The Future of Video Games: Innovations in Gaming Technology
The very first video game, Tennis For Two, was invented in 1958. Like the well-known classic Pong, it consisted of a few pixels bouncing around a screen and the most simple inputs imaginable. No fancy platforms, video game consoles, or superstar studios to be found.
Now, over 50 years later, gaming technology and culture have expanded to heights inventors around that time could have never dreamed. From the days of Pac-Man to the heights of Angry Birds and beyond, the video game industry only continues to grow from a form of entertainment into a billion-dollar competitive industry.
It’s easy to take new technologies for granted today or see them as fleeting gimmicks. Still, a genuine look at emerging innovations finds something truly staggering, both in what we can already do and in the potential for things soon to come.
In the modern age, you can stream games to any TV or device you own, communicate with your team in real-time through headsets and Twitch streams, control games via hand gestures rather than a controller, and so much more.
We put together this guide to show off some of 2022’s best innovations in gaming technology (and some improvements yet to come).
These aren’t just fads that will fade in a year or two. You can bet these innovations will change the future of gaming in one way or another.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Virtual Reality
One of the most promising and exciting new technologies to watch is virtual reality gaming.
VR has been on the horizon for a while now, but it’s only recently started to become accessible to the public (or at least to those with average budgets).
With brands such as Oculus offering compact, relatively affordable entry levels into VR gaming and entertainment, more or more people can try this technology for themselves in their own homes and on their mobile devices.
However, some people still see VR gaming as gimmicky, and there are admittedly some things that hold it back in its current state. One of the main downsides is that VR gaming consoles desperately need greater quantity and quality of game titles.
While some popular games have been ported to VR and new titles are also released for VR systems, there’s still a huge need for expansion. Some genres are all but unrepresented, and many included games are still clunky and lack the true hook factor to retain players.
It may not be that long before VR completely takes over the gaming world — and even the entertainment world as we know it. The more investment developers put into releasing quality VR titles, the more power it will hold in gaming culture.
Another reason this innovation is such a safe bet to back is that VR has extensive potential uses beyond gaming circles, most notably in business and public sectors. That means there will be tons of investment in improving this technology, and gaming can only benefit from that.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality games share some qualities with VR but take things in a slightly different direction. Rather than fully immersing you in a new reality, these games take parts of the real world and incorporate game elements with them.
The most popular example of an augmented reality game is Pokémon Go. The mobile phone app experienced a massive popularity boom a few years ago thanks to social media trends, and of course, the preexisting popularity of Pokémon games.
Augmented reality games incorporate 3D images alongside your phone’s camera view. Some games, like Pokémon Go, also incorporate real-world GPS data. By physically traveling to different locations in the real world, you can encounter different game content, such as Pokéstops or gems.
The game even goes as far as even changing the types of Pokémon you might encounter based on the environment around you. Real-world elements such as grass, stones, and water can lead to different types of Pokémon spawning.
While this was a fun trend, Pokémon Go eventually dropped in popularity, and with it, augmented reality games left the mainstream spotlight.
Don’t be fooled, though! Augmented reality likely has a big role to play in the future of gaming. The possibilities are truly exciting, but we’ll have to wait and see how creative developers at Sony, Microsoft, and other powerhouses put them to work.
Cloud Gaming and Game Streaming
Of all the innovations we’re discussing today, cloud gaming is the newest and least well-known, but its potential impact on the future of gaming may also be the greatest.
You might be wondering what cloud gaming actually is. Essentially, cloud gaming allows you to stream a game much like you would stream a TV show or movie via Netflix or Hulu.
Popular cloud gaming services such as Google Stadia and Playstation Now work by remotely connecting you to a system elsewhere (such as a PC or Playstation at a hub or data center). Through this network connection, you can use the processing power of that system to run a game on a local display of your own.
All you have to do is display the game somewhere, such as a TV, monitor, phone, or tablet, and provide input, either through a controller, keyboard and mouse, or touchscreen.
