Technology evolves at an incredibly rapid speed, and more so in the gaming industry.
Here are a handful of these gaming developments:
- From the early times of 2D gaming like Pong (back in 1972) all the way to the first very first 3D game which was 3D Monster Maze (way back in 1981);
- From the simple first-person shooters such as Wolfenstein 3D (in 1992) to much complex, life-like shooters such as Battlefield 3 (in 2011)
The technological evolution in the gaming world has been an intriguing ride for both hardcore and casual gamers. From land-based casinos to All Slots online casino and other online based casinos, to mobile gaming, the evolution is far from over.
And each of us probably has a wishlist of how they want things to turn out in the coming years. Here are a few features to give you a glimpse of the future in the gaming arena.
1. Virtual Reality
With the major technology leaps that led to improved hardware abilities, virtual reality seems to be making a comeback in the gaming world. Specifically, we have the upcoming Oculus Rift, which is a VR head-mounted display that Palmer Luckey created.
Despite being a fantastic milestone, virtual reality has attracted its fair share of criticism for being isolating. The proponents of VR seem to have taken this seriously and now they promise a future VR which will be social.
It will be possible for two strangers to recognize each other, as they move and talk in the virtual world. So, the future VR is moving gamers from an isolating encounter to an immersive one.
2. Augmented Reality (AR)
Other than visualizing your physical environment, Augmented Reality can allow you to be digitally fed with extra information or data outlay in real time.
A practical example of AR in action is Wikitude, the mobile app. When you hold up your smartphone and point it towards the surrounding, the screen shows ATMs, restaurants, roads, etc for you to navigate.
Well, we already have gaming apps such as DroidShooting – a simple shooter game that allows you to interact with your surroundings in real time. While holding a smartphone up, you can shoot targets that appear from your surroundings. This is primitive gaming, of course, but the gameplay concept can be advanced.
Ultimately, we may end up with a game with wearable UI such as Google Glass. In this case, you won’t need to hold up any device or console, but you will play the game and feel like you are in the gaming realm like in this case.
3. Open-Source Gaming
If you search your mobile store, you will find numerous cheap (and free) homemade games. That can give you an idea of what future gaming looks like – Open Source!
For example, Ouya is an Android-powered video console which works under the idea that games should be affordable in both building and buying.
Ouya provides 1080p gaming experience with lots of affordable and free-to-play games at $99 only. And more gaming consoles seem to be getting into the market; this will give rise to a wider array of free-to-play games, eliminating possible monopolistic tendencies by gaming developers.
4. Secondary Gaming Screens
With the ever-growing market for handheld devices such as tablets and smartphones, the console war among major brands like Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony continues, and there’s a rush to create a secondary gaming gadget.
A couple of secondary screens are already out. The first one is the Wii U GamePad with a built-in touchscreen to supplement games. It also allows you to access your inventory’s map without having to leave the field. Besides, it adds to the gaming experience.
The second app is SmartGlass by Xbox. It is an essential tool for interaction among gamers. You can download it to your tablet or smartphone to enhance your gaming experience. Additionally, we have the Sony Cross-Play which allows a gamer to cease playing on one device before resuming on a different device.
5. Cloud Gaming
Now that we have faster and more reliable internet connections, cloud computing has gained momentum, and cloud gaming is now becoming possible. It is an opportunity to make games as accessible as movies and music.
Cloud gaming will make it easy to access and update games using a stable internet connection. Games will be inexpensive as well.
Conclusion
As technology and the internet continue to evolve, the gaming world evolves in that direction too. For the most part, the gaming industry continues to head towards the uncharted territory, as it explores and pushes the limits. As a gamer, you may want to sit back and observe future games unfold in your favor.
