For the past ten years, millions of people have been enjoying playing online games, but in the years 2020 and 2021, their popularity skyrocketed. This gave us all the impression that the mobile gaming sector is more rewarding and user-engaging. It is easy to see how the video game industry is expanding quickly and continuing to rank among the most lucrative. Technically and commercially, the industry has surpassed all standards. Due to the fact that new gaming trends and technologies are emerging practically every day in 2023, there are enormous prospects for developers, gamers, game watchers, and businesses alike.
Yash Pariani, Founder and CEO, of House of Gaming said, India’s developing online gaming business has had an exceptional rise in recent years, propelling it into the top five global markets for mobile gaming. With the industry growing at a rapid pace, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest game trends and services you need to incorporate into your game development strategy to stay ahead of the curve. Here are some of the top industry trends to look out for in the gaming industry in 2023.
METAVERSE GAMING (Blockchain and P2E Gaming): The first and best attempts towards metaverse gaming have already been made by many game firms. Metaverse technology is increasingly being used in a variety of fields. For the purpose of preventing hackers from altering or obliterating an online transaction, blockchains employ strong data encryption technology. Blockchains will provide players more control as they transition from play-to-win to play-to-earn, in addition to providing developers with access to safer and newer markets. Blockchain is also a ground-breaking technology for developing and storing in-game assets.
CROSS-PLATFORM GAMING: Cross-platform play refers to the capacity for many gaming platforms to share the same online servers in a game, enabling players to sign up regardless of the platform they use. Online video games that support cross-play have been available since the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2. The main obstacles to cross-platform gameplay were rising costs and a lack of technology. However, in 2023, developers are experimenting with game codes to make cross-platform gaming a reality, giving gamers hope for the future. The most famous cross-platform games out now are Fortnite, Minecraft, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
SUBSCRIPTION-BASED REVENUE MODEL: A subscription-based model, which entails users subscribing to join the game and paying a regular monthly price to access the games and additional perks, is one of the revenue methods that has grown in popularity for monetizing games. Microtransactions and paid downloads can be used by operators of subscription-based gaming services to monetize an engaged audience and a reliable source of income. This lowers the risk connected with the consistent release of high-quality premium games. Device type and game type are the two market segments for subscription-based gaming. The market is divided into action, shooting, sports, adventure, fighting, role-playing, racing, and other categories based on the genre of the game.
CLOUD GAMING: Cloud gaming is a revolution that might completely alter the entertainment and gaming sectors. It will allow for remote access to gaming material while completely eliminating the requirement for pricey and high-end gear. Leading hardware developers like cloud service providers are anticipated to revolutionize the online gaming industry by 2023 and beyond. Through cloud gaming services that deliver material from the cloud to a gaming device, gamers can stream gaming videos directly from the server. Cloud streaming has the potential to transform the sector because it will do away with the need for hardware-dependent game development lifecycles.
Mr. Rohit Bansal, founder, and director, of Super4, said, The rise in smartphone usage can be attributed to the convenience of internet accessibility. India had more than 749 million internet users in 2020, and Statista projects that number will increase to more than 1.5 billion users by 2040. The gaming ecosystem has completely shifted as a result of greater internet accessibility. Gamers could only participate in a small number of events in the past, but thanks to technological advancements, they can now connect and take part in gaming events all over the world. In addition, due to the increased smartphone penetration and easy access to the internet, mobile Gaming has become a new fad that has added to the popularity of fantasy gaming.
AR and VR gaming: Augmented and virtual reality technology has completely changed the concept of gaming, providing real-world stimulation to enhance the gaming experience. VR headsets, hand controllers, and wearable technology are all part of VR gaming devices that aim to give players the impression that they are actually present in the game. Furthermore, AR adds digital elements like sounds and objects to the player’s actual environment, increasing the immersion of the entire gaming experience.
Competitive multiplayer gaming: Multiplayer gaming is the new gaming trend that has been gaining a lot of traction lately. In fact, recently, plenty of multiplayer gaming platforms have come into being, providing gamers the opportunity to play and in-game interact with other participants from anywhere in the world. Not only that, but multiplayer gaming platforms also enabled the user to play with their friends, which used to be impossible in the traditional gaming scenario. It is safe to conclude that multiplayer mobile games have established themselves as a popular gaming trend and will continue to do so in the future.
5G inception in gaming: When it comes to online gaming, delivering a smooth gameplay experience is key. In a mobile-first gaming market like India, the 5G rollout is sure to enhance this experience exponentially. Ultra-fast response times, zero latency between input and game response, seamless multiplayer gaming, and the shift to cloud gaming solutions are some of the potential by-products of India’s 5G journey. As the services are rolled out across the entire nation, they will attract users from the heart of ‘Bharat’ to participate in online gaming in a seamless manner. Increased bandwidth will also make significant strides in revolutionizing streaming experiences of online games, which is an upcoming opportunity that has already been tapped in the west.
Bridging the gap between skill-based mobile gaming: Online gaming has become the latest haven for players to prove their mettle. Fanning this excitement are tournaments that challenge young gamers and help the industry grow. Skill-based mobile gaming is already poised to gain over 50% of the global gaming market share by 2020. Despite being a fast-growing industry, skill-based gaming still faces legal roadblocks countrywide because of low awareness and ensuing confusion with chance-based gaming and gambling.
