In today’s time, it is extremely rare to spend a day or two without using a phone. The technology packed latest smartphones bring so much fun and information to us in just a click. Evolving technology has turned our so-called communication devices to fully loaded entertainment centers. Today smartphones are not only used for enjoying music, internet browsing, chatting but it is also used for playing a wide variety of games anytime, anywhere. Some popular games of today’s time include Candy Crush, Pub-G, and Clash of Clans. The story of the evolution of the gaming industry is quite long.
The first game was launched in the late 70s; at that time it was impossible to predict the growth and evolution of the gaming industry. Today in the 21st century when we look back, technology has covered a long leap in a very short time. The early 70s was the time when the concept of Computer gaming started to emerge. With every new emerging technology, there is always a bunch of coding enthusiasts waiting to turn it into something really fun. With the help of some home programmers and hackers getting in on the act to create their mathematical graphical pattern Microsoft presented its video gaming concept to the world in 1990. Microsoft delivered its video gaming concept to millions through its PC’s.
Some games of the early 80s that were considered year ahead of their time are:
- 1981– Donkey Kong: It was the first game to have multiple hosts and characters, including Jump Man.
- 1984– Tetris: Nintendo introduced Tetris to the world; it is an addictive and simple to play puzzle game that people love even today.
- 1989– The Game Boy: Nintendo introduced a whole new concept of gaming which gave rise to the new era of gaming.
Video or the virtual gaming industry is very popular now a day. Some recent research shows that the video game market could become a $300 billion industry by 2025. The gaming industry generated $131 billion in the year 2018. Research also shows that the gaming industry is going to be the next multi-bagger in the segment.
Trends Redefining the Gaming and Media Industry
The video gaming enthusiasts are shifting from traditional computer games to a new era of virtual gaming. Today, eSport is a hot topic in the gaming industry and the media business. The eSport could be the next sporting activity as declared by the International Olympic Committee. And seeing the popularity of eSports it is expected that it can also become a part of the Olympics.
Some say that sports are a way of reaching young people and are also an important market for media businesses, game producers and sports themselves. The underlying trends are shaping the future of the gaming industry and digital media as one. The virtual gaming or eSport is an exclusive blend of numerous business, technology, and consumer trends that are altering an evolution into a revolution.
1. Business Trends
-
Cross screen entertainment
Mass adoption of smartphones and tablets as a gaming device has led to the adoption of cross-screen entertainment. The industry soon realized that porting game screens to other devices are no longer necessary. The consumers use one screen to play and others to watch game content simultaneously sometimes. This consumer behavior has decoded a growing series of so-called second screen and social TV marketing campaigns. There is seen a rising opportunity in this segment of cross-screen marketing, which helps marketers to accomplish their marketing goals.
- Games as a Service
Games as a Service represents a revenue model which is based on the monetization of video games. In this model, the services are provided to the user in the form of additional content after the game is launched. Games as a service have different models, some examples include microtransactions and game subscriptions and gaming on demand. Microtransactions in gaming are referred to as the transactions made to purchase weapons, rewards, new maps, get more power compared to competitors, etc. These purchases are kept optional for the players but this model encourages the players to made transactions and upgrades their gaming level.
2. Technology trends
- Gaming Tech Evolution
The gaming industry has seen a tremendous technology shift in the past few years. From arcade games to console and now smartphones and tablets, the trends are changing year after year and so is the field of game development. Tech giants are experimenting with technologies such as artificial intelligence, alternate reality, etc. and are building much stronger high tech game engines. The gaming industry will witness a lot of interesting developments in the year 2020.
- Social Connectivity
According to a research, gaming videos are watched the most which stand second compared to the music videos. Without the help of video streaming channels, it would not be possible to reach millions of people. Creating on-demand video content in social networking platforms has expanded the possibilities for consumers to create new groups and communities around their favorite content.
3. Consumer Trends
- Content creation and participation
Consumers nowadays expect more from game providers. Players want to be an integral part of the game; they want to be the new content creator and wish to share it with their friends worldwide. The popular creators are the celebrities of today and many of the teens now see this as a career opportunity.
- C2C Entertainment
Earlier the videos were watched to know reviews, opinion, product failures, entertainment, etc. The launch of new platforms such as YouNow, Periscope, Meerkat, YouTube Gaming and Twitch live video streaming has created new possibilities in every niche. In the future, video streaming platforms might replace televisions where consumers will tune into these online channels to watch live events, including sports and music. These video streaming platforms facilitate consumers to choose and watch from an unlimited list of consumer-created content.
Bottom line
The market size of the online video gaming industry is pacing with a faster growth rate. There are undoubted revenue potentials in this segment of the gaming sector. All you need is to know the niche to create a new video game. Those who wish to be a part of this multi-bagger technological evolution must invest in their gaming development and testing skills. Upgrading your skills is the only way to survive and give competition to your customers.
Guest article written by: A passionate technology blogger currently working with PureSoftware. I have been a technology writer for the past 3 years & I have written for many of the firms related to this field, I have loved the technology my whole life. My keen interest is for the emerging technologies that may change the future, RPA, Analytics, Machine Learning & much more. I am a Techno-freak that loves to explore and write about science and technology.