Gracing households with their first presence in the 1950’s, the birth of gaming consoles was revolutionary. Gamers that once had to visit an arcade to get their gaming fix could now play their favourite games right from their own couch. Since it’s conception, the gaming industry has since become a global 173 billion Dollar industry that’s on a trajectory to keep on growing.
However, the gaming industry has come a long way over the past decade and is now barely recognisable compared to the 1950’s. The digital revolution has set the gaming industry on a path of incredible growth and innovation, with home gaming experience becoming more professional and more accessible to people across the world.
Let’s take a look at how the gaming industry has evolved over the past decade.
Online Gambling Sites
In 1996, there were just 15 gambling websites in the world, yet by 1997, this had increased to over 200. Today, there are over 3,000. The growth of the gambling industry has created a significant amount of revenue for the overall gaming industry, in which it was worth $98 billion in 2020.
This growth has made the online gambling market a highly competitive place where it can often be difficult for players to know which site to choose. This guide on roulettesites.org offers a good place to start when searching for a reputable online gambling site.
Some of the top improvements of online gambling sites over the last decade have included:
Improved graphics
With the introduction of 4K screens and enhanced streaming speeds, gaming graphics have significantly improved and offer a much better user experience than previously. Many online gambling games now use graphics that resemble that of a video game.
Safer ways to pay
While online transactions have been associated with cyber crime in the past, today’s online casinos offer more sophisticated payment methods that incorporate e-wallets like PayPal, as well as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin that work on a decentralised model, making payments more anonymous.
More interactive games
While it was a novelty of its time to be able to play casino games online, there was a lack of connectivity between the physical and digital worlds that disengaged players after a while. Today’s live streaming and Virtual Reality technologies enable players to play in real time with other players; interacting with a live dealer while feeling like they’re really inside an atmospheric casino.
A move away from pre-ordered games
While the concept hasn’t all but disappeared from our lives yet (sigh), the need to pre-order games is becoming stagnant as more providers move to online streaming platforms. Pre-ordering games was first brought in as a way for sellers to compete with each other and hold the most stock.
While people do still buy physical copies of games in store, this is becoming much more common and many games are now being pre-released on members only streaming platforms, putting an end to the perilous wait to see if you’d get your hands on a copy of the game.
Mobile gaming
We’re not just talking Snake on a Nokia here. Mobile gaming has become a necessity for online gaming providers over the past few years as Google’s mobile first preference means those that don’t adapt are left behind in the search results.
As a result, many online gaming providers have created a seamless digital experience with app versions of the desktop or web offering. This offers a much better user experience with enhanced functionality on a mobile.
Augmented reality
Recognising a need to connect the physical and virtual gaming worlds, gaming developers have begun incorporating our physical surroundings into games. Games like Pokemon Go are a great example of this, in which players could find and collect points and treasures from the game by exploring their own neighbourhood.
The game received significant popularity in which this new concept has since been a big hit.
Live streaming
Gaming is also becoming more sociable and as the last year has taught us, it’s critical to enable social interaction from home when playing such games. Some of the social trends we are seeing in the gaming industry include live streaming of games to other players through platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
We’re also seeing more games with multiplayer mode, as well as the ability to match gamers from other parts of the world.
Storytelling
While a game was once just a logic puzzle to solve, today’s video games and even online gambling games like slots feature intricate storylines, vivid graphics and fully developed characters that draw on the emotions of a player.
Overall, the online gaming industry has been transformed over the last decade. From Snake and Mario Karts to CoD and online casinos, there’s now more variety and more opportunity than ever for gaming fans to access and compete in online games, so much so that it’s become a sport.