The potential value of emerging technologies is gradually dawning on the world. This is why several industries are taking active steps to integrate these technologies. Clearly, there is possibly a lot of value that can be unlocked with the adoption of emerging technologies
Therefore, it is no surprise that the gaming industry could be exploring ways to integrate emerging technologies, particularly with game development. In this article, we will look at how these technologies are applied to game development and their potential impact. Let’s get into it:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI might become an increasingly valuable tool for game developers to create exciting games beyond regular capabilities. For instance, AI has allowed for the development of games with more interactive non-player characters (NPCs). In the past, game developers needed to code explicitly the movements and responses of NPCs, which meant they had a restricted range for actions.
However, with AI, NPCs may have the ability to learn. This could be a real game-changer as NPCs would become more dynamic in their interactions, making for a more robust gaming experience. Games such as Need for Speed, Minecraft, and Counter-Strike already leverage AI.
Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)
Fully online games, such as online slot games, have been in existence for a while. The next step in this evolution could be towards AR & VR gaming. We already have some popular AR & VR games such as Pokémon Go, Kings of Pool, and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. We expect these games will continue to rise in popularity going forward.
The VR gaming market is estimated to grow from $6.39 billion in 2021 to a whopping $38.03 in 2027. This exponential growth would likely be powered by the lowering cost of VR devices, the advancement of cloud VR and the roll-out of 5G.
NFTs
NFTs, non-fungible tokens, are tokens based on blockchain technology like cryptocurrencies. Unlike crypto, however, NFTs can be used to tokenize various forms of digital and physical assets such as artwork, clips, etc.
NFTs have a bit of history in the gaming industry, with the first NFT game being developed as far back as 2017. NFTs are primarily used in gaming to tokenize gaming characters, items as well as cards. Since 2017, several NFT games have been developed, especially in the “play-to-earn” niche. Popular NFT games include Acie Infinity, Chain of Alliance and Sandbox.
Cloud-based games
Cloud computing has been a transformative trend for many industries in terms of security, reliability and cost-effectiveness. The gaming industry is no exception, which is why we have started seeing the rise of cloud-based games.
Since much of the heavy lifting in these games is done by the cloud infrastructure, there is less pressure on the end user’s hardware. This means these games typically don’t usually require complicated and expensive hardware that constantly needs to be upgraded. Popular companies like Amazon and Sony are already making their entry into the cloud gaming market.
Conclusion
With the emergence of various emerging technologies, the games are set to become more exciting with many new functionalities. It would be interesting to watch how these technologies impact mainstream gaming over the next couple of years.
