There seems to be a direct link between the gaming world and the development of technology. This makes it one of the most dynamic and innovative industries, as well as one of the most profitable. By 2023, the industry is forecast to be worth $583.69 billion.
When it comes to video games, competition amongst the developers and rival studios will push the boundaries of what we can do with the technologies around us.
The technology that’s currently on the market is opening new opportunities and trends that are set to change the way we enjoy, structure, and experience games. Newzoo forecasted that there will be 2.5 billion mobile gamers around the world by 2023. And this will be made possible by the growth of online games like PUBG and Minecraft, which do not need special high end devices for you to enjoy. You can easily spot a variable PC, laptop, console, or smartphone at Best Buy, Costco, or in your Walmart weekly ad, purchase it, and enjoy gaming without having to follow special hardware instructions.
Here are the 5 most exciting trends we are anticipating this year:
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Cloud Gaming
Cloud gaming adoption has allowed for the growth of a new industry that allows “Gaming as a Service” (Gaas) companies to thrive. Cloud gaming was popularized by PC gaming on platforms like Steam and Unity, but it has also spilled over onto consoles and mobile devices. Platforms like Playstation Now, Google Stadia and Amazon Luna have been built on this and offer users the opportunity to enjoy any game they desire whilst removing hardware limitations. This challenge was mostly seen in PC gaming, where there was always the need to upgrade your hardware so it could run a new title. 2023 offers to expand services for this service, as faster internet speeds will guarantee stronger internet connections and allow more gamers to also participate in the fun.
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Metaverse
2023 could be the year the structure of the metaverse becomes more defined and opens up ways in which more people can take advantage of the service for more than just virtual concerts and meetups. Prices for the hardware are now more affordable, thus allowing the average consumer to purchase some and encouraging better games to be released for enjoyment.
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Immersive Environments (VR & AR)
Most people’s first tangle with AR was with the advent of Pokemon GO, which set an easy starting point and sparked the desire to see or do more. As such, AR and VR tech is set to rise in 2023. The evolution of the technology has allowed for innovative designs like the Ray X2 AR glasses from TCL, as well as the HTC Vive XR Elite, which were demonstrated at CES2023. These devices are not only great for their intended purpose, but are also much more affordable and available for users and developers to take full advantage of.
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Eye Tracking Tech
Foveated Rendering is a new approach set to solve some of the problems of texture-rich 3D gaming on VR and AR streaming platforms. It uses cameras that track eye movement to allow the user to focus on a quality image while everything else that is not in focus can be stepped down. This allows for better image processing and smoother gameplay, and it will be applied to more units as it removes a previous bottleneck.
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Esports
Esports are a huge hit and have acquired a massive following since the start of the pandemic. Lockdowns opened up a lot of users to the world of eSports and created a steady fanbase.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Singapore would host the first Olympic Esports Week from June 22 through June 25, 2023. The announcement represents the next significant step in advancing virtual sports within the Olympic Movement and further interacting with competitive gamers.
Big brands have noticed this advancement and have been involved in growing the industry. with champions managing to walk away a few millions richer. With the involvement of more brands and increased demand, the prize will definitely spark the interest of more gamers. In the long run, this might be merged with the world of Pay to Earn (P2E) games, which could revolutionize the way we play.
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