Video games have been around for decades. In recent years though, online gaming has taken the gaming space by the storm, becoming one of the fastest growing industries over the last decade.
Consequently, it comes as no surprise that the number of online games, real money slots and casino games has tremendously increased, occasioning a steady rise in the number of gamers worldwide.
With industry experts projecting an expected increase in the grip of online gaming on mainstream culture, it’s prudent to look at what is trending to know what to expect in the coming years.
Widespread inclusion and diversity
The titles of online games, their themes and character selections have increasingly become reflective of the broad diversities in contemporary society.
For starters, boys (and males in general) have been the traditional market for video and online games. But that is now a thing of the past, as females currently comprise a whopping 40 % of all gamers in the U.S, with a good many games now featuring both male and female lead avatars in equal proportions.
Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch, an online competitive multiplayer comic series, represents an open inclusion of the LGBT community in online gaming as one of its main characters, Tracer is gay.
More and more online games are featuring minorities and other previously underrepresented groups. A good example is We Are Chicago whose unique storyline depicts the nuances of an African-American’s relationships as he grows up in a part of Chicago that’s swamped with gang violence.
This great attempt to represent various groups in online games is a hot trend. It’s going to continue deep into the foreseeable future as developers become increasingly aware of the importance of diversity and inclusion of different voices in their work.
Online casinos, the newest kid on the block
Skill-based wagering is steadily elbowing its way into the online gaming space from the traditional brick and mortar setups. Online casino games and apps are increasingly taking center stage, not only because they are fun and convenient in many ways, but also because a growing number of people appreciate their numerous benefits.
In places around the world where regulation is limited, online casinos have caught on pretty quickly and continue to attract new players as well as a plethora of offerings.
According to Statista, the online gambling industry should be worth 59.79 billion U.S. dollars by the year 2020. But with such a rapid growth rate, the number could be higher than initially expected. You will notice more layers of strategy that enable gamers to not only rely on luck but meticulous planning, and additional entries in poker, live dealer games, roulette, and hundreds more.
Increased payment options
Online games to play with friends, casino games and other internet-based games operate primarily on a freemium basis. In this pricing strategy, gamers often have the option to sign up for free, and probably play a few games free of charge. However, for you to unlock certain game features and levels, you will have to spend some bucks.
This has brought about a new wave of innovative payment options that make it convenient for gamers to buy premium features or pay for online casino games far more easily
In addition to the traditional debit and credit cards, online payment options such as PayPal and other avant-garde currencies such as Bitcoin are becoming widely accepted.
While more online gaming platforms continue to support newer means of payments, you are going to see numerous payment options spring up and dominate this space.
The future of gaming is online!
As creativity continues to spur technological advancements in the online world, and the growing demand for online games continue to drive the development of more online games to play with friends; a constantly increasing number of trends is going to keep shaking up the world of gaming. Graphics card makers will develop more advanced micro devices to facilitate online gameplay further, making the future of online gaming brighter than ever before.
