Online gaming has become a massive hobby over the last few years. Whether gamers are playing solo, teaming up or playing against each other, there is such a range of games on offer, and, unsurprisingly, it has grown as a pastime. This means we have seen a change in gaming trends, with the latest figures suggesting that over 900 million people enjoy this industry. But, of course, that means game developers and others connected to the projects have seen a massive upsurge in demand, and the industry itself is now considered to be worth $20 billion. So just what are the online gaming trends from around the world, and how are they changing?
- Mobile Gaming
One of the most significant areas to enjoy growth has been mobile gaming. Even as recently as 2007 the technology we had in our mobile phones was not good enough for us to play any kind of games successfully. But the first iPhone was released that year, and it spiralled a massive change in the industry. Since then, we have seen bigger screens, increased graphics capabilities, more powerful batteries and our devices have ceased to be just communication devices. Instead, they are a PC in your pocket that enables you to do anything you like on the go, including playing games. Pretty much anyone who owns a mobile phone will confess to having at least one gain downloaded, and with so many on offer for free, it is little surprise they have seen such a surge in popularity.
- Social Gaming
Whether it is a good or bad thing, social media sites have also surged in popularity, and there is a lot more social interaction taking place on the Internet than face-to-face. Gaming is a great way to meet and interact with friends who share common interests. A lot of games, from console to mobile, require cooperative playing in teams, and this is a great way to socialise for many people. It does reduce some of the dangers that parents would previously have feared for their children out in the streets but brings with it a whole set of cybercrimes that we also need to guard against. However, from a mental health point of view, we certainly should not dismiss the importance of online communities with shared interests in the form of games. Married couples have even met in an online community and gone on to meet in real life and finally to marry.
- Live Game Streaming
If ever there was a trend that your grandparents would not have understood, then watching other people streaming live gaming action is probably a good example. At first sight, it seems incredibly strange that people would want to spend their time watching other people play games rather than playing them themselves; however, live game streaming is massive. For some people, it is about seeing experienced players make the game look easy and potentially learning from their talent. For others, it is just sheer entertainment value and watching someone play a game is better than watching scripted and highly edited television content. Some live game streamers have even managed to make a living from the revenue they generate, but care should be exercised if you are planning to get into live game streaming, as this certainly isn’t the starting or endpoint for most people.
- Demographic Shift
Another trend that has hit the gaming industry links to the demographics of players. When games were first introduced, there was a very strong gender biased towards young men or children. The stereotypical gamer was always pictured as a young teenager sitting in the basement of his parent’s house at his computer, or a child plopped in front of a television set with a video game console. Of course, this was never going to last because there is a much bigger focus on everything for everyone. New statistics have shown that there is now an even split of male and female gamers, and the age range has extended from young children right up to older people who have been encouraged to play games as a way to keep their brains active.
- Competitive Gaming
Over the years, we have become very used to competitive sports, but now we have competitive gaming known as esports. There are several titles that are played at a professional level, one of which is League of Legends. This subscription game attracts over 115 million active paying players at any one time, tournaments take place on a global scale, and over 45 million people sat and watched the world final that took place in 2020. It is big business, and not only do competitors compete for considerable prize money and prestige, but there is also a significant betting market attached to the sport.
