Unless you’re stuck in the wilderness playing solitaire, it’s impossible to have missed the ever growing exposure of online gaming. It doesn’t matter if you’re a video gamer, casino or slots enthusiast – the simple fact is that contemporary gaming is now becoming online as standard. All sectors of electronic gaming are now placing absolute focus on the online experience as their top priority. This is true for video games as well as casino operations. At time of writing this does indeed look like an unstoppable trend. So what does this shift tell us about how we enjoy our multiplayer adventures and sizzling hot online slots?
Ramifications For The Video Game Industry
Not that long ago online video gaming was considered as a bit of an accessory to an overall package. For example first person shooters would be based upon a single player campaign, with the idea being that online skirmishing was an alternative/bonus feature. That’s far from the case today. There’s a rather vocal minority of players who complain that their $50 games are overly concerned with the multiplayer aspect, at detriment to the single player experience.
This is an interesting issue and one that represents a sizable shift in how games are nowadays marketed. Production companies know all too well that having players participating online opens up potentially huge further revenue streams. Gamers who don’t wish to spend hours leveling up can skip the process and just purchase – in real money – instantly available upgrades. Understandably this seems a little rich, but unless gamers decide to stop playing – and that’s never going to happen – there’s frankly not much they can do about it.
On the plus side, online gaming has seen entire virtual worlds being created in games featuring millions of players from across the globe. Such immersive experiences would have been a pipe dream less than ten years ago, but online gaming has delivered this progress. As new generations are brought up with this style of gaming being the norm, expect further slow and steady decline of the grand solo player campaigns of yesteryear.
The Online Casino Industry Reflects The Online Trend Perfectly
Until smartphones became mainstream online casinos were pretty much on the outskirts of the entertainment sector. Sure poker has been popular for years but slots and casino games much less so. Just look at the difference today. Now we can see relatively obscure slots games such as Dobra Mine gain worldwide following thanks to the exposure online play can offer. Contemporary slots with their flash graphics and deeply immersive game play are enjoyed across the globe – not just by money players, but as a casual form of fun for free play too.
Again this would have been unthinkable not too long ago. The clear trend we can see across the globe is that the greater a national market’s exposure to smartphones and universal internet, the higher the uptake in using phones to play games. In terms of casinos we’re seeing a rush for previously unopened markets to be regulated, with the major casinos literally waiting in the wings until legislation is passed for them to operate. To put it simply, where people can play online, they will – and they’ll pay for it too.
Is This Trend Unstoppable?
The question nobody dares to ask is – ‘how can online gaming keep fresh?’. We’re already seeing people getting bored with regurgitated 1st person shooters and such. Slots games are increasingly gorgeous to play, but again – where is the zenith? How far can it go on?
This is precisely why the gaming industry across the board is investing so much into VR this time around. There’s still plenty of questions as to whether this is the time VR will finally become mainstream. If it takes off then the sky’s the limit and the future of online video gaming is secured for generations to come. The same goes for casinos who could theoretically be opening up an entirely new playing/social experience – if they get it right. Frankly so far progress is slow to stumbling – and while it’s not an emergency just yet, those hardware and software developers really ought to be making quicker progress.
Interestingly the E-sports phenomenon demonstrates in the meantime how online gaming is becoming a mainstream form of viewing entertainment. Bookies are getting in on the action too. If that continues it’s extraordinary success, then maybe it will prove enough of a distraction until the guys in the lab finally get their VR up and running.