The Evolution of Online Gaming Technology
There’s no doubt that the online gaming industry has evolved to become one of the most profitable of the past couple of decades; having evolved from basic on-screen games to immersive and state-of-the-art gaming experiences featuring crisp, HD graphics and realistic sound effects. Gaming technology has evolved quickly and over a rather short period of time, resulting in an incredible array of gaming and platform choices, from smartphone gaming, to console, PC and online games such as those at Gold Rush Slots.
Timeline of the online gaming industry
1994 – The very first online game was introduced in this year by a software developer who was UK based. At first, it was just a game but later on, a whole online casino setup was introduced the next year.
1998 – After the eight years of struggle, this industry reached $1 billion. They had to do all the struggle only because it was something new. But not after that. Online games started to gain popularity and attracted a lot of youngsters.
2002 – It took around a decade for online gaming to become a $4.5 billion worth of industry. But the difficult time was only till 1998. Only the eight years of struggle took this industry to the peaks of popularity.
2005 to 2010 – The highest progress in this sector was observed in the time period of these 5 years. Internet connectivity was improved, youngsters were attracted towards the newly introduced technology. Computers were improved. All of these factors played an important role in popularity. Besides, the game houses became popular too. And all of that was happening during this time period.
Technological improvements
After 2010, technological advancements went too far. Mobile phones were improved continuously and the quick change in the technology resulted in taking games to another level. This also created a lot of competition in this sector.
The technology that is present in the year 2024 was unimaginable during the early 2000s. Software development improved and so does the graphics. Developers worked on the soundtracks and also on the storylines. Popular cultures with 3D technology has been used.
Genres have been separated so that people get to play the games they are most interested in. Children’s games have visuals and graphics that attract children’s attention. Sports-related games are for those interested in sports activities. Even the popular TV programs and movies have been turned in different slots.
The popularity of lifelike games attracted a lot of users. In addition, with the introduction of virtual and augmented reality, you get to experience the things at a whole new level. This is because of the increasing competition in this sector. Every single day brings something new for the gamers.
Modern era of games
This industry is worth around 60 billion USD in 2024. And it is not only about the games. You also can chat during the game. This can be done in multi-player games. The option of having a chat with your friends and playing together as a team makes the game more interesting. For example, PUBG, it allows you to play with your friends. You can create a team and face the opponents together.
Although the technology sector’s evolution has played an enormous role in its popularity, the lockdown has played its role. With the businesses shutting down and severe lockdown, the gaming industry still showed a boom. When everyone is sitting in their homes, they need some activities to make them busier. This increased the business of this sector. Thus, the net worth increased expectations.
Game Design
To design and build an electronic game takes a great deal of hard work, dedication and integrated varying hardware and software tools. This complex task takes a long time to complete, and even when the game is ‘finished’, there is extensive testing, bug fixing, analysis, reports and more to carry out by highly skilled game developers before the end product can be released to the public.
Mobile Gaming
One of the major evolving trends in the technology has been playing online games from smartphones. Mobile devices these days can do pretty much everything, from not only making calls and sending texts, but to social media browsing and updating, high quality photograph taking, making payments and playing online games such as Candy Crush or Gold Rush Slots. As a result, games have become more accessible and we can pick up from where we left off anywhere, anytime. This phenomenon has had a huge impact on the industry as the rise of mobile phones has resulted in an inevitable decline of gaming on alternative platforms.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Over recent years, gamers have seen the introduction of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to the industry. AR places digital elements within a live view, usually with the use of the camera on a smartphone, and has enabled gaming to appear closer to reality. VR, on the other hand, offers an entirely immersive experience which shuts out the real world, often requiring a headset. The introduction of both styles of gaming have brought about a whole new level when it comes to users’ experiences. The fact that Augmented Reality games are now accessible to play from smartphones and tablets also has enabled players to enjoy them more frequently, while playing with friends or other users from around the globe.
Cloud Gaming
Cloud gaming is a style of online game that runs from remote servers and streams straight the device of the user; in other words, if you use cloud gaming you are playing your game remotely from the cloud, similar to video on demand services which are increasingly popular. There are many advantages of playing from the cloud; namely, there is no requirement to download and install a game that takes up a lot of device storage space. Players can switch devices to play too. However, cloud gaming requires a strong internet connection. Many games developers are already testing out various games on the cloud, and we expect to see a huge boost in cloud gaming within the industry in the coming years.
