We live in a disruptive era where every day we have new technology and things are in constant change. However, the gaming industry is itself disruptive. We would have never imagined the way it changed over the years. There are so many tech advancements in the gaming industry. However, technology disruption does not discriminate against industries. Today, we’re going to discover how technology is disrupting the gaming industry.
Device Fragmentation
The days where you only played video games on a computer are long gone. Your computer isn’t the only place you can play video games. You can play games on your phone, your tablet, and even a VR headset. Therefore, device fragmentation is something we must get used to with tech innovation in the gaming industry.
Developers now need to create video games that work with Internet access because users expect to share their experiences with others. So this is something that developers can use in their favor because they can work on specific projects like mobile games or TV games for smart TVs.
New Ways to Monetize Products
The way developers monetize their products is also more innovative today. Maybe in the past, it wasn’t that easy to find financial help. However, today many developers use crowdfunding or micropayments to monetize their projects. This is great because everybody gets involved in the process.
This type of monetization is great, not only because fans get to decide which projects are worth it, but also because it’s also an excellent way to get recognition in the industry. There are great platforms like Kickstarter or Steam that help developers release their products and make some money as well.
The best thing about crowdfunding is that developers reduce the financial risks of their project because they won’t be investing their own money, instead, it would be the fans who pay for the project.
Although there is no guarantee that there will be a high-quality result, however, it’s still a good point to start. Many recruiters from big companies look for talent in indie game developers. Therefore, whether you’d like to remain an indie dev or you’d like to get hired by a big company, crowdfunding is a good way to start.
Ageing Consumers
Product segmentation in the gaming industry is different today. Technology is evolving in the gaming industry and we probably think that regular consumers are only teenage kids. However, according to INC, the age of the average gamer is 30 years old. Kids who played with their Nintendo in the ’90s have grown up, and they continue to play videogames in their 30s.
It doesn’t mean that today’s video games won’t be oriented for teenagers, what it means is that consumers are now more diverse. On the other hand, INC also pointed out that more females are now playing video games, meaning that the gaming industry is more democratic.
This is especially beneficial for developers because they now have a broader spectrum of consumers. This way they can create diversified content for all ages and genders. This is something we didn’t have in the past.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is all about realistic simulation. VR is a disruptive technology that’s opening a new experience for users. When gaming companies started to use VR in game development, they introduced a new way to enjoy video games. VR technology can maximize business profits because there’s a large audience that wants to live that experience. VR also improves customer experience and creates brand engagement.
Virtual reality enriches the game environment experience and offers more attractive graphics that engage users. This is the reason why we’ll probably see more of VR in the future of entertainment.
Virtual reality tears down the barriers between the user’s world and the digital experience. That’s why it’s so easy for them to get engaged with the product. In fact, a recent survey from Magid indicated that 89% of consumers were very satisfied with their VR gaming experience.
On the other hand, VR has changed the way players perceive gaming. Since it’s a more intimate approach, players feel they’re inside the game. Therefore, developers need to think creatively when creating new narratives. Seth Luisi, the founder of Impulse Gear, recently said:
“We found that in VR you really feel the presence of these other characters. You’re in there with them, so we realized we needed a much more personal narrative.”
Augmented Reality
Another technology that’s disrupting the gaming industry is augmented reality. The difference between AR and VR is that while AR integrates game and audio content with the real world, VR immerses users into a complete 3D digital environment.
AR is disrupting the gaming industry because it’s a technology that makes a connection between the digital environment and the real world. Developers don’t have to create a new world from scratch, instead, they’ll take advantage of our own environment and make characters interact with us in our reality. Currently, the AR gaming business has reached over $3.5 billion in net value according to BR Softech.
Conclusion
With the rapid change of technology, gaming companies need to embrace innovation, instead of staying in their comfort zone. It’s not all about creating different graphics but adding more realism to the whole gaming experience. Besides, video games also need to work with a good Internet connection.
This article was guest written by Artur Meyster, the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech. You can find him on his Twitter or Linkedin.
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