The gaming industry is such a dynamic industry with innovations left and right. With such dynamism, it is a win for gamers the world over as there are always new things introduced. Over time, fads have come and gone. Unlike high limit baccarat, which is quite stable, gamer preferences have evolved because of the many offerings gaming companies have offered.
These are the trends to look forward to in 2019.
Crypto gaming
With the invention of cryptocurrency and the expansion of the virtual universe, it is actually not surprising to have crypto games. As cryptocurrencies and blockchains grow and catch on, so does crypto games. Much like cryptocurrencies, crypto games let you buy stuff in the virtual world and have a virtual collection. Users convert their actual money into cryptocurrency using the most commonly-used currency, Ethereum. From having physical collections, we will see virtual collections and collectibles more and more. Since this segment is still fairly new, most being in the alpha and beta phases, there are still kinks to be addressed. Once the sector stabilizes, expect users to hit the ground running.
Continuous rise of mobile games
The mobile gaming sector has steadily increased in the last 4 years according to a report by Newzoo. It has slowly eaten into the market share of PC and console games and this trend does not show any signs of slowing down. Industry insiders see this market steadily growing in 2019. Because of this, we can expect more and more mobile versions of PC and console games introduced. This sector is expected to be worth USD 74.4 billion in 2019.
Augmented reality
Virtual reality had its time in the spotlight and now it is time for augmented reality’s time under the sun. Augmented reality (AR) puts virtual images in the real world. Google tried its hand in AR in 2013 when it introduced Google Glass but eventually pulled the plug on it in 2015. Now, AR is making a comeback via apps on tablets and smartphones. Games like Pokemon Go! and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery were hits when they came out. Now, game developers are taking notice and are cramming to launch the next big AR game.
Hyper-casual games
Hyper-casual games are casual games and hardcore games combined. They are short and easy to play games. Unlike other games that require long playing times, these hyper-casual games allow you to play them as often as you want and stop anytime. We saw its rise in 2017 and the momentum keeps on going. Looking at the most downloaded game apps, at least 40% of the top 10 free games are hyper-casual games.
These are, by no means, an all-encompassing list. There are other things to look forward to in the gaming industry. It will surely be an exciting ride in the next couple of years.
