To say that video games have become a force in cultural development would be an understatement. The industry is the fastest growing entertainment market in the world right now. Strong communities have grown around specific games, and around the industry in general. Competitive gaming has even become a legitimate sport with millions of followers.
Sub-categories of the overall gaming industry have also emerged in the past few decades. Many of these subsidiary industries have also attained great success. Mobile gaming is an excellent example. Most of us have played at least one mobile game, and most people can recognize the big titles like Candy Crush or Genshin Impact.
Hybrid markets are also quite common. The best example here would be the iGaming industry. Online gambling exists as the natural progression of the gambling industry. However, it would not be possible to run and operate online casinos without gaming software. So, without games, casinos.com would not exist to tell us what the top gambling sites in the world are.
The Impact of Competitive Gaming
Competitive gaming has become a big part of the overall industry. eSports are now becoming the fastest growing sport in the world. Even the betting industry can’t turn a blind eye to the market’s fast rise. Both land-based and online bookmakers are getting experts to follow the latest events and create odds for the top games in eSports.
Obviously, the success of competitive gaming has led to a greater interest in the gaming market. People are now more likely to purchase, download, or subscribe to the games that they’re watching others play. What is more, many casual gamers are hoping to pursue a career in eSports, which makes them work twice as hard to become good at the game.
Competitive gaming drives up both interest and marketability. It is no coincidence that video games saw a surge in popularity after the streaming platform Twitch launched. Twitch streamers played a huge role in introducing new and classic games to a whole new generation of players. It was also one of the primary ways that professional gamers maintained an audience.
The Impact of Online Gaming
Aside from co-op, video games were considered a solitary hobby once upon a time. When the first consoles hit the market, many parents voiced concerns that their kids would be unable to develop social skills if they only played games. Perhaps, back then, that was a valid concern. But it certainly isn’t anymore. Not since online gaming has largely taken over the industry.
Online gaming is a pretty broad phrase. It encompasses MMORPGs, MOBAs, online shooters, and even iGaming. The one thing that all of these genres have in common is that they enable interaction between players. Back when multiplayer was first becoming popular, many would joke about the Call of Duty chat rooms, and their relatively toxic user base.
However, while it is true that once upon a time fans could get toxic, it is also true that many have forged close friendships and have even found romantic partners through online video games. Online gaming’s main impact was that it managed to build a stronger, more interactive gaming community. It is difficult to imagine the success of the gaming industry today, without online games.
Online Gaming and Smartphones
The popularity of online gaming ultimately led to another sub-industry rising to the top. Pretty much since the inception of cell phones, mobile games have been around. However, in the early 2000s most people understood mobile gaming to consist of Tetris, Pac-Man or Snake. Simple games that don’t require much work to run.
Today, the online gaming sector is so advanced, that many of its titles can compete with some AAA games. The best example we could give here is Genshin Impact, a game so successful that it has won several awards and is often listed in the top games of the 21st century. The online multiplayer RPG is a complex and visually-gorgeous entry, that many still can’t believe it is a mobile title.
Genshin Impact’s success has led to many imitators and spin-offs. Plenty of them have been immensely successful, while others have disappointed their fan base. For example, Diablo IV’s announcement was notoriously painful for many dedicated gamers. The game had a strong following of PC players, so its status as a mobile-exclusive title disappointed many.
Competitive Gaming and Technology
Lastly, we’d like to focus on competitive gaming’s influence on technology. We live in what has been dubbed the “digital age.” It is an era marked by fast-paced technological progress, to a point where many companies are having trouble keeping up. However, the realm of video games is entirely dependent on keeping up with new and improving tech.
Competitive gaming and eSports have greatly contributed to the technology behind games improving. Video game developers understand that their games will be played by some of the most respected and beloved gamers in the world, to an audience of millions. Naturally, they want their titles to look good and feel smooth. Because of that, they push the boundaries, drastically improving their games with each new release or patch.
There is a bit of a challenge that they have to deal with in this case, however. Sometimes, a game being too good might be an issue. Average players might not have the software to run a game that is too powerful. So, gaming studios have to strike a perfect balance between a game that runs smoothly, and one that can actually run on the average PC.
The Future of Gaming
Despite what one might hear online, video games are not dying. In fact, the industry is growing by the year. In large part, we have the online and competitive sectors to thank for this. However, it is also true that passionate game developers are coming out of the woodwork to release new and exciting games for the next generation of players. With that in mind, we are certainly excited to see where the industry will go.