Consumption

Like any cultural industry, video games evolve with technological innovations. Constant progress in technology has allowed video game developers to create increasingly immersive experiences, offering ever greater playful potential. What are the technological innovations that will influence the future of gaming?

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes computer-generated images on a user's view of the real world. We obtain a composite view: digital images and sounds, which are mixed with the real environment in which the player finds himself. Augmented reality is thus revolutionizing the video game industry. Indeed, gamers' interactions with the game environment are becoming more and more immersive, thanks to voice and facial recognition, and motion recognition.

Augmented reality on mobile devices has already proven itself with Pokémon Go, for example. This title has completely changed the way we think and play. The system is based on the use of a mobile device, allowing interaction between the real world and the gaming universe. The same principle is at work in an online casino game: the player can play slot machines in the decor of the room where he is. This offers users the opportunity to live a unique experience live, which is as close as possible to real casinos.

Virtual Reality

For Yann Lotte (educational manager XP School Montpellier and project manager Streaming Academy), virtual reality induces a new way of perceiving the world and shaping it as one wishes.

Like augmented reality, it combines digital images and sounds with the player's movements. However, virtual reality is even more immersive, since this technology allows players to move and interact in a three-dimensional virtual world, thanks in particular to special headsets.

Although virtual reality has been talked about for several years, and in several areas, it seems to be struggling to take off. The prospect of a fully immersive experience remains enticing for many players; however, in 2020, VR represented less than 1% of game sales. Nevertheless, many players are expressing their interest in virtual reality. Experts believe that in the coming years, there will be significant growth in the global market for virtual reality titles.

“This is clearly the future of video games,” believes Charles-Louis Planade, financial analyst at Midcap Partners. “Even if it remains a niche market, it continues to grow strongly.”

VR headset technology is still booming and has room for improvement. In 2023, we expect to see Sony and Apple each present a new VR headset.

Mixed Reality and Connected Lenses

Mixed reality refers to a kind of fusion between augmented reality and virtual reality. A new environment would be born, where the digital of the virtual world and the physical object of the real world could coexist and interact. This technological innovation should influence the future of gaming, particularly with the use of connected lenses. These, real innovative hardware (which has not yet been released), will revolutionize the video game industry by erasing the boundary between real and virtual.

Cloud Gaming

The "cloud" or dematerialized computing, is clearly considered the future of "gaming". It is about total dematerialization of the video game in a computing cloud. This allows you to play in wifi on all devices with the fluidity of a game on console or computer. Sophisticated graphics and animations are a real challenge in terms of computing power. It is therefore necessary to have servers that hold up, media for broadcasting fluid graphic content, without jolts or interruptions. Cloud gaming allows players to do without an expensive PC, while continuing to play the latest games released online.

The future of gaming remains intrinsically linked to technological innovations. Thus, the development of technologies continues to offer more immersive and accessible gaming experiences.

(MH with Fred Lebon/Picture: Pexels)