There’ve been significant developments in the gaming industry recently. Games are almost unrecognisable compared to the early days of gaming, with new features continually being added to improve user experiences. Now, gamers get to enjoy their favorite games in different fun ways, either by using specific advanced devices, playing from their homes, or creating their imaginative game world with the help of improved technology. i
Due to this, there has been a huge increase in gamers, particularly online gamers.
In case you are wondering what these gaming trends are, we’ll be looking at some of them that are popular so far in 2024.
iGaming
Although iGaming has been around for a while, we can’t deny that it evolves continually. In 2024, the industry has grown massively because new people are realising how convenient, fun and immersive it can be. You can enjoy your favourite game from the comfort of your couch. Sports betting, poker, and online casinos are some popular examples of iGaming.
This new convenient approach to gambling has launched iGaming to the forefront; previously, players would need to head to brick-and-mortar casinos to play their favorite games, blackjack, roulette, slots… However, these games have been brilliantly replicated in digital form. The best part is that the digital games feel exactly like you are in a traditional casino. With different variations, themes, soundtracks, and features to add excitement for gamblers. You can check out https://www.casinosherlock.com/, they provide solid recommendations for casinos that offer entertaining games.
In addition, here are fun new games in development, proving that iGaming will endure as a top trend.
Virtual Reality in Gaming
Advanced technology has drawn people closer to their imagination with the help of Virtual reality. VR is designed to make players feel like they are a part of a video game, in the form of a 3D mask.
Apart from the gaming world, Virtual Reality has been used for other purposes like virtual concerts, virtual cinema, virtual meetings, etc. It draws people closer even when they are far away from each other while also taking people to another world – all without leaving your room. Although everyone would benefit from the fun aspect of the VR experience, not every gamer can afford the devices, this is because it’s on the high side of pricing. However, we can’t deny that it is worth the price, because of the advanced benefits and immersive experience. Nonetheless, there are thousands of die-hard VR fans who have these amazing devices.
As VR becomes more accessible with time, it’s sure to remain trending in future. For instance, some gamers who have large followers make videos of themselves playing horror-themed games with VR just to scare themselves for viewers to be entertained.
Generative AI in Gaming
Artificial Intelligence has been the next big thing for a while now. In the creative world, many people resort to AI because it helps increase productivity, while in the gaming world, Generative AI has been integrated and has caught people’s attention because of its effectiveness at personalizing and being interactive in place of humans. This technology is a game changer as it creates a video game character that adapts to your actions and does everything you want including having personalized conversations.
Generative AI features have elevated gamers’ experience because they can be tailored to follow a narrative that you want, more like creating a world of your own with your avatar in a video game.
In addition, instead of doing a lot of things manually while gaming, Generative AI would automatically do that for you, this is not only fun but also a seamless experience.
MetaVerse Integration into Gaming
This is also another combination of virtual reality and augmented reality in the gaming world that has caused an uproar in of 2024. Advanced technology has been on a roll with the creation of devices that can generate a virtual environment while also interacting with other users in real life. With metaverse devices, you can create your avatar, items, and environment and virtually have social interaction with other gamers.
Many technology companies know how much of a big investment the meta integration is, so they are investing in creating their versions. One of which is Apple. In February 2024, they announced the release of the Apple Vision Pro which is a virtual reality headset that you can wear around and do everything you want. From chatting to video calling, to watching movies, to attending meetings to gaming. With your created meta avatar, you can communicate with other users. After weeks of gamers using the device, many reviewed it positively.
This proves how metaverse integration is a need even in our lives generally, and why it is also trending in 2024 and will be the next big thing in further years to come.
Cloud/Live Streaming Games
Live-streaming games are common among online audiences these days. This live streaming has built careers for streamers who entertain their audience by live streaming their video game experience. In 2023, at least 27% of users watch live-streaming content every week. Many streamers end up having over 100,000 people watching them play their games, connecting millions of users every day. Viewers can also chat with the streamer while watching, which adds a fun social aspect.
Cloud gaming on the other hand is taking over the gaming industry gradually. Just like streaming a video, you can run games on any stable server on your mobile devices or TVs without needing a computer or console. In recent times, some big companies like Netflix have also allowed audiences to stream their cloud games on TVs, phones, etc.
Overall, streaming in general is evolving and giving more people access to doing it from any part of the world. In addition, those who have large viewers tend to monetize it, so we can call it a life-changing opportunity, which is the reason why many people are jumping on streaming platforms to actively stream and build their audience.
Mobile Gaming
In 2024, according to a forecast, the global mobile gaming market is expected to be called at $ 189.50 billion in revenue which proves that mobile gaming is a burgeoning industry. Even with the recent development of phones, many brands now prioritise creating high-quality screen resolutions that would be good for gaming.
Nowadays, people prefer to game on their smartphones since they can be carried around, and because of this, many game developers now create mobile versions of their games for a larger audience to have access to them. This has resulted in the growth of mobile device gamers.
These mobile games are also constantly improved with high-quality sound effects, graphics, and even multi-players. Just like bigger devices, most games allow you to also connect with other players via chat, community, and many more with their mobile versions. With the look of how seamless and enjoyable the mobile experience is for players, it will continue to be a trend till the end of 2024 and beyond.
eSports
Lastly, eSports has been on for the longest time, although it wasn’t popular compared to now. At those times, people preferred to go out to participate in these games themselves but since technology has made it more advanced with interesting features that create competitiveness amongst players, many now resort to playing their favorite sports online.
Having to play your favorite sport football, basketball, baseball, racing, card games, etc has made a lot of gamers spend a lot of money on eSports platforms, which leads to a consistent revenue rise generated by the Esports market every year. According to Statista, the report market worldwide is projected to reach a revenue of US$4.3bn by the end of this year which leads to a growth rate of 7.10%.
Just like in a normal traditional sport where players are specially skilled, eSports characters are programmed the same way. For example, football is popularly played on eSports, you can create your player, create your team with anyone across the world, and so many more. Also, the Sports players have their coaches, trainers, etc. This helps to make the gaming experience more realistic and interesting.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, gaming is becoming more relevant with every year. Factors including constant development, added features, adapting to human wants, and expansion of market target audience, and many others, help gaming station itself as the next trillion-dollar industry. Most of these trends are just the beginning in an exciting new world of continous innovation.
