many people.
According to a Newzoo report, the sector will even amass revenue of over $196 billion in 2022. Top gaming companies made a lot of announcements and changes earlier this year. It’s safe to say that this decade is packed with exciting trends that are worth looking forward to.
These new developments will help developers generate more revenue and make the gaming experience engaging. A good number of these technologies are useful in other sectors such as healthcare, education, and marketing.
Various trends transformed the online gaming sphere this year, and monitoring them can give us an insight into the trends to expect next year.
We’ve compiled the top trends that are set to dominate the online gaming landscape in 2021.
XR
XR is also known as extended reality, and it’s a result of merging augmented reality with virtual reality. This technology has been gaining popularity since last year, and it’s providing numerous benefits to other sectors of the economy apart from the online gaming industry.
Developers will continue to release consoles that can meet the demands of XR. Besides, affordable XR devices will flood the market as time goes on.
Cloud gaming
The cloud gaming market is projected to reach $7.24 billion by 2027. Microsoft is a trailblazer in the cloud gaming world. The tech company is focused on offering a seamless experience both on mobile or console.
5G technology comes with a fast speed, which will go a long way to change the online gaming industry in no time.
Gamers will also be able to have access to interesting games without any hassles. Some of the popular platforms that currently support cloud gaming include Playstation Now, Apple Arcade, and Tencent START.
Rise in eSports
eSports is unarguably a highly competitive industry. However, it’s easy for anyone to dive in. It started gaining recognition when tournaments became mainstream.
eSports has become a platform for both established and aspiring professional gamers. This online gaming niche is drawing more attention like never before. Several top eSports players often attribute their success to having access to live streaming content, tutorial, and free games.
They also maximize big data and undergo rigorous training to improve their gameplay. Such gamers tend to receive handsome payouts, which can amount to millions of dollars and attract a huge following on social media.
Inclusivity
Gaming companies have been monitoring the online gaming landscape so that they can roll out games that will suit the gamers’ interests. Game developers that want to make a difference should be ready to embrace inclusivity in digital games.
This starts with featuring minorities when it comes to character design and storyline. Taking this approach will help developers to satisfy the needs of a diverse audience.
This can pave the way to collaborations between developers and end-users to create better games with exciting features.
Video game streaming
Stakeholders in the gaming industry rely on other means apart from game sales to generate revenue. There are different careers in the industry such as game journalism. eSport viewers often spend millions of hours watching live-stream content per annum.
This happens not just on PCs and consoles, but also mobile devices. Video game streaming is one of the online gaming trends we can’t ignore in this decade.
Twitch and YouTube remain the top game streaming services, while social media platforms like Facebook are just trying their best to catch up with them.
Mobile gaming expansion
The coronavirus pandemic played a major role in the rapid growth of the mobile gaming sector this year. The industry’s revenue rose to around $5.7 billion in March.
The 21st-century gamers often find it easier to play games on mobile devices than on PC. It’s not surprising that developers launched a slew of mobile-friendly and responsive games for their teeming users.
This trend comes with endless benefits for both the end-users and developers. For instance, developers can now bring the same gaming experience across different platforms without gamers having to invest in expensive hardware.
The demand for mobile games will keep increasing, and smartphone manufacturers are ready to introduce more optimized devices.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality has been a prominent trend in the online gaming scene for some time now. The technology keeps evolving over the years to provide a realistic gaming experience. Tech giants such as Facebook are working on different VR projects for consumers.
The major downside of this technology is that some VR headsets are still not affordable for the average gamer.
Explosion of remastered games
Companies like Sony and Microsoft are not leaving any stone unturned to meet customers’ needs when it comes to the remake of favorite classics. Tons of remakes that were inspired by books and movies emerged in the last decade.
Gamers should get ready for better graphics and quality audio experience among other top features. A few examples of such games were released this year, and they include Resident Evil 3 and Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Social gaming
There was an increasing demand for socializing in gaming during the pandemic crisis. Nevertheless, new gaming communities will continue to emerge even after medical experts create a vaccine for COVID-19.
Gaming companies are leveraging the social aspect of gaming in various ways. For instance, gamers will likely opt for a longer subscription plan once they spend more time online and interact with others.
