In our current age of mass consumerism, trends come and go each and every year. Technology, however, has stuck around for decades and transcended all previous notions of the impermanence of pop culture trends. Some technology developments have been much more successful than others, including those that have sprung up throughout the gaming industry.
One of the most prevalent of all tech industries, the billion-dollar global gaming industry evolved massively during the past few decades and it’s largely down to key developments in innovation. In this article, we’ll take a look at three of the biggest.
Modern Games Are Unrecognisable
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It’s hard to believe that just four decades ago, video games were still very much in their primitive forms. Access to gaming at home was a luxury, especially with early editions of home PCs being so expensive. Instead, arcade gaming was where it was at for a lot of pop culture addicts, with games such as Space Invaders and WHAT proving immensely popular despite their pixelated design and tinny soundtracks.
As the decades passed, gaming became more and more sophisticated, incorporating the very latest in advanced technology to push the boundaries of what could be possible on the digital screen. Then, the introduction of ultra-fast data connections and cutting-edge hardware made it possible to explore 3D environments and connect with thousands of players across the world in real-time.
In turn, the advancement of the gaming industry has given rise to numerous other markets and industries within the gaming ecosystem. Gaming tech giants command the corporate world, while modern gaming experiences themselves influence everything from cinema to music.
The Biggest Gaming Tech Developments
Random Number Generators
In essence, an RNG is a software algorithm that produces random strings of numbers. When applied in gaming, these numbers generate unique onscreen events. If you’ve ever found a new Pokémon or simply got stuck into Minecraft, you’ve played games featuring RNGs.
RNGs, despite their simple premise, are some of the most revolutionary tech developments to have occurred in gaming. Without them, games would be much more predictable and lose any element of randomness. They can be found in everything from the roulette games available on online platforms to eSports monoliths like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Augmented Reality
Would the mobile gaming market be quite as lucrative as it is here in 2022 if it weren’t for augmented reality? It’s unlikely. The sector has undoubtedly made great strides in the space over two decades. You only have to cast your mind back to the flagship Nokia game of the early 00s to see proof of that. Fast-forward to the present day and even AAA+ titles are making their debut on smartphone before transitioning to consoles and PCs.
Back in 2016, despite its steady growth in popularity, mobile gaming was still somewhat on the fringes of the global gaming industry. The release of AR-based Pokémon Go, however, brought about such a massive surge in gaming on the go that it wasn’t long before the segment became the biggest in terms of annual revenue generated.
Digital Distribution
If you’re an existing gamer, the chances are you may have heard of a gaming storefront for PC called Steam. Steam is arguably the world’s largest gaming marketplace and pioneered gaming as a service during the early noughties – setting a template that platform after platform and vertical after vertical have followed to this day. And it’s all thanks to digital distribution technologies.
Console manufacturers, too, have jumped on board digital distribution services, as evidenced by Xbox Game Pass (Microsoft) and Sony’s PS Now. Furthermore, as if the application integration technologies behind GAAS platforms weren’t advanced enough, the introduction of cloud computing into the mix has changed how players can access games forever.
What Does the Future Hold?
As an industry, gaming never stands still. While the developments discussed in this article form a core part of gaming, nevertheless, new trends are beginning to break through that have the potential to create long-lasting change.
Blockchain technology, virtual reality and Web 3.0 are still very much in their infancy, but if the past four decades are anything to go by, it won’t be long before they’re fully integrated into mainstream gaming.
