The future is bright for the video gaming industry, with statistics showing that it’s now worth $178.83 billion as of the end of 2021, an increase of 14.4% from 2020. The figure also marks a 76.8% difference from what was predicted in 2016, which only shows there is a possibility for further acceleration. Asia is in the first place when it comes to the volume of gamers, with a total of 3.2 billion gamers worldwide accounting for 45% of the market. Europe follows closely at 22%, accounting for 715 million. If the past is anything to go with, we can expect bigger and better from the video gaming industry. Futuristic topics such as metaverse and blockchain gaming dominated talks in 2021, so we expect them to accelerate in 2022. Here are the biggest video game trends we can expect in 2022.
Play To Earn Video Games
While a few play-to-earn games such as online baccarat Philippines already exist, this is a conversation we expect more of this year. While there have been attempts to monetize gaming, they have been met by resistance from publishers unwilling to moderate and regulate trading between players. The hype around NFTs and cryptocurrencies have, however, changed things. Success stories such as Axie Infinity means publishers and shareholders are striving to legitimize player-to-player trading. Despite the several challenges players and providers face, studies have shown that many players have a strong desire for players to trade in-game rewards hence the need for play to earn games. Therefore, game providers and publishers can use blockchain technology to create a centralized gaming environment that guarantees security and legit trading.
Enter the Metaverse
The metaverse may have sounded like a completely new idea if you don’t keep up with tech news. With Zuckerberg onboard backing up meta (formerly Facebook) by investing and rebranding in an expensive marketing campaign, everyone was now ready to pay attention to this concept which existed for more than 10 years. We can expect more and more companies to find a connection between gaming and metaverse since it’s at the hip of every marketable concept. High chances are we will see more projects and video games where players can hang out in virtual places and interact with or without VR headsets. I hope you allocated a budget for video gaming this year because in-game concerts, digital goods, and unique events are about to become a thing. Expect the line between gaming and experience to get very blurry as game providers find a balance and create games that give a taste of both worlds.
NFT and Video Gaming?
If you thought NFT was just passing by in 2021, you’re in for a rude shock. More video game companies have started experimenting with the technology. There has been great resistance from players, but that won’t stop the change coming to the gaming scene. Soon enough, players will buy and own virtual goods with a crypto wallet.
Beautification Of Video Games
As video gaming attracts a bigger audience, there is a need to create games that appeal to each audience. Developers have begun embracing new aesthetics, character types, and color patterns to attract different communities. We should expect cute visuals after the huge success of Animal Crossing; New Horizon, which showed that the Japanese culture is now the main event. Similarly, Nintendo has for years shown us that it’s possible to make bright goes without compromising on quality, depth, detail, or the challenge. The message finally seems to be getting through, and we can’t wait for what they have in store for us.
What’s New, What’s Old
For the past decade, we have seen more and more developers drawing heavily from the 1980’s 2D pixel art video games. Going forward, we have seen developers looking into the 90’s era with low resolution, dark-themed videos. It’s safe to say that retro first-person shooters are hot right now. The future seemed 30 years ago, and we love to see it.
A Wide Array of Video Games
Video games fans are about to be spilled for choice as this year is on track to be the biggest yet for video gaming after 2017. The pandemic-related delays have led to one of the most exciting release calendars. We can expect games such as horizon forbidden west in February and Elden ring in November, among more titles in between. The release schedule includes everything from new releases such as God of war Ragnarök to remasters of older games. We can also expect established franchises to hit new platforms. We hope you are ready for this calendar or events because you don’t want to be left behind.
The Takeaway
As you enjoy online baccarat Philippines, there is so much to look forward to this new year, from new technology to various new releases. Whether playing on console or mobile devices, there is a list of games that will appeal to you this year so stay tuned.
