Gaming Trends To Be Aware Of From 2017

(Flickr)

Games have taken over the hearts and minds of most people these days. They’re increasingly narratively complex, increasingly beautiful in art design and graphical capability. This naturally leads to some titles that go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Grand Theft Auto 5, initially released in 2013, has shipped over 75 million copies to this day.

The potential for video games to expand even further is obvious, as modern gaming trends seem to be ready to blast through the stratosphere and make the most of their galactic potential. These are the gaming trends you should be aware of for 2017 and beyond, but beware, these are likely to change with an ever increasing acceleration of technological capability, as everything does in the digital space.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is already here, and it’s here to stay. The pricing right now means that it’s not affordable for everyone, but a real, dedicated community has sprung up around it. The Oculus Rift started it off, and everyone was stunned at the graphical fidelity it had upon launch. Unfortunately, there were issues with controls and the refresh rate that made its users feel sickly.

Since then though, massive conglomerates such as HTC jumped on board and released the HTC Vive, what many consider to be the best option available today. Big game developers are already jumping on board to develop experiences for the headset, and many high-profile IP’s like Batman have already been incorporated into the initial lineup offered. Over the next few years, we can expect the fidelity of these experiences to increase exponentially.

Massively Multiplayer

More and more game developers are experimenting with large online components to their video game lineups. The standard 8 vs 8 now seems limited, and consumers are asking for even more of a balanced, huge affair. Some multiplayer games can now easily support up to 25 v 25 players on console, and this is only set to increase. With the vastness of multiplayer maps ever increasing, we can expect some truly revolutionary online spaces to evolve sooner than we think. With the upcoming release of Star Wars Battlefront 2 by EA and Dice, we’re expecting big things.

Smartphone Gaming

Smartphone gaming is a massive market these days. Even those who wouldn’t usually consider themselves gamers aren’t immune to the charms of role playing quests, collecting games or live casino online. This is only set to increase, as with the advent of emulation and large developers placing games from old console hardware fully supported on the App or Play Store, we can expect a resurgence in mobile gaming to be had on the modern smartphone marketplaces. This is exciting and redefines what we think when we think about handheld consoles.

Universal 4K

With the release of the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S, 4K is not just an experienced that’s possible with a high-end PC. A 4K screen offers twice the resolution potential of a 1440p display, and this can look absolutely phenomenal. We can expect 4K screens to become the standard within the next few years, as HD becomes old-hat in favor of WQHD and UHD.

Whatever your gaming interest, it’s hard to deny that they have become radically more dynamic and interesting than anyone had expected. It’s never been easier to pick up and play.