The Future of Gaming

Kay TurnerMay 9, 2018

Technology is always advancing, and this has never been more true than in the last couple of years. While this means a lot for industries like manufacturing, IT and others, it also affects gaming. If you compare the games of today to even a decade ago, the difference is huge.

And in a decade, the games we have right now will likely pale in comparison to the gameplay in the future. Who knows, the entire industry as we know it might change. With that in mind, this article will take a closer look at some innovations and trends to look out for in the future of the gaming industry.

Immersive Gaming Will Be All the Rage

While VR and other AR games have us more immersed in video games than ever, this is only the beginning. Graphics are already hyper-realistic in games, so the next logical step is to make us “feel” like we are in the game.

While it is yet to be seen how this can be done in a widespread and affordable manner, there are some possibilities. 3D TVs and glasses could be used, as could VR systems like the Oculus or others. One thing that we would love to see become more common is using physical gestures to control games, as this (combined with 3D or VR) could really make us feel like we’re in the game.

Drones Will Have a Place in Gaming

Drones have exploded in popularity over the last couple of years, and hundreds of thousands have been registered to the federal government over the last year or so. While many use them for fun or to capture some great footage or photos, they have a variety of other uses such as 3D scanning or mapping.

This is because of photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements from a photograph. Drone photogrammetry could also one day play a role in video games. This is because that by capturing photos and using photogrammetry software, we could map or scan accurate 3D worlds or scenes and put them into games.

The Rise of Indie Studios

While the video game market used to be dominated by a few companies who would consistently release the most popular games, this is no longer the case. While there are of course some huge studios out there who put out popular games, there are also several more indie developers than their used to be, who are putting out great games.

Look for this to continue in the future. As building and marketing a game become simpler and more accessible for more people, the “barrier to entry” for the gaming marketplace will continue to disappear. Instead of a seeing a giant studio with a hundred employees, we might begin to see multiple studios with a dozen or so become the norm.

Secondary Screens Will Continue to be Popular

While secondary screens are not brand new, they add a ton to the gaming experience. Whether it is a dedicated screen that is shipped and sold with the console, or simply an app that works with the game, secondary screens and devices are set to be a big market.

These screens will often be able to give you quicker access to pertinent information such as inventory, map, quests or other things that would generally force you to pause the game and cycle through menus. Of course, more uses for these secondary screens will be introduced in the future and could make them an integral part of a variety of consoles.