Once a relatively unpopular activity practiced by enthusiasts in the back of an arcade or a bedroom, video games are now democratized to all levels of the population. The phenomenon is global, as evidenced by the boom in the video game market in China and Europe. Thanks to the contribution of new technologies and new formats, video games are on the way to becoming something even bigger. Zoom in on the transformation of video games in recent years and their likely future.
New formats for new players
The world of video games has undergone a real revolution with the advent of digital devices. Smartphones and tablets have not only brought new, much more intuitive gameplay thanks to the touch screen, but they also have the advantage of being much more present in homes than game consoles or computers. With such accessibility, the format of games has also changed to reflect the new habits of consumers.
This is why most mobile games are made to be launched quickly and that a game does not last too long. From a full activity, video games have become with these devices a pastime like any other to wait for the bus, and your turn in a line, while being able to be played on a couch like the old video games.
New genres that boost popularity
Alongside the formats, video games have been able to reinvent themselves thanks to the contribution of the Internet. Thus, hundreds of online gaming sites have appeared in a few years, covering areas that were previously unknown or on the fringes of the video game world. Chess, card games and even casino games have appeared to meet the expectations of a market that simply did not exist before.
Moreover, thanks to the Internet, platforms listing different gaming sites and providing expert advice have developed. For casino game enthusiasts, a platform like CasinoBonusCA offers games whose fairness and security have been checked as much as their security. But, even more, the Internet can offer advantages that do not exist in reality. The best casino bonuses of 2024 are thus listed for players.
Assets that quickly justified the success of online games which, through very different genres, convinced audiences who were not a priori intended for the world of video games.
Virtual reality as a new horizon?
With such success, the budget of the players in the video game world has exploded. Research has been able to develop until reaching a level in the immersion of players: virtual reality.
Equipped with a headset, the player can thus evolve in the world of the game. By turning his head, he will discover a 360° setting. With VR, video games are reaching a new level. If the equipment is not yet distributed to the level of game consoles, old arcades have now become VR centers where enthusiasts can live a unique immersive experience. Virtual reality for individuals is nevertheless developing with more and more players equipped with a VR headset. If the offer is still slim compared to the normal video game catalog, there is no doubt that virtual reality has a bright future, and not only in video games.
Furthermore, the boundary between video games and the Internet seems to be becoming a little more blurred with this technology and the desire of large companies like Meta to create social networks using this technology. Mark Zuckerberg’s “metaverse” project is an illustration of this.
Video games are entering a new era of popularity and democratization. Everyone can play a small game on their phone today. But, it is not so much the small players as the real enthusiasts who have been increasing in number for several years. By diversifying its offer and genres, video games have become one of the most popular entertainment in the world.
The emergence of esports, the practice of video games that has become a sport, illustrates this immense success. There is no doubt that, over time, video games could become much more than just fun for the entire planet. If esports is thus perfectly established in Asia, there is still a way to go before it becomes as popular as football or basketball. However, the potential is enormous. There are more video game players today than there are licensed players in these sports.
