The gaming industry has evolved so much over the last decade and certainly, the recent pandemic has had an influence on this growth for the last couple of years. During the pandemic, people found themselves stuck at home with nothing to do, so they turn to online gaming for some entertainment. There are an estimated 1 billion gamers out there, with most coming from Asia. So, with the gaming industry continuing to grow, we can start to see what gaming trends will be popular. In this article, we will discuss five of the popular gaming trends of 2022 and give a brief explanation of each.
Online Casinos
The first gaming trend we are going to discuss is online casinos. Ever since the pandemic caused land-based casinos to temporarily close, online casinos have seen a rise in popularity. Online casinos give the user the opportunity to have a casino experience from the comfort of their own home, and it also gives the opportunity to make a little cash. While going to a casino in person can seem a little daunting if you don’t know what you are doing, online casinos take that anxiety away, but you still get to play live games. Playing in online casinos means you do not have the pressure of expert poker players watching you, which can mean playing is just a bit more fun. If you are thinking of playing in an online casino, it would be worth checking to see if there are any casino promotions you can use, as it may mean you get some freebies out of your experience.
e-Sports
Esports has risen to fame over the last few years, and it is likely it will only continue to grow. Esports is quite a simple concept, it is competitive video gaming where multiple rival players or teams compete against each other to try and win. The prize for winning is often cash, but the winner will also receive recognition within the gaming community. It is essentially the same principle as classic sporting events, except the sport in question is video games. Esports is often streamed live, and you can even buy tickets to watch the event in person. Onlookers get to cheer on their favorite gamers in person and may even get the opportunity to meet them. For someone who doesn’t understand video games, eSports may be a difficult concept to grasp, but it doesn’t make it any less valid. Esports has proven to be a popular gaming trend and we predict that it will keep on growing within the gaming industry.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming is another trend that has become popular over the last few years. With the constant evolution of mobile phones, mobile gaming has been able to develop even further, and now gaming on your phone has never been easier. Mobile gaming is popular because it allows users to play on the go. They do not have to be stationed at a computer desk to play their favorite games, instead, they can simply pick up their phone wherever they are a start playing. This is a great way for people to stay entertained on long car journeys, or while waiting for the bus. Another appeal to mobile gaming is that the sheer variety of games means that it is accessible to everyone, anyone who has a phone has access to mobile games, simply by going to their app store. While some games require the user to have some previous knowledge of either the game or gaming console, mobile games do not have this restriction, therefore anyone can play the games. This is great, particularly for the older generation, as it means they can access and play mobile games and keep themselves entertained for hours.
Cloud-Based Gaming
Another popular gaming trend is cloud-based gaming. Compared to some of the other gaming trends discussed, cloud-based gaming is a fairly new concept, but it has proven its place within the gaming industry. The traditional concept of gaming requires users to either download a game on their console, or buy a physical disk, but cloud-based gaming removes the need for that. Instead, what you would do is use a remote server to stream the game directly to your PC or console. It is a similar concept to that of Netflix or Disney+ where users do not buy a DVD, but, instead, stream content directly to their TV. Streaming platforms are so popular, and the gaming industry recognized that, which is why cloud-based gaming is on the rise. Cloud-based gaming certainly has potential, but with any sort of streaming service, there are downsides. Streaming requires a strong internet connection to perform, so if the user doesn’t have a reliable connection, then their gaming time will be interrupted. Having said this, cloud-based gaming is still in the early stages of development, so we will likely see improvements in the next coming year.
Virtual Reality Games
Virtual reality gaming is another trend that is starting to make its mark in the gaming industry. Virtual reality, or, VR, is a concept where the user is transported to a 3D artificial environment and gets to explore the virtual environment. Virtual reality gaming is a trend that is ever-evolving, thanks to the constant updates of VR headsets. The invention of virtual reality headsets is what truly launched virtual reality into the world as it meant users could have a fully immersive experience, with complete 360-degree views and surround sound. The most recent development of virtual reality comes from Mark Zuckerberg and his’ metaverse’. The metaverse is essential to a virtual reality space where you build your own avatar to interact with other users. You communicate with these users in an entirely computer-simulated environment, and you can even purchase food at drinks while in the metaverse. Although the metaverse is still fairly new, it has gained a lot of traction and many celebrities are now creating their own virtual space within the metaverse.
