These past five years have seen great change in the gaming industry. This change was due to technology, a change in player perception, or the introduction of yet newer gaming platforms. Accessibility was expanded; so were the gaming trends themselves, fetching newer aspects that changed the interaction between players and games.
Hardware underwent its own set of evolutions. The introduction of the RTX 3000 series of Nvidia graphics cards in 2020 saw enhanced ray tracing capability employed to present more realistic representations of lighting and shadow. But hardware shortages and exorbitant price surges early into 2021 only added to the agony of gamers upgrading their systems. With it, online casino games have been part of the digital gaming boom, and thanks to promotions and bonuses, portals like Betway have attracted new players. These have ensured that online gambling using Betway and other platforms became a major aspect of the gaming industry, more so with the physical casinos being closed for a brief interlude due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The other key change is the advent of cloud gaming. With cloud gaming in vogue, players can access high-quality gaming experiences without the cost of purchasing specialized hardware. Such changes have enhanced accessibility for a wider range of users while slowly reducing dependence on physical consoles and PCs.
The free-to-play game model is welcomed and championed in the industry, if not already established. Microtransactions linked to free-to-play games are easy pickings for major studios to slip into their yearly releases. Critical franchise title series like FIFA, NBA 2K, and Madden NFL are hobbled by the model, and parents are left concerned about the morality of virtual purchases. Success is bolstered by the increase in live-service add-ons, which in turn have altered the possibilities and means by which players interact with games and companies generate money.
With mobile gaming and betting due to Betway and other brands becoming more popular and seeing a meteoric rise during the pandemic period, scores of people were using their smartphones for entertainment during the lockdowns. While multiplayer games such as Among Us reached colossal heights, Genshin Impact proved that high-end gaming experiences are achievable through mobile devices. This paradigm shift led to the mobilization of investments toward mobile esports through large tournaments catered to PUBG Mobile and Free Fire, both having attracted gigantic viewerships and commercial sponsorships. The place of mobile gaming is firmly cemented as an important market segment in gaming.
The thriving ecosystem of esports has generated massive revenue streams through sponsorships, ticket sales, and advertising. For instance, The International 10 made history by giving away over $40 million in prize money in 2021. The plethora of major tournaments investment by big names such as Coca-Cola, Intel, and Mercedes-Benz charting the way for enhanced acceptance of competitive gaming among the masses signifies that esports are truly here to stay.
The gaming industry has undergone drastic changes over these five years to give a new meaning to platforms, business models, and how players can exist in games. Consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have forged their own standard in gaming experiences, whereas mobile gaming and cloud computing are brightening players’ horizons. The industry has moved toward microtransactions and free-to-play games, whereby the economic fortunes of the sector have changed, and esports have most definitely cemented their name as a modern entertainment industry. The gaming sector will always be abreast of new opportunities and impediments.
