Gaming trends 2012

But the system itself is just a small part of what it signifies. The Wii U marks the first step towards the next generation of consoles, and with it the next generation of gaming. This generation of consoles lasted longer than anyone thought it would, with the Xbox celebrating its eighth anniversary this year and the PS3 just a year behind it. The systems are advanced enough at this point to offer upgrades in software, which has made them feel fresh.

That will likely carry over to the next Xbox and PlayStation, which means the next gen may be in place for several years to come, and the five year cycles will officially be a thing of the past. That all began with the Wii U. Microsoft and Sony will both be closely analyzing the release of the Wii U — both its triumphs and failures — throughout Even though it will probably be that is remembered as the beginning of the next great hardware war, its roots were firmly set in Both Microsoft and Sony realized that hardware was only one part of the potential of their gaming systems, and so in we saw a massive influx of software that made the gaming systems into far more than they ever were before.

Microsoft especially has embraced this, and the in many ways became a prototype for the Windows 8 operating system, which is heavily integrated with downloadable apps.

Nintendo is well aware of this, and not only offers apps, but native programs that are designed to combine them all and make it easier to use. From the start of this cycle of consoles, the manufacturers have claimed that their systems are more than just gaming consoles, they are home entertainment devices that anyone could enjoy.

Turns out they were right, and the incredible influx of new apps introduced in — each providing their own libraries full of content — proved that. Pro gaming is nothing new — just ask the Koreans, who are so far ahead of us on that front that they even have their own match-fixing scandals to go along with the major gambling revenues based on gaming competitions. This last year saw a spike in American pro gaming, though, thanks to several online platforms like Twitch, which not only made it easy to stream any game, but is also being incorporated into some PC titles to make it as easy as touching a button.

With the rise of streaming game content being generated by users came the inevitable monetization of that. Pro gaming is still in its infancy, but there is no question as to whether or not there is an audience for it. With millions tuning in to watch other people play games online for fun, the next obvious step is to watch others play games with some stakes on the line.

It might be years before pro gaming becomes a truly legitimate pastime, but the success of streaming games proved that it can be done from a tech point-of-view, and there is an audience waiting to embrace it. Somewhere out there right now there are several very smart, and very motivated people working on ideas to expand pro gaming into the mainstream.

It may take time, but showed it can be done. The Growth of Mobile Gaming This topic has been so well covered, it almost seems too obvious a choice, but the success of mobile gaming over the last year is still worth a mention. The Changing Business Model and The Legitimization of Digital Downloads The recent recession was a watershed moment for the world, and the tech and gaming industry were no exception. Streaming Games and the Emergence of Pro Gaming Pro gaming is nothing new — just ask the Koreans, who are so far ahead of us on that front that they even have their own match-fixing scandals to go along with the major gambling revenues based on gaming competitions.

Take-Two to acquire FarmVille publisher in most expensive gaming deal ever. The best iPad Pro games. For example, they were able to make Metro Exodus an Epic Games exclusive for a year after its release.

Or how their public battle with Apple will shake out. You can browse thousands of titles. And purchase a game instantly without needing to leave your house.

Streaming services like PS Now give Sony a valuable recurring revenue stream. It also gives publishers a way to monetize old games including those from previous console generations years after their release. PlayStation Now, with 3. No list of gaming trends would be complete without discussing the next generation of consoles that launched in Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. But each console boasts a handful of unique features that may help give it an edge. This hardware upgrade over the PS4 significantly reduces load times.

This basically gives you a free Xbox Series X version of any Xbox One game that you bought in the past assuming the title appears on both consoles. Like Hollywood, the gaming industry is starting to realize that remakes and reboots sell well.

In , we will see Prince of Persia rebooted with the Sands of Time title. The cult classic RPG Gothic is also getting a remake. And as Early Access becomes the norm for many developers, this figure is set to grow significantly in and beyond. Developers use Early Access as a way to get feedback from actual players. Feedback that can ultimately change the direction of a game.

Rimworld sold thousands of copies as an Early Access game. And it received rave reviews upon its full release a few years later. Those are the seven biggest trends in the gaming space happening right now.

And are set to grow in and beyond. From developers working on new AAA titles for the ninth generation of consoles. All the way down to single-person developers launching indie games on Roblox and Epic Games. Add as a new topic?

Indie gaming is nothing new. Which has led to indie games like Among Us and Stardew Valley becoming bestsellers. And it seems to be working. But many do. But the fact remains that gaming is a male-dominated industry. These remastered games will not just be better in terms of graphics. Developers will also reinterpret them and bring nuances to the dynamics and features befitting the market.

