The gaming industry offers the potential for permanent evolution and innovation, with numerous cutting-edge technologies explored by the business field over the years. 2024 is expected to be a particularly exciting year for this industry, with multiple trends, such as those depicted below, attracting more and more participants. Without further ado, here are the six trends expected to reign over the upcoming year and see the highest levels of participation, bringing players more realistic and immersive experiences and more fun!
Crypto-based gaming
The world of finance has undergone a profound transformation due to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, all the more so as their prices have seen exponential and gradual growth over the years. These digital currencies have introduced decentralized systems, allowing users to engage in affordable, pseudonymous transactions globally, provided they have an internet connection. Additionally, the process of signing up on a crypto exchange and purchasing digital assets has been simplified thanks to a range of accessible methods. Similarly, it’s equally effortless to invest in crypto to further engage in play-to-earn (P2E) games, or the modern way of generating profits while playing, which play-to-play (P2P) games aren’t allowing. Cryptocurrencies started this P2E craze and are expected to keep governing in 2024, and chances are that if the market revitalizes, the trend will gain even more traction and boom.
Cryptocurrencies aren’t in the best spot, but the next year is forecasted to be kinder with this market, which may translate into more prominent participants in P2E games. Gamers seek extra routes to create profits while dedicating time to playing. Axie Infinity, Gods Unchained, CryptoKitties, Sorare, The Sandbox, Illuvium, and Zedd Run are just some of the titles expected to witness soaring popularity in the following months.
Cloud gaming
The gaming sector is constantly reshaping, with new and revolutionizing trends entering its realm. One of those movements that took over the gaming field is cloud gaming, or the blessing for those who aren’t founded by the idea of investing extensively in hardware and similar stocking technologies to install and play a game. These applications are accessed remotely through a system that streams installments saved and stored on distant servers.
Cloud gaming is transforming how everyone breaks into the gaming world, facilitating entry for beginners who aren’t willing to wrap their heads around and invest in additional resources like high-end gaming systems to gain access to the most recently launched applications. Additionally, the costs previously involved in gaming are significantly diminished since there’s no longer the need for pricey consoles or individually purchased games. With a simple subscription to their favorite game providers, the subscriber gains access to a wide range of choices.
Augmented Reality
Though broadly referred to as “augmented reality (AR),” this ecosystem encompasses more elements than meets the eye, such as spatial audio, wearables, mobile AR instruments, immersive navigation, 3D design, and computer vision. All these technologies are met in the immersive world of AR, which transposes the real world into the digital realm, allowing participants to explore reality-like worlds. Remember applications such as Pokémon Go, where users would hunt and catch creatures on their smartphones? Instead of the action occurring in a standard, computer-created setting, the surrounding environment would serve as the exploration background.
One of the biggest pros of AR games is the expanded immersion enabled. Both newbies and experienced gamers are thrilled by the possibility of combining digital features with real-world elements, making them get lost in a wholly new and, so far, insufficiently explored realm. As technology progresses, this gaming method stands the ground to raise obstacles existing in the traditional gaming realm and bring new and thrilling game possibilities.
Indie and Retro
Gone are the days when indie and retro games would all come down to Pac-Man and Space Invaders. Despite being associated with the golden days of gaming and starting all the craze around retro and indie systems, many other projects followed in their footsteps, inevitably raising barriers and laying the technological groundwork on which more advanced apps would develop. Overwatch, Minecraft, and Fortnite made history, and now it’s time for more complex and sophisticated developments to take over this gaming trend.
Indie and retro games are growing in notoriety because they’re not limited to one genre and are generally cheaper than other options. In 2021, for instance, indie titles would attract a more significant portion of investment from the average player compared to AAA games. Many factors are expected to contribute to the rise of these games, such as increased digitalization and digital distribution, more gaming solutions to meet diverse needs, digital content’s growing popularity, and heightened participation in mobile gaming.
Blockchain Gaming
Blockchain isn’t only famous for turning projects for digital currencies into reality. Still, it’s also a powerful force in the gaming industry, becoming a promising actor expected to boost opportunities in the sector. Blockchain technology offers a secure, enhanced environment where players can safely play innovative games without worrying about hacks and similar cybersecurity issues. The integration of this technology with cryptocurrency has laid the groundwork for fresh niche games such as NFT-based ones, play-to-win, and play-to-earn.
As a report from MarketsandMakets points out, the blockchain gaming market worldwide is expected to reach $65.7BN by 2027 from $4.6BN last year. Players are forecasted to invest $168 billion on in-game acquisitions, with blockchain technology safeguarding the route to conducting in-app payments.
On-demand gaming
Google’s Stadia video game streaming service proved to be a revolutionizing idea that, despite gradually losing steam to the point it went unavailable, inspired other projects to develop. Other cloud services, such as Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia’s GeForce Now, kept evolving. Conversely, streaming giant Netflix took a different route and enabled a feature to allow subscribers to download gameable content on their devices.While it’s soon to say these projects are close to being mainstream, they demonstrate the potential to become more prominent the following year and continue growing.The trends above will likely mark the upcoming year, so stay tuned to see what titles will be released and how gaming will evolve!