If you were skeptical at first, consider the convenience appeal of cloud gaming. You could stream big triple AAA games at maximum graphic settings without having to buy an expensive, top-of-the-line PC.
Additionally, someone who travels frequently can’t lug around a console or gaming PC with them, but a powerful system is right at their fingertips with game streaming. You might just want to play games at a friend's house without bringing your console. With cloud gaming, it’s easy.
How Can I Get Started With Cloud Gaming?
Of course, one of the major downsides is that it requires a high-quality internet connection. That’s the primary factor that has held back game streaming for so long, and it’s still an obstacle for many individuals today.
If you’re interested in cloud gaming, one of the best ways to ensure you have a reliable and lag-free gaming experience is to start using a GPN (like a VPN, but specifically for gaming).
Don’t get us wrong – we don’t think the traditional ways of owning a dedicated console or gaming PC and locally owning individual games are going anywhere.
Instead, we expect cloud gaming to supplement traditional gaming and expand gaming to new crowds.
In other words, cloud gaming offers huge potential in terms of accessibility, and that’s a trait that promises success. A greater percentage of people are playing video games now than ever before, and improved cloud gaming services will likely bring those numbers even higher in the future.
Optimized Technologies
Think of optimized technologies like a new trait for your character that boosts the power of something you can already do, rather than giving you a brand new ability.
These innovations may not always be the most flashy or trendy, but they can make a huge tangible difference in your gaming experience right now.
Graphics
Sometimes this kind of innovation is as simple as improved graphics. Creating more realistic graphics has been a huge focus in research and development ever since video games took off in popularity.
Modern games can achieve incredibly realistic and high-quality graphics, so much so that at times it may seem we’ve hit the ceiling. Technologies like 4K displays, ray tracing, and more push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.
At the same time, many developers opt for less realistic graphics to achieve a certain artistic style and expression. In many ways, the drive for more realistic graphics has significantly lessened in recent years, as indie games (which typically focus less on realistic graphics) have grown in popularity.
Huge Open Worlds
Open-world games have long been popular, but in the past, games were severely limited in the levels of immersion and content they could include.
Today, open-world games can be absolutely massive. Not only have systems become more powerful, so they can simply handle more, but developers have also come up with new ones to implement systems and content efficiently and effectively.
Modern open-world games can offer hundreds or thousands of hours of fully immersive content across huge maps, and we expect this only to increase as deeper optimizations roll out.
Speed and Internet Connections
Competitive gaming for fast-paced games has experienced a monumental rise in popularity.
From the everyday gamer grinding to top leaderboards to professional gamers competing in hugely popular Esports events, the demands of the gaming world have driven technological advancements towards optimized speed and stability.
The innovations span from the bottom to the top, from your hardware to your network.
Controllers and keyboards/mice are engineered for competitive gaming, maximizing your physical ability to play quickly. Systems are built for incredibly short response times, and monitors seek the highest refresh rates. But these hardware innovations are often expensive and inaccessible for the everyday player.
Another, more accessible way to optimize your gaming speed and stability is through network improvement. The first step is hooking up to ethernet, which performs better than a wireless connection.
The next step is to use a GPN, or Gamer’s Private Network.
Like a VPN, a GPN lets you connect to the internet via a middle-man server. The difference is that a GPN is 100% focused on optimizing your gaming connection.
Our WTFast GPN is expertly engineered to find the fastest traceroute for your data, minimizing your ping and reducing lag spikes or connection drops.
Whether you’re a dedicated professional or a competitive casual gamer, eliminating lag from your gaming experience with a GPN will let you experience the future of gaming now.
Conclusion
There’s a whole host of exciting innovations and technologies on the horizon of the gaming industry. Look for improved gameplay, heightened social interaction between human players, and even the rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).
Some of these innovations are just starting out, while others are in full swing. Stay in the know with all the latest and greatest gaming info right here at WTFast’s blog.
Sources:
This Month in Physics History - October 1958: Physicist Invents First Video Game | APS Physics