Of course, the primary target customers will be those that have grown up with these game titles. But, younger generations are also expected to try these games as a homage to their favorite modern titles. Cloud gaming or Gaming-as-a-Service GaaS is seen by experts to revolutionize the gaming industry.

In fact, if successful in the market, it will be able to jump through the loops and over barriers that expensive gaming hardware set. GaaS or cloud gaming works by letting users outsource computational needs to remote hardware. All they need is a high-speed internet connection. One such provider is Shadow and it is claimed that you can have a full gaming experience with as low as a 15 Mbps connection.

You can even choose the low connections mode. Plus, it provides users with a mobile interface so you can access your content on other devices while you are on the go. Thus, it can be stabler than more popular platforms such as PlayStation Now. Plus, more and more platforms like Shadow, are expected to pop up in the near future as well.

Over the years, developers have increasingly incorporated the option to socialize within their games. But we see this trend to continue well into the future. There are at least two reasons for this. First, when players make friends within the game, they spend more time in-game. This can translate to longer subscriptions. And, from a free-to-play outlook, this translates to more monthly active users MAU that they can leverage for advertising. Second, developers also benefit from having a lively community of users as they can collaborate with them on improving gaming features and experiences.

It encompasses the social interactions between end-users and developers. One example that has recently come to the fore is the NBA 2k franchise trying to look for a global community manager to do just that. With COVID not likely to go away anytime soon, we expect more games to incorporate and enhance more social aspects to their total gaming experience. Also, expect more gaming communities to crop up in the next few years.

In fact, people have found improvement in well-being when playing collaborative or competitive games with others remotely. One of which is Animal Crossing. It is casual, light-hearted, and collaborative. Realistic graphics are an integral part of realistic gaming experiences. So, more developers today are focusing on creating ultra-realistic graphics. This has always been a primary push for developers in the console and PC market.

However, more recently, high-fidelity gaming has been making its way into the mobile gaming market.

Broadly speaking, to be qualified as a high-fidelity game, a game has to have advanced 3D graphics. This includes high vertex counts or, where two or more line segments or rays meet that makes an angle and complex shading.

It also has to involve gameplay with a heavy requirement for GPU. Today, China is the leader when it comes to high-fidelity mobile game creation. It is also not a surprise that China-based Huawei and other phone brands are on a race to deliver ultra-high graphics performance.

From this point onward, it will be an arms race between software and hardware. This is not just good for business but also for gamers. Only, it is on video. So, basically, it is just an interactive video technique. But of course, the process of creating it is not so basic at all.

This is a popular narrative tool for game developers and storytellers. This allows audiences or players to interact with their environments in between story-moving narrations. But, back in the 90s, games like Daryl F. This back then was an avenue towards realistic experiences. Also, FMV was a tool to incorporate some talent crossovers for marketing.

But crossover between Hollywood and gaming has never slowed down. Moreover, FMV seems to ride a strong trend wave, especially with crossovers between games and movies. Take Chris Pine featured in the Star Trek reboot series and also in the accompanying games. With new video technology that allows for a more immersive experience and flexible game world design, FMV techniques will likely reemerge and with a stronger kick.

But make no mistake, FMV is making a comeback. Game creation is no longer a one-way street. Just like anything in business, producers have to create a connection with consumers. And, developers today are taking this to heart. One of them is Traplight games that work with influencers to create user-generated content. As mentioned, bigger studios also do this like the NBA 2K team. However, we feel that this needs to be taken to the next level. Just like most industries and businesses that we cover here, consumer input and user-generated content have been given tremendous value.

This is especially for B2C businesses and games are primarily B2C. And, the great thing about the gaming industry is that audiences are very passionate.

This makes it easy for game developers to be more proactive in building relationships with their audiences. In the few years to come, we think that more user-generated content will be allowed by studios. They will realize that the titles they have created and unleashed have come to life across generations of users.

And, one way to let it continue to live through the market is by fueling it with user-generated content and insights, a growing-together of developer and user. Commendable outfits in this aspect range from the developers of The Sims to those behind Ouya that afford their community a great range of freedom, from mods to game creation itself. Now, thanks to the popularity of cloud gaming, game platforms are now offering both full and partial cross-platforms support.

For gamers, this is a boon as many have their loyalties to just one platform. They have a pet console that they use. It may be for reasons as simple as controller size or as complex as the available games.