The online gaming industry keeps evolving, with companies introducing advanced technologies to attract more customers. Undoubtedly, the field will continue experiencing significant growth after the COVID-19 pandemic because staying at home has become the new normal.
The Gaming Industry Is Looking at Massive Changes
Changes to the gaming world are coming from all corners, be they government policies or tech development. Let’s look at the top trends for 2022 and beyond.
New Marketing Approaches
Since the online gaming industry is incredibly competitive, companies always uncover creative ways to attract more customers. Some of these ways include:
- Working with social media influencers
- Developing mobile apps
- Increasing social media activity
- Practicing corporate social responsibility
2022 saw many gaming marketers switch from Facebook to TikTok and Instagram. The main reasons for this change relate to high advertising costs and ads not reaching their target audiences. In the future, we can expect more online gaming sites to advertise on multiple platforms simultaneously.
The Legalization of Online Gaming and Gambling
Online gaming and gambling are illegal in many countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Singapore. However, we expect things to change this year.
As for the US, according to The Washington Post, New York bettors have been betting online since January 2022. Ohio, Florida, and a few other populous states are also working towards officially launching online gambling.
The US aside, many gambling companies are interested in Brazil. Pundits opine the country might become one of the world’s largest gambling markets. With Bet365 and other giant betting companies positioning themselves to get a share of the country’s gambling market, the sky’s the limit.
Use of VPNs to Bypass Geo-Restrictions
In countries where online gaming and gambling are illegal, gamers get errors when attempting to access such sites. Clever gamers buy dedicated ISP proxies to spoof their geographic locations and gain access to geo-restricted websites. This allows users to pay monthly for Twitch viewers to continue their online gaming. The trend will continue in 2022 as people get more tech-savvy and share their discoveries on social media platforms and forums.
The Rise of Blockchain Games
It was only a matter of time before online games hopped on the crypto bandwagon. We see blockchain pay-to-earn games starting to become more popular. How exactly does a crypto game use blockchain?
Crypto games are similar to other online games. The only difference is that they use cryptocurrencies instead of traditional currencies. The good thing about crypto online games is they offer more security and anonymity than their conventional counterparts. Cryptocurrency payments won’t leave a trace of your personal information, meaning you’ll play unnoticed.
Cloud Gaming
Players regularly upgrade to new consoles and computers to keep up with technology trends and ensure they can play the latest games. However, this paradigm is ending because video gaming companies now offer cloud-based subscription services.
Under this model, gamers don’t need to buy or upgrade expensive, power-hungry hardware. Smart TVs and streaming devices like Chromecast are all you need because the heavy lifting happens in the cloud data center. The output then streams into your home as video.
What’s more? The rollout of 5G and other superfast networks means online gaming will be available on additional mobile devices, making it much more accessible to other players.
Virtual Reality Gaming
Gaming companies were among the first to adopt virtual reality (VR). The uptake of this technology has increased over the past years. Games like Grand Theft Auto and Minecraft are accessible via headsets, and we expect more to follow suit this year.
Additionally, VR headsets are becoming more affordable, and many can function as standalone devices or connect to gaming computers. With cloud VR on the horizon, gamers will enjoy smaller, lighter headsets.
The Future of Online Gaming Is Bright!
Online gaming and technology are conjoined at the hip – you can’t separate them. With the above trends in mind, online gaming will likely be a much different affair in 2022.
As the online gaming industry grows, so does the need for user experience. The good news is that individuals and big players like Google and Microsoft are investing heavily in the space, meaning we will see more innovations in 2022 and beyond. As long as demand remains healthy, the software giants will continue surprising gamers. We’re excited to see what’s in store.
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