Whether you are an experienced or novice gamer, you cannot fail to have noticed that the gaming industry is booming right now.
The global gaming market was valued at $173.7 billion in 2020 and it is expected to reach a value of $314.4 billion by 2026 – success by any stretch of the imagination.
Video games have evolved massively since the earliest incarnations first arrived on the scene and that trend is sure to continue over the coming years.
With that in mind, we take a closer look at four gaming trends that we believe are well worth monitoring during 2023 and beyond.
Fitness gaming
While many people are under the misapprehension that gaming is a pursuit undertaken by lazy individuals, a recent Betway study has blown that notion out of the water.
They found that a 90-minute gaming session on Fortnite burns the same number of calories as performing more than 350 squats at the gym.
On that basis, it is not beyond the realms of possibility for developers to begin creating games that require even greater physical input from the player.
Games such as Active Arcade have already been a big hit with people looking for fitness gains and we predict many similar titles will be launched in the future.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) technology has long been tipped to have a massive impact on the gaming sector and it finally looks ready to make a major breakthrough.
One of the biggest hindrances to VR’s progress in recent years was the underwhelming gameplay experience provided by the supporting headsets.
However, several high-profile game franchises including Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto are now compatible with the new wave of headset technologies.
With many more titles likely to be added into the mix, VR technology is a certainty to become a major part of the gaming industry.
Cloud gaming
Gaming’s success has been based on the technological advancements delivered by the latest generation of game consoles.
However, products such as PlayStation and Xbox face an uncertain future as the big names in the video game sector gravitate towards cloud-based services.
Heading down this route removes the need for gamers to upgrade expensive hardware – they can now sign-up for a monthly subscription to games in the cloud.
The rollout of 5G Wi-Fi connectivity will make cloud-based gaming even more accessible, potentially signaling the end of dedicated home gaming systems.
eSports
If someone had suggested during the 1990s that gamers would be making millions of dollars from playing video games, they would have been laughed out of town.
Fast forward to today and eSports is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, with global brands falling over themselves to get involved.
eSports is scheduled to debut as an official event at the 2022 Asian Games, potentially laying the foundations for future inclusion in the Olympic Games.
With traditional sports also clamoring to forge links with the eSports sector, its popularity is guaranteed to grow massively over the coming years